PREVIOUS WORK

PREVIOUS WORK & PROJECTS



SOCIALLY ENGAGED ARTIST

Sept 2012 - present

  •  Working in the arts, health, education, community and cultural sectors primarily across West Midlands & Worcestershire (and nationally)
  • Facilitating workshops in acting, drama, singing, choral voice and storytelling
  • Directing theatre - site specific, new work, scripted, participatory, community led & youth theatre
    • Scripted, devised and co-created shows include: Little Mermaid, Young Frankenstein, Jack and the Beanstalk, Legally Blonde, Madagascar, High School Musical, The Wiz, The Big MT Murder Mystery, Making History, Let Me Tell You & many more
  • Facilitating and conducting choral groups and concerts
  • Partners have included: Educational institutions (primary schools to further education and adult learning) Music to You, Inspire, Rattle&Roll, Oxford Active, The Arcadians & many more
  • Case studies providing insights into projects can be seen below. Further details of significant projects available on request 

    • CASE STUDY

    ART TRACK

    In partnership with Dudley Council, Nikki was project manager and head of community engagement  for Art Track: Metro Art Programme.


    This pilot project (2021-23, budget over £100K) created a programme of designs for public art commissions and hosted a series of public engagement events and activities for the new Wednesbury to Brierley Hill Metro extension.


    Working with artists and communities Art Track stimulated the public imagination in the expanded practice of public art in the context of regeneration and development.  It commissioned over 35 artists & produced a site specific exhibition of artist proposals in Summer 2022 which was displayed in the Churchill Shopping Centre.


    Art Track developed ‘Diversity in Design’ events which aimed to cultivate an environment for improved advocacy and broader representation of art in the public realm.

    Dudley Interchange vinyl artwork - design by Matt Chinn

    Photographs below - from Dudley Futures Exhibition Launch

    Photo credit: Stewart Writtle

    • CASE STUDY

    YEMEN YELLS

    Wellbeing and social action focused programme co-created with (those who identify as) young women and girls (aged 10-18 with Yemeni heritage) utilising creative workshops (drama, creative writing, film, crafts) and youth work principles.


    Participants gained Bronze Youth Achievement Award.


    The participants co-designed, created and facilitated a community event that showcased their art works and newly learnt creative skills, it also raised funds for the British Red Cross Yemen appeal.

     DEVELOP YOUR CREATIVE PRACTICE GRANT

    Nikki was awarded with a coveted Arts Council Develop Your Creative Practice grant.


    She will be focusing on building a personal methodology of co-created transmedia storytelling. Through exploring the ethics and practice of this method of theatre making for social change as well as researching methods & models of co-created storytelling & how they can exist across hybrid digital and in-person platforms.


    LET ME TELL YOU

    Let Me Tell You is an ongoing research project that explores how transmedia storytelling approaches can engage people with their locality and storytelling, creative writing and poetry. 

    Participants will be using poetry, creative writing and photography to tell stories of themselves and their local area. Their stories will be shared online, showcased in a site specific promenade theatre performance and collective zine.



    HEAD OF DEVELOPMENT AND INCOME GENERATION
    at Creative Academies Network 

    Sep 2019 - Dec 2021
    www.creativeacademies.co.uk | www.homegrown31.com

    • Managed fundraising and organisational strategy development, including implementing company- wide co-creation methodology. Fundraised over £600,000.
    • Developed local, regional & national partnerships and networks; lead on stakeholder negotiations. 
    • Developed and facilitated staff development and training.
    • Co-managed design, development and delivery of CAN services.
    • Flagship project - HomeGrown31. Youth-led arts and social action project, enabling young people to feel creatively and socially empowered to share their talents, grow bright futures and initiate local change. 
    • Founded and led on Powered By: commissions for emerging artists - www.homegrown31.com.

    CREATIVE CONNECTER
    at Creative Academies Network 
     Jun 2018 - Sep 2019

    • Co-ordinated & delivered multi-arts & social action youth-led programme: HomeGrown31 (HG31). 
    • Co-created with participants to offer a diverse range of dynamic youth participation including targeted interventions, community engagement programmes and professional artistic programming. 
    • Developed & maintained a broad range of partnerships with local & regional stakeholders.
    • Promoted, organised, developed and delivered arts & play opportunities throughout Wyre Forest with local communities, voluntary organisations and relevant stakeholders.
    • Produced & curated Kidderminster Arts Festival, programmed and commissioned outdoor street theatre programmes & installations. Delivered bespoke participatory arts & community projects.

