introducing
myself
Education
2009
A Level Qualifications
Porthcawl Comprehensive School
Drama (A*) Music (A*) English (A)
2011 - 2014
Bachelor of Arts (First Class)
University of South Wales
Graduated in Drama, Theatre and Media
2020
Master of Arts (Distinction)
University of South Wales
Graduated in Drama
(Focus on Creative Engagement)
Career
Timeline
Experience
I am very grateful to the organisations that have given me the tools to learn and grow in the sector of participatory arts and creative health. Each opportunity has furthered my skills in networking, administration, relationship management and monitoring and evaluating projects for the benefit of participants, stakeholders and organisations.
1
Monitoring and Evaluation Report on Breathing Space
Tanio
2
Artist Register Audit and Review
Arts Care Gofal Celf
3
GWELLA
Arts Care Gofal Celf
4
BRECHFA
Arts Care Gofal Celf
project
Portfolio
Listed here are my most relevant projects that focus on administration and coordination.
monitoring and evaluation report
Tanio
In November 2022, I was commissioned by Tanio to deliver a monitoring and evaluation report for one of their projects, Breathing Space.
There are many neurodivergent participants who attend the Breathing Space sessions across the Bridgend county and so I planned my approach to be reflexive to their needs and I allowed participants to lead.
I prepared a document that had diverse prompts for feedback and participants could engage where they felt most comfortable, this allowed for both qualitative and quantitative data to be collected.
I investigated how to best get consent from participants before monitoring the project and liaised with support workers for further insight. Therefore, not all participants were included in the monitoring as I didn’t feel we could achieve informed consent from those with higher complex needs. Each participant was briefed before contributing and every effort was made throughout the process to ensure participants were aware of how and why their contributions were valued and were informed of the right to withdraw without justification.
I collated the data into Excel and created graphs based on the information provided by participants and from interviews with the facilitators.
Tanio have since developed their Breathing Space project and secured further portfolio funding to achieve their aims and vision.
I was tasked with reviewing the artist register that has been cultivated by Arts Care Gofal Celf since its inception in 1987. The register consists of professional artists who deliver workshops within clinical and community settings as part of their art practice.
The register had 89 artists listed using SharePoint, software available through Office 365.
I consulted with the team about exactly what information was required from the artists and the following was mentioned :
Equal Opportunities Monitoring
Training Qualifications
Wellbeing Feedback
Welsh Language Proficiency
Feedback on relationship with ACGC
From this, I developed a questionnaire and disseminated this to the 89 artists for their review and completion.
Registered Artist audit and review
Arts care gofal celf
I liaised with the artists to ensure that those with additional support needs were offered assistance in completing the form and I provided that where appropriate.
Out of 89 artists, I had 56 responses which I collated into a spreadsheet on Excel.
From these spreadsheets, I could update the contact information of registered artists and find areas for improvement in training, skills and wellbeing support.
I was also able to evaluate the data provided regarding equal opportunities monitoring and I found areas to diversify our current artist register.
I presented a report for the Board members of Arts Care Gofal Celf which provided a comprehensive look into the audit and evaluation of the register and how it has been updated.
This report was used as an appendix to the ACGC Investment Review application and was the springboard to the organisations Welsh Language Aims.
GWELLA
Project
Arts care gofal celf
I am reviewing whether I am achieving these outcomes through monitoring attendance KPIs in monthly meetings and from quantitative, qualitative and documented data collected at the event days. Before our first monthly meeting, I will be asking for feedback on the registered artists feelings of isolation; their relationship with ACGC and where they feel limits and barriers in their skills and wellbeing practice.
At the end of the project, I will collate the same information, compare results and create an evaluation of the success of the project through analysis of this information and attendance KPIs throughout the year. I will be using Excel and Canva primarily for data collation and report writing as well as a presentation to the Board members and ACW on the project. I prefer Canva to PowerPoint as the tools are more advanced and I can work efficiently on the software.
