OUR TEAM

Bashart Malik is a Director, Cinematographer, DJ and the Chair of our Board. He delivers high-quality creative outputs that amplify unheard voices and enhance engagement. Over 20 years producing
 music videos, features and commercials. His directing work challenges misinformation using cinematic storytelling. Watch his cinematography in cinema releases such as ‘Golden Years’ for Moli Films, Channels 4’s short form strand ‘Random Acts’ and an extensive range of music videos, TV commercials and features. Known for delivering immersive screening events and is developing a Bath based youth project, using innovative tech. 
Collaborating with artists for BBC’s New Creatives.  His DJ sets combine music from Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. 

Leads the charge in diversifying the sector through her proactive engagement efforts. She actively forges and strengthens connections with local communities, venues, organisations, and festivals to create opportunities for the Diverse Artists Network and to change representation within the sector. In 2024, Vandna will be moving to Artistic Director for Diaspora, the network’s annual city-wide festival. Her contributions extend to the founding of Vocalise, a significant community magazine in the heart of St Pauls, and she also holds the role of Community Engagement Officer for the Bristol Refugee Festival.

Dr. Roz’s career spans over three decades. Driven by a passion for inclusivity, she now pioneers cutting-edge approaches to evaluation across disciplines and art forms. Collaborating with renowned organisations such as Tate and the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, Dr. Roz continues to shape the landscape of cultural impact assessment. Her work is not only a testament to her expertise but also a beacon for a more inclusive and equitable arts community.

For two decades, Penny has been weaving together communities through her choreography and performances, co-founding the Charity Movema in 2009.  Her work transcends stages, bringing empowerment and a voice to underrepresented communities. Penny has an extensive background in theatre, education, and community arts, and uses the power of movement to forge connections and break down barriers.

Rosco spent years honing his legal expertise, but ultimately found his true calling in arts administration. Today, Rosco stands at the forefront of the environmental movement, leveraging the power of art to drive change. His belief in the transformative potential of creativity fuels his advocacy for environmental causes and as an EDI specialist.

After 30+ years in Bristol, Oneil has built a powerful community network, merging music composition with strategic, high-level collaborations. Known for visionary thinking, he excels in networking, problem-solving, and ambitious goal-setting. Driven by big dreams, he aims to be an Ultrapreneur, leaving a lasting entrepreneurial legacy through impactful projects.

Sachin, a Punjabi-British visual and dance artist in Bristol, explores joyful, authentic expression through movement. His project, Moving Ink, paints live dancers, drawing from Japanese Sumi-e ink’s fluidity. With a background in economics, he also works as a financial strategist, blending artistry and analysis for sustainable business strategies.

Collaborates closely with Vandna to provide consultancy services focused on advancing diversity within the sector, serving as a crucial bridge between artists and esteemed venues, festivals, organisations, and educational institutions, facilitating bookings and partnerships within the South West. Deasy is a mentor for our artists, nurturing their growth by honing industry skills, securing funding, and fostering valuable connections. With a strong commitment to the community, Deasy has also established the Bristol Refugee Festival and Imalya, and is currently in the process of founding an organisation in Cornwall dedicated to championing diverse artists.

A driving force for creatives in the South West, Jazpa is a multi-disciplinary creative director, mentor, and artist producer known for paving the way for emerging talent. Whether performing, hosting events, or curating experiences at major venues and festivals—including Love Saves The Day, Glastonbury Festival, Forwards Festival, and Bristol Beacon—his impact is undeniable. Passionate about giving back to communities, Jazpa’s journey began through voluntary work, mentoring young people and helping them build confidence through music. His dedication and tenacity positioned him as a key figure in breaking down barriers for young creatives. He serves as a Director and Youth Guidance Mentor at ACE CIC, Operations Manager at BORN2BE Records, and Outreach Lead for Big Team CIC. Jazpa has a keen ear for new music and a commitment to championing diversity and inclusion. His diverse experience includes roles as a Musical Director for theatre, DJ, Workshop Facilitator, Radio Host, Creative Project Lead, and Community Board Member.

I am a passionate arts leader with over 20 years’ experience driving creative projects that centre diversity, inclusion and education. With a background in theatre and a specialism in arts management and cultural policy, I’ve delivered high-quality programmes that empower emerging artists, young people and underrepresented communities to thrive in the creative industries.