    CASE STUDY

    HG31 Commissions

    Nikki initiated, fundraised and developed the programme. The commissions aimed to plug a gap in accessing commissioning opportunities for diverse, young local talent.


    Emerging creatives applied for grants of £500-£5000 to make issue-based and/or socially engaged art. 


    Nikki supported artists and administrated the grant process.


    Artists commissioned:

    Casey Bailey, O'Driscoll Collective (image top left), Adaya Henry, Tom n Rob (images bottom row), Linden Dance (image middle left), Jai Tallawah (image middle right), Jaskirt Boora (image top right).




    ARTS & PLAY DEVELOPMENT OFFICER
    Wyre Forest District Council 
    July 2016 - Feb 2018

    • Promoted, organised, developed and delivered arts & play opportunities throughout Wyre Forest with local communities, voluntary organisations and relevant stakeholders.
    • Produced, fundraised & curated Kidderminster Arts Festival, programmed and commissioned outdoor street theatre programmes & installations. Delivered bespoke participatory arts & community projects.

    CASE STUDY

    The Big MT Murder Mystery

    Nikki directed The Big MT Murder Mystery and worked with the company to co-create the production.

     
    The production was initiated as a shared idea, Nikki facilitated drama sessions with the cast and together they co-created the story and characters. Working with a musical director the cast selected songs that aligned with the story.


    Upon completion of the story and character development, Nikki facilitated sessions to explore options for producing an event, the participants decided to split the audience into groups and perform to them interactive vignettes intertwined with an underlying story with songs.


    At the end of the evening the audience was invited to 'guess who dunnit' before the story was wrapped up. For most of the participants this was their first opportunity to devise a piece of theatre in a group and Nikki provided skills workshops in improvisation, script development, character creation, storytelling and acting through song.



    PRODUCER: CONNECTING COMMUNITIES THROUGH CULTURE
    at Perry Barr Arts Forum
    Dec 2015 - August 2016

    • Produced and facilitated the Connecting Communities through Culture programme in Perry Barr, Birmingham. Consisted of two projects; initiated a new social, arts group in Tower Hill Library, co-created with/by library users to engage local people. 
    • Commissioned artist R. M. Camus-Sanchez to work to deliver creative workshops (in schools, hairdressers, supermarkets, ‘get back work’ facilities and religious centres) to co-design a series of semi-permanent community banners.


    ASSISTANT ARTS & PLAY DEVELOPMENT OFFICER
    at Wyre Forest District Council 
    July 2015 - June 2016

    • Assisted lead officer to promote, organise, develop and deliver arts and play opportunities throughout Wyre Forest. Developed & delivered events at Bewdley Museum. Details of numerous projects available.


    EDUCATION OFFICER
    at HighTime Opera Company
    Jan 2015 - Jun 2015

    • Responsible for the young people’s chorus (10-14 years old) and their involvement with HighTime’s professional production of Hansel and Gretel at Belgrade Theatre in Coventry.



    CREATIVE PRODUCER
    at Artists on the Edge
    Dec 2014 - Dec 2016

    In partnership with Dudley Council, Nikki is project managing Art Track: Metro Art Programme.

    This pilot project created a programme of designs for public art commissions and public engagement events and activities for the new Wednesbury to Brierley Hill Metro extension.

    In Summer 2022 an exhibition of artist ideas was displayed in the Churchill Shopping Centre.

    The project is now going through feasibility to plan for implementation of the programme of designs.

    Images - from Dudley Futures Exhibition Launch
    Photo credit: Stewart Writtle


    PROJECT MANAGER & ASSOCIATE ARTIST
    at Friction Arts 
    Jul 2014 - Jul 2015

    • Project managed intergenerational monthly events 'Yard Talk: Then & Now' connected the local community to regional, national and international artists, historians and more to discuss and explore art forms and/or socially driven topics.
    • Coordinated volunteers across all Friction Arts projects.




    FURTHER INFORMATION, IMAGES & VIDEO 
    OF MORE PROJECTS AVAILABLE ON REQUEST


    Thanks to previous employers and partners for use of images

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