Chair

Cat is an artist and producer. She is currently Creative Producer for Public Artwork at Royal Docks (a Mayor of London and Mayor of Newham initiative) and a founding member of artist collective Non Zero One, who make digital, interactive experiences for public spaces. In a freelance capacity she works to support socially-engaged creative projects however she can. In 2024-25 this has included script-writing with Peut Porter, ideas development with Dorothy Parkes Community Centre, tour-producing for Tania El Khoury plus application and mentoring for a number of amazing artists.

Amanda is currently CEO & Creative Director of Worthing Theatres and Museum managing and programming four theatres and a regional museum which holds the country’s third largest historic dress collection. With over 30 years experience leading arts organisations, Amanda has specialised in reinvigorating arts centres and theatres, delivering inspiring programmes of events, engaging with local communities and implementing bold organisation restructures. A skilled change manager determined to make a difference to the cultural landscape, Amanda has a passion for contemporary circus, clowning and physical theatre. In the last year Amanda has begun actively programming international work and is a member of the HOUSE International Touring network, recently attending the Adelaide Festival and Cork Festival seeking new companies and performances.

Andy is a passionate arts professional who has been managing marketing in the cultural sector for around 30 years, within both commercial and funded arts and cultural organisations across the South of England. She has headed up marketing at The Mary Rose Trust and the historically significant Phipps/Matcham, New Theatre Royal in Portsmouth, and is described by her peers as a bit of a ticketing and data geek! Andy loves to attend a diverse range of performance including Shakespeare, West End musicals, contemporary circus, contemporary dance, comedy, and the occasional opera. When relaxing Andy enjoys playing the piano, building Lego, walking her airedale terrier and travelling the world riding roller coasters with family and friends.

Anna is a designer and maker who believes the arts can and do change lives. At art college she studied textile design to “speed the revolution though better designed curtains” (still a work-in-progress). In addition to producing her own artwork, since the 1980s she has worked with performers and visual artists creating participatory arts projects and events, and as a community development worker. For the last 10 years the focus of this has been Fratton Big Local in Portsmouth, which has recently transformed itself into Fratton Together CIC. She hopes this will be the start of even more creative adventures.

Billy Ridgers is retired, although he continues to be involved in community action and childcare. His early life was spent as an investigative journalist and later he went into film making. He set up Team Video Productions, an educational publisher, and for 38 years provided video-based resources for the classroom. Billy specialised in Human Rights, Social Justice, the Environment, Citizenship and Critical Thinking. Currently, he is preparing his personal archive for a community library project.

Mark is a lawyer with 35 years experience of advising trustees (although mostly of pension schemes rather than charities), who has a wide interest in the arts, from traditional theatre and fine art to modern dance and indie music.

Michael has almost two decades of banking experience, with a focus in Emerging Markets Fixed Income. Prior to moving to London in 2010, he spent several years in Singapore and previously studied in Seattle with degrees from the University of Washington. In London Michael has been lucky to squeeze in a few years practicing flying trapeze, making up for lost time having only found the joy of circus arts at university.

Sue has worked in marketing for over 30 years within the social enterprise, membership and charity sectors. She was most recently the Marketing and Communications Deputy Director at the College of Optometrists, and was a member of the Age UK Enterprises and Age UK Lottery boards. She studied economics and politics at The University of Sheffield, and marketing at Kingston University. Away from working life, Sue has a keen interest in the arts, especially contemporary dance, live music and visual art.

Tracey is currently Head of Producing Operations at the National Theatre. Previously she worked as Executive Producer at Manchester International Festival and has also worked at organisations including Southbank Centre, Chichester Festival Theatre, Manchester Art Gallery and English Pocket