I used the abovementioned report as evidence of need for my GWELLA project for which I was successful in raising £3000 from the ACW Sharing Together fund.
GWELLA is an opportunity for registered artists to come together and connect and share good practice. It also offers wellbeing opportunities and professional development support.
The project is organised into four phases of three monthly sessions for which we will have speakers from external organisations share information and their experiences working with diverse communities.
The ultimate goal of GWELLA is to offer registered artists a place to connect and share and feel less isolated in their freelance work. To this end, we are looking to also develop an artist portal that makes this connection between artists and with ACGC easier and where ACGC can offer employment, personal and professional opportunities to the artists.
BRECHFA STORIES FROM THE FOREST
Arts care gofal celf
Brechfa Stories From The Forest is a multi-year £45,000 (£15000pa) project that I manage in the Brechfa Forest and surrounding areas. It is a large project with many moving parts, there are at any time multiple sub-projects occurring simultaneously.
It is funded by the Brechfa Forest West Wind Farm Community Benefit Fund with the view to invest into social enterprises to improve outcomes of the communities within the area of benefit.
I work very closely with the Fund Manager to decide where we strategically use the funding to provide creative opportunities for the communities who need more support. For example, following the closure of the Family Centre in Pencader, we have decided to invest heavily into the locality as it is a predominantly lower socio-economic area. To support the families and the children, I have organised an after-school club, weekend events and a half term club with different creative opportunities (chosen by the children) to engage the families and reunite the community since the centre’s closure. So far they have chosen more music workshops and have enjoyed the wonderful Bongo Clive and his rhythm school and exploring Nigel’s world instruments and their stories.
Administratively speaking, my role involves contracting artitsts, contracting venues, handling invoices, attending network meetings (for which I organise an artist to lead a workshop during the meeting), corresponding with other salaried roles from the Wind Farm Fund and support their projects, maintain contact lists in accordance with GDPR, troubleshoot any problems with artists or venues, organise risk assessments, gather feedback and evaluate, and lead the marketing for each project.
This is applied many times over for the different sub-projects under the Brechfa umbrella.
My
Abilities
Planning Collaborating Communicating
Working to a Brief
Nurturing Positive Relationships
Problem Solving Working to a Deadline Evaluating Decision Making Documenting Presenting
IT Literacy Budgeting
Active Listening Approachable Demeanour Networking
Additional
Experience
In addition to my work in participatory arts, I also have experience in these listed areas.
Samaritans Listening Volunteer
2020 - 2022
I worked with the Prison Team, training prisoners in HMP Parc to be listeners to other prisoners which was challenging at times and cemented my interpersonal and communication skills. When handling calls, I also noticed that neurodivergent callers were not being supported appropriately. I contacted Central Office in London and handling ND callers is now a module in the training of new Samaritans.
Clwb Glee Club
March - Present
When I joined Arts Care Gofal Celf as a Project Manager, I applied to the Moondance Foundation to establish a Clwb Glee Club - an inclusive singing for wellbeing group that met every Thursday.
Pictured is Kelvin (photo used with informed consent) a supported individual from a residential complex nearby. Together we serenade each other during This Is Me from The Greatest Showman and his ID now is this picture and his description is “Supported Individual/Singing Champion”. Kelvin is the highlight of my working week and the life and soul of Clwb Glee Club.
Clwb Glee Club welcomed a diverse demographic of attendees and engaged with social prescribing and community navigators.
We had 31 sessions, over 400 attendances and a Christmas Singalongathon!
Networks & connections
Over the last few years, I have been grateful to work within these networks and create lasting relationships with these organisations.
REFERENCES :
Chris Ryan
CEO
Arts Care Gofal Celf
01267 243815
chris@acgc.co.uk
Tom Stupple
Arts in Health Programme Manager
Tanio
tom.stupple@taniocymru.com
Sarahelizabethmilligan@live.co.uk
27 Heol Onnen, North Cornelly
CF33 4DT