Throughout my career, I’ve led multi-disciplinary teams, built strong partnerships, produced large-scale creative events, and successfully managed everything from programme design to evaluation, fundraising, and touring. As a migrant artist from Latin-America and advocate for diverse voices, I am committed to expanding representation across the arts sector, bringing both lived experience and professional expertise to the table.

Currently, I am Creative Manager at Creative Youth Network, where I develop and deliver creative programmes that nurture hopefully the next generation of artists and cultural leaders in the Southwest region.

Ari is an environmental activist based in Exeter and has been part of the DAN community from its early beginnings. She has engaged with Tribe of Doris as both a volunteer and participant, and has long supported DAN’s work. Ari deeply values the arts and diversity as vital sources of joy, connection and wellbeing. As a differently abled person, she brings important lived experience to the development of DAN, helping to shape inclusive and thoughtful practice. She has also played a key role in DAN’s outreach project, DINKA, supporting the delivery of diverse arts activity into communities across Cornwall.

Sarah has over 22 years’ experience in socially engaged arts practice. Originally trained in visual arts, she began her career teaching art in secondary education before moving into learning and participation roles within a wide range of cultural organisations, including the Royal Opera House, Alexandra Palace, Arts Council England and English Heritage. She went on to produce an international outdoor arts and circus festival in Norfolk for six years before relocating to the South West. Over the past seven years, Sarah has served as CEO and Director of three arts charities and social enterprises across Dorset, Bristol and Bath and North East Somerset. She now works at the West of England Combined Authority as Regional Lead for Creative and Cultural Industries, supporting increased investment and a more representative creative sector.

MoYah is a Mozambican-born Afro-fusion artist, award-winning interfaith creative producer, workshop facilitator and public speaker. Forced to flee Mozambique as a child during a prolonged civil war, he later grew up in Portugal, where music became a powerful tool for self-expression, identity and social commentary. Drawing on rap, AfroFusion, trap and alternative sounds, MoYah’s work addresses themes of displacement, spirituality and social justice from an African Diaspora perspective. Known for his electrifying performances, he uses lived experience to foster empathy, community cohesion and artistic activism. His music has featured on BBC One and RTP, and in 2023 he was selected as a Festival da Canção contestant. He has performed internationally and is widely recognised for his interfaith arts leadership and community-focused cultural work.

James Nissen is a Yiddish singer, klezmer violinist and music educator based in the UK. He teaches at the University of Sheffield and is a British Academy Research Fellow, researching music, identity and multiculturalism at international music festivals. James is a founding and executive member of the Music, Education and Social Inclusion (MESI) group within the International Council for Traditions of Music and Dance. Alongside his academic work, he has collaborated with numerous arts organisations, including Band on the Wall, Music Action International and Music for Youth, to promote diversity, inclusion and social connection through community music education.

Carol has been a performer and creative from a young age, starting at Oval House Theatre at eight, writing, performing, and directing youth shows. She became an acrobat as a teenager, performing in Covent Garden and across Europe, and later became one of the first acrobatic coaches at Circus Space in the UK. Carol served as Artistic Director and trainer for Circomedia’s City Circus outreach project in Bristol and has extensive experience in theatre design and carnival costume making, including with St Pauls Carnival. She now focuses on Afro-centric art, creating installations and touring her ten-foot puppet Afro Leana to inspire children of colour, and is a valued member of DAN.

Dr Natalie Hyacinth is an academic and artist exploring music at the intersection of sound, gender, and Black life. She is currently a Researcher on the ERC-funded Sonic Street Technologies project at Goldsmiths, University of London. Her interdisciplinary research draws on Cultural Geography, Black Studies, Philosophy, and Afrofuturism, centering messages of love and unity through music, inspired by her Caribbean heritage. Natalie is a founding member of the Black Music and Cultures Research Group London, which highlights Black female perspectives on diaspora music and culture, and contributes to the Sonic CyberFeminisms Collective. She also creates electronic music as The Black Astral.

Makala Cheung, also known as music artist KALA CHNG, is a community activist and creative from Bristol. She supports creative expression and songwriting in schools through Listen Imagine Compose with Birmingham Contemporary Music Group and Sound and Music. Makala helps lead Filwood Community Centre’s new Leveling Up project, developing South Bristol’s cultural hub, and campaigns for cultural democracy with the Fun Palaces collective. Her work spans community engagement, arts advocacy, and creative leadership, earning recognition through initiatives such as Creative Civic Change, the Bristol Cool List, Bristol Happiness Champion, China Bureau Culture Ambassador, and A New Song for Bristol.

