After studying Psychology at Sheffield University in 2002, Luisa worked for a number of charities including Barnardo’s (mentoring young people), Safe@Last (fundraiser) and Leeds City Council (organising large arts event) before becoming CEO at Ignite Imaginations in 2008. 

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On the day she will be presenting:

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“How volunteering can shape a person” 

 

Luisa discusses how volunteering is essential to the creative sector to continue to attract the next generation of artists and creatives from across the community. She reflects on the need to exercise freedom and creative choice in exploring your career path and where she and her team have supported the nurturing of Sheffield’s’ artistic community across the past 19 years!

As Head of Community Engagement, Amer is responsible for developing and overseeing Kala Sangam’s learning, participation and outreach programme.
Her career began in the Arts after gaining an Arts Degree at Bradford Art College and she worked in arts participation for 18 years. Her role had a specific focus on engaging people from Asian, African, Caribbean and other diverse communities, to take part in cultural expression in relation to their heritage. She has worked locally, regionally, nationally and internationally on a wide range of projects, many of which have had a lasting impact for those who participated. 

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​On the day she will be presenting:

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"Survival Secrets"

A talk about the highs and lows of Amers' life and how she navigated adversity. The power of working within the Arts & Cultural sector and the many volunteering roles she has undertaken, as the golden thread throughout her career.  She will explore the magic of working in Community Engagement and using arts as a catalyst to unlock the richness of our communities and what they bring to us all.

Mahboobeh Rajabi is a British-Iranian artist and creative producer from Manchester. She uses digital art, film, performance, and creative writing to share journeys of displacement, diversity, and women’s rights. Her work has been also delivered internationally with organisations such as European Cultural Foundations and WHO. Mahboobeh has been working as a Creative Producer for Community Arts North West since 2021, leading the Rochdale Women’s Voices; creating creative spaces led by women from different generations in Rochdale Borough in Greater Manchester. The project has been nominated for Sport and Culture Awards and Diversity Awards in Rochdale.

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On the day she will be presenting:

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‘How effective is creative community engagement and volunteering, at changing lives?’

 

Creative community engagement can be life-changing by providing volunteering opportunities though a variety of art and creative projects. Mahboobeh gives evidence of her own life journey and projects she has encountered, in the last 13 years, within the arts and cultural sector (in the UK and internationally). She reflects how these experiences, including working with Community Arts North West has impacted her career and led her to become a cultural leader with forced migration background.

Geo Law is a London based illustrator who hails from Sheffield and has created artwork for clients such as Google, The New York Times, Facebook, Tiktok, Kiehl's, Apple and Taco Bell. Geo creates his work with a range of tools from paint markers to digital means via ipad and Adobe software often referencing his love for animation, comic books, hiphop, retro video games and manga. 

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On the day he will be presenting:

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"The Power of Trying"

Geo Law talks about how trying, failing and trying again has been part of his creative process in a career that spans a decade having worked with brands such as Walt Disney Animation, Taco Bell, Apple, New York Times and Google. Through the practice of trial and error and exploration, Geo will talk about the process needed to keep yourself sane and open to many experiences and how that has led to his stint in teaching and creating Doodle Club.

Diandra is an Arts Producer passionate about creating provocative and engaging participatory arts experiences, especially for young people along with underrepresented and socially disadvantaged communities. A musician and former teacher, Diandra recently was Lead Producer of the Birmingham 2022 Neighbourhood Festival Sites. She currently works for Birmingham Opera Company as Creative Producer. 

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On the day she will be presenting:

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"Open Doors: Some Thoughts on Volunteers and Inclusion."

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How do we work with volunteers in a way that embraces the magic each individual will bring? This talk features insights into Birmingham Opera Company's unique approach to inclusion and collaboration with volunteers.

Rosamaria Cisneros (Associate Professor)  is a dancer and choreographer, Dance Historian and Critic,  Roma studies  Scholar, Sociologist, Flamenco Historian and Peace Activist who graduated from UW-Madison and went on to complete her Master’s in Dance History and Criticism,  and a Master's in Curriculum and Instruction from UNM-Albuquerque (USA). Her PhD is in Sociology with a focus on Roma women, intersectionality, dialogic feminism and communicative methodologies from University of Barcelona (Cataluna, Spain).  At the moment she is an artist-researcher at Coventry University’s Centre for Dance Research based in the UK. She is also an independent artist, dancer, curator and teacher who has organised various festivals and exhibitions. 

 

Rosa will be our Compere for the day