Meet The Board
As a registered charity, B.ARTS work is overseen by a Board of Trustees, who contribute their time on a voluntary basis to monitor, support and assist with the development of the organisation, meeting together a minimum of 4 times a year, alongside participating in focused subgroups and attending B.ARTS events.
-
A spoken word artist, creative practitioner, walkabout performer and activist. 25 years working in third sector organisations committed to improving the lives of marginalised communities. He is a shared reading facilitator with Stoke-on-Trent Library Service and runs a weekly group for adults with learning disabilities.
-
A creative leader, artist, and co-director of Wavemaker, a pioneering digital inclusion organisation. He champions accessible technology to help close the digital divide. Ben also sits on the Wild Rumpus Advisory Board and is an active member of the North Staffs Chamber of Commerce.
-
Amanda has a varied career portfolio including working for the NHS, Stoke on Trent City Council, and a Stoke-On-Trent based charity. Her work has included co-creating a health and well being toolkit with LGBTQ+ community members and NHS practitioners. She now runs her own business - Solve It Together ADHD Coaching & Consultancy Ltd, including providing training to businesses in Neurodiversity Inclusion.
-
Chris’s background is in fundraising and development for charities, developing trust and foundation grant programmes that help organisations deliver their work and achieve strategic goals. He is Trusts & Foundations Manager at the Design Museum, London. Chris is also a scale model maker and Creative Director of TatterStack. His association with B. Arts spans over 20 years.
-
Retired Local Government Officer -Partnerships Development Officer (Argyll and Bute Council) 25 years supporting social enterprises with business development, start up and identifying funding. Also provided support to third sector partners. Previously worked with B.ARTS and other arts companies as a production manager, arts worker/maker, pyro-technician.
-
Alicia is a recent graduate and early career artist. Alicia has a degree in textile design from Loughborough University and is well versed in many different mediums across the arts such as sewing, ceramics and sustainable arts practice – her practice focuses on slow, place-based textiles, using the local area as a resource. She is part of the national Green Grads scheme – a national network of creatives combining sustainability and arts-innovation.
Alicia took part in B. ARTS action-based training programme New Producers in 2023 and has worked with the company as a freelance artist.
-
Long career in the arts, notably as Artistic Director of Keele Concerts Society. Experienced in working with disadvantaged groups, especially refugees and asylum seekers as well as volunteering for a number of local charities, including the Samaritans.
-
Lydia’s career has centred on co-design, community facilitation, participatory research and strategic engagement. In her current role as Operations Manager at Outside Arts, an Arts Council–funded Cultural People and Places programme in the Staffordshire Moorlands, she supports the delivery of creative, place-based initiatives across rural communities. Her work focuses on fostering partnerships, enabling community-led cultural activity, and embedding long-term, inclusive approaches to engagement and programme development.
Lydia’s creative practice champions lived experience-led research. Completing creative projects such as her ‘Mrs Mum’ documentary where she worked closely former female machinists to capture overlooked stories of working-lass care networks and community resilience.
Lydia took part in B. ARTS action-based training programme New Producers in 2024.
-
Monaliza holds a master’s degree in business administration and got a long experience in the same field here in the UK and in the UAE, she was born and raised in Dubai and moved to Stoke on Trent in 2021. She currently works for YMCA North Staffordshire supporting the young people. She joined B.ARTS advisory group in 2022 and volunteers in various events, and also has been volunteering with The Spode Rose Garden, Appetite, Kwanzaa Collective UK, and a Board member at Sanctus St Marks.
Monaliza is deeply passionate about the power of inclusive arts to engage and empower communities. She champions community-led projects across the city and strongly believes in the transformative impact art can have on people’s lives.
-
Participant & volunteer of B.ARTS activities. Works for non-profit organisation running social projects with older people and experienced student support worker for students with additional needs (ranging from dyslexia to mental ill health and physical disability) at Stoke College, Staffordshire University and Keele University
-
An experienced CEO and independent consultant working for a range of third sector organisations, including social housing and equity and inclusion advocacy. He has a legal background and has worked extensively both in North Staffordshire, and in London. He has been a long-term supporter of B. ARTS and was previously on the board in the early 2000s.
-
Tony Jones is a former third sector manager turned photographer & participatory artist. He has extensive experience of voluntary & arts sector governance with a particular interest in inclusion - he has lived experience of physical and mental injury/disability and chronic illness. He is also a musician, who makes, repairs and restores musical instruments.
As an environmental scientist he was member of the OU's Energy Research group, subsequently leaving academic life to work in the community sector specialising in organisational development, new technologies, social policy, income generation and finance. Following diagnosis with a disabling illness Tony retired and took up post-grad study of community arts at Staffs Uni.
He has worked with B.ARTS for 20+ years as board member, artist, project participant, & volunteer - he is a great enthusiast for the work of this exceptional community asset and its power to use arts to drive social change.
COULD YOU BE THE NEXT CHAIR OF OUR BOARD OR A TRUSTEE/BOARD MEMBER
If you think you might be able to contribute to B.ARTS by becoming a Board member/trustee and you would like to know more then feel free to get in touch.