Keshin is the founder of AnExperience / Pangea & a DJ from Bristol. His grassroots events are designed to celebrate community, create playful environments & get people sweating to joyous music in a way that makes them forget about the troubles in the world even just for a brief moment. 

Ruth is Co-founder and Co-director of Bristol-based theatre companies Breathing Fire and Black Women Let Loose, producing work locally, nationally, and internationally. She performs, directs, and facilitates theatre workshops, collaborating with arts organisations, local authorities, charities, and businesses. A fellow of the Arts Council’s Women Leaders South West programme, Ruth has developed walking and creative projects for women, addressing isolation and promoting wellbeing. She is also an Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion consultant across charity, public, and private sectors, with previous roles including Head of Equalities at Voscur and Manager of the Witness Service at Bristol Crown Court, and has advised numerous strategic bodies on race equality and inclusion.

Nick is co-director of MUTI a Bristol & South West based training provider for the Live Arts & Events sector. Nick’s background is in theatre – professional and community, and education. Nick’s recent theatre work includes directing Anansi and the Grand Prize with Dip & Fall Back Theatre and Bristol Old Vic in December 2019. From 2015 to 2023 he was the Creative Director of Creative Youth Network, and prior to that worked as a lecturer across FE & HE establishments in the region. He is currently the Civic Engagement Associate for University of Bristol, heading up an innovative Barton Hill based ‘micro-campus’ project with the local community. 

Yoma Smith is a marketing and communications professional with over 20 years’ experience and founder of Amino Consulting Ltd, providing strategic, digital, and project management services. Alongside this, she pursues a creative career as a creator, performer, emerging theatre producer, and music artist manager, exploring heritage, culture, identity, representation, and social justice. In 2018, she co-founded Black Women Let Loose Theatre Company CIC, championing African and Caribbean women’s experiences, and co-directs Plumwood Music Ltd, managing music production, releases, and touring. Yoma also supports charities and community projects, serving as trustee for Travelling Light Theatre and Bristol Museums Development Trust, transforming visions into tangible cultural impact.

LaToyah McAllister-Jones is Executive Director of Bristol’s St Pauls Carnival and an Associate Non-Executive Director at NHS North Bristol Trust. She is committed to transforming the carnival from a single-day event into a year-round celebration of Bristol’s African Caribbean culture and community. With over 20 years’ experience in the homelessness sector, she has worked in multidisciplinary environments supporting vulnerable individuals across charities and commercial organisations. A member of the Bristol One City Culture Board since 2020, LaToyah brings expertise in strategic development, change management, and leadership facilitation, supporting social purpose organisations and senior leaders to enhance impact and outcomes.

Emma has led Trinity since 2007, growing it from grassroots beginnings into one of Bristol’s key cultural institutions, delivering a diverse programme including live music, theatre, community youth and participatory arts activities. She has overseen major capital works, including the restoration of Trinity as well as securing the future of Jacobs Wells Baths as a civic and cultural asset. Emma is a Trustee of Bristol Law Centre and champions under-represented voices through partnership projects including Citizens for Culture and contributing to national discussions on the value of culture and arts for social change, social inclusion and community-led regeneration.

Stacey Pottinger is dedicated to fostering creativity, inclusion, and community. She champions underrepresented artists, building partnerships and projects that celebrate diversity and amplify voices. Passionate about the power of art to connect people and inspire change, Stacey thrives on collaboration, helping ideas grow into meaningful cultural experiences. She is committed to ensuring everyone has a platform to share their stories and to creating opportunities that highlight the richness of different cultures, spark dialogue, and make a real difference for communities.

Hello, my name is Oliver Woods. I am a Bristol-based artist, creative, and community-focused activist, passionate about improving access and accessibility, particularly for disabled and neurodivergent people. I actively advocate around issues such as inclusive public transport and believe strongly in the power of community to create positive change. Two years ago, I founded a local creative cuppa group in Redcliffe, which has become a valued and welcoming space for those who attend. My creative practice is informed by my lived experience of accessibility barriers. I am also a pagan and druid, following the Wheel of the Year, and I’m keen to help amplify conversations around these often underrepresented spiritual communities.

Katie Despres is a Bristol-based Systemic and Family Constellations facilitator and senior yoga teacher. Her work explores how personal, ancestral, cultural, and collective systems shape our lives, relationships, and creativity. With over a decade of embodied and systemic practice and more than 25 years as a self-employed businesswoman, she brings a grounded, practical approach to intuitive work. Informed by lived experience of complex, cross-cultural family systems, Katie is known for creating inclusive, accessible spaces where people can gently explore underlying patterns without pressure to analyse, perform, or explain themselves.

