Staff
Leah Reeves
Creative Manager
‘I have been with Art4Space since 2013 and I am a mosaic artist and manage the design of our mosaics. I enjoy developing ideas and collaborating with new project partners.’
Katrine Stolsnes
Office Manager
‘I joined Art4Space in 2016. I work closely with Julie and the Board to deliver Art4Space’s objectives. I manage the office, finances and marketing of the organisation, including reporting for our funding, database records and NOCN qualifications.’
Andrea Paltzer
Fundraising and Business Development Manager
‘As a fundraising and business development manager for Art4Space, I oversee the bigger fundraising programmes and strategy with the director. I am responsible for meeting income targets by grant and funding applications. Plus using various techniques to generate more business and donations from sources such as the public (community/mass participation events and regular giving) and benefactors.’
Kim Dixon
Volunteer Manager and Welfare Officer
‘I initially joined Art4Space as a volunteer whilst developing my career in the arts and health sector, I now manage the Creative Surgery sessions and provide support to our volunteers. I’m also the Welfare Officer for the organisation and I look after the welfare side of things for our wonderful team. I am also an artist with a passion for sharing the therapeutic and cognitive health benefits that art and creativity can bring. Outside of Art4Space I host art and wellbeing workshops for older adults, I work in Reminiscence Arts helping people with dementia and their carers and I manage a community centre in South London. ‘
Natalie Russell
Lead Tutor
‘I joined Art4Space in 2012. I lead our Reaching Communities programmes, plus Why Art Matters and Creative Culture Clubs, autism groups and our young people programmes such as Creative Pathways. I am an experienced tutor for our therapeutic interventions.’
Gemma Hunter
Peer Support
‘I discovered Art4space in 2021 through a creative enterprise course. I have a background in education and working within the local community. I now facilitate the Crafty Cuppa sessions and Well-Being Through Creativity peer support sessions at Art4Space. Helping participants to become creative and improve their well-being. Outside of Art4Space I also run local community growing and creative workshops.‘
John McNair
Community Connector, LGBTQ+ Lead and Green Policy - Sustainability Officer
I joined Art4Space as a volunteer and LGBTQ+ lead in 2021. I am an interdisciplinary designer with an academic background in textile design, ceramics, graphic design and design research with a postgraduate Master’s degree in design. I retrained in 2018/19 to become a community arts facilitator, art and design tutor and mentor. I now facilitate the Reaching Communities; Social Action Programme courses at Art4Space. Within and outwith Art4Space, I also lead community art projects, facilitate courses and run workshops with the LGBTQ+ community and their allies. I became the Art4Space green policy – sustainability officer in 2022. I am passionate about using art and design as a tool for social change within the area of social sustainably and community development, to improve human well-being and livelihood.
Fran Focolini
Tutor
‘I have a background in fashion/textile design , having gained initial experience working for clothing brands I have dedicated the last ten years to developing my own label as well as supporting emerging designers via my previous independent London store Labour of Love.
Along the way I have also enjoyed giving talks to design students at colleges and universities on how to go about setting up their own design initiatives.
More recently my interest has shifted to working within the community, in particular with children and I was very lucky to be given the opportunity to start exploring this through voluntary work in 2018 and working in the community and completing my MA. I currently run our Reaching Communities courses.’
Morgane Brieussel
Workshop Facilitator
‘I joined Art4space in 2018, assisting the Why Art Matters programmes and facilitating Art after school club at the studio. I am passionate about visual arts being powerful educational tools to support children in developing healthy creative minds. I have recently completed my MA and enjoy Art4Space projects as they are all so varied and inspiring.’
Laura Ridgen
Mental Health First Aid Partner
‘I am an Australian born specialist Wellbeing Consultant with an academic background in Neuroscience (second major in Anatomy & Human Biology) and Postgraduate Psychology. I draw on a wealth of international experience in workplace health to bring the science of wellbeing to life with humour, honesty and practical lived experience. Currently, I work with various clients from small start-ups to FTSE 100 companies providing Mental Health First Aid training, wellbeing workshops and consultancy to help their people and their businesses thrive.’
Ellie Buckingham
Tutor
‘I joined the lovely Art4Space team in Autumn 2020. With and outside of Art4Space, I work on creative participation projects; helping communities to access the arts and use them to learn, grow and improve their well-being. I also work for a local women’s aid, providing 1:1 and group support with 13-25’s who’ve experienced Domestic Abuse. I use a trauma-informed approach in sessions and work with both fine arts and performing arts. I currently run our Reaching Communities courses and young people programmes such as Creative Pathways.’
Lucie Tucker
Artist in residence
‘I joined Art4Space in 2021 under the Kickstarter scheme. After six months with completion of the scheme, I joined the team as studio assistant. I help Leah and Louise with studio tasks and enjoy completing the mosaic and ceramic projects. I teach on outreach sessions too.’
Co-Founders
Dani Lee
Co-Founder and Community Artist
Dani is a co-founder of Art4Space.
She now lives in rural South-West Wales where she runs the successful community arts organisation, Dani Lee Arts, creating stunning murals of mosaic or cob, earth ovens and sculptures.
Elinor Seath
Co-Founder
Eli is a co-founder of Art4Space.
Eli resigned in March 2022 and now lives in Ramsgate moving onto new endeavours.
Leaving an amazing lasting legacy behind her and feels proud of all that she achieved during the 22 years at Art4Space. What an achievement and making a huge difference to thousands of lives through art and creativity.