Emily is a biologist, nature guide and eco-health practitioner using cross-sector approaches to reconnect people with the living world. She is a founding director of EcoWild, delivering programmes across health, spiritual ecology and community engagement, and facilitates The Work That Reconnects. Emily sits on the Nature and Health Strategy Group for the West of England Nature Partnership. Her practice is grounded in somatic awareness and body intelligence, supporting adults through creativity, stillness, movement and nature immersion in woodlands around Bath and North East Somerset. She holds a BSc in Biology, is a yoga teacher with 25 years’ practice, and meditates.

José Barco is a facilitator of dialogue, learning and change, and Director of CoLab International (Community CoLab) in Bristol. With over 13 years’ experience in the UK and internationally, and roots in Colombia, he works across civil society, government, philanthropy, cultural, environmental and grassroots movements. José supports collaborative leadership in complex contexts, drawing on participatory leadership, community organising and systems thinking to work across difference. He is a Steward of The Art of Hosting England, a co-founder of Community Organisers Ltd, and a multi-instrumentalist musician who weaves creativity, rhythm and collective care into his work.

Julia is a sustainability manager for a chocolate and snacks manufacturer, leading initiatives that integrate environmental and social responsibility into business operations. Originally from Poland and fluent in three languages, her work is driven by a commitment to improving how businesses engage with communities and the planet through awareness, efficiency and tailored strategies. She values social awareness, communication, diverse perspectives and teamwork as key to addressing complex challenges. A passionate reader with a strong interest in wellbeing, Julia explores the links between psychology, movement, food, nature and social connection. She also runs Vocalise, a community magazine amplifying local voices and stories.

Carol Verdugo-Gonzalez is a Chilean-born creative professional, community organiser and advisor with lived refugee experience and over 30 years of leadership across the creative, cultural and social sectors. A business owner and long-standing Virtual Assistant, she has supported artists, boards and purpose-led organisations across the South West. Carol is also a holistic therapist, Reiki Master and teacher, using embodied, nature-based and indigenous-informed practices to support wellbeing and reconnection. A dedicated environmental and river activist, she brings strategic insight, grounded care and a strong commitment to amplifying underrepresented voices.

Kate is co-director of MUTI Live, a training provider for the live arts and events sector. She brings 20 years’ experience as a freelance Creative Producer, specialising in circus and outdoor events, and has worked with organisations including the Roundhouse, Glastonbury Theatre and Circus Fields, and Coventry City of Culture. In 2014, Kate co-founded Circus City Festival and in 2019 established Handstand Arts CIO to manage the festival. She now focuses on supporting others to build skills and careers in the live arts and events industry.

AUGUST is a Bristol-based creative and educator working at the intersection of music, inclusion and collective growth. A singer, songwriter, producer and composer, her sound blends soulful and experimental influences rooted in Bristol’s musical heritage. She is a passionate educator and mentor, and founder of Bass Choir, an experimental vocal collective evolving towards wider community engagement. AUGUST supports learners through mentoring, facilitation and her work with Music Technology Club, helping people build confidence and creative agency through songwriting, production and vocal practice. An advocate for inclusive arts, she centres music of Black origin, sound system culture and global majority voices across her practice.

He is Chair of the Avon Indian Community Association, a role he has held for 11 years, with over 40 years’ experience working with communities. He was a founder member and Chair of the South Gloucestershire Race Equality Network for 10 years, and served as a board member of the Bristol Hindu Temple for five years. Passionate about bringing people together, he organises community events that help Indian communities stay connected to their heritage. Recently awarded a community award from South Gloucestershire, he is committed to using his experience and knowledge to strengthen collaboration and unity across communities.

Kamina is a Bristol-based multidisciplinary artist, writer, mother, and creative coach. Her practice combines dance, performance, photography, and text through playful, embodied methods. Writing anchors reflection and imagination. Community and collaboration shape her work. She currently explores womanhood in her sixties, addressing ageing, invisibility, rage, and resilience with deep curiosity.

Penny Marie is a Bristol-based dance practitioner with 25 years’ community experience. She leads Freedom Soul Dance, blending West African, contemporary, Afrobeat and freestyle styles to inspire joy and self-expression. She teaches weekly in Bristol, regularly at Glastonbury Festival, and works with Vital Beats charity in women’s prisons, sharing creativity, connection and community through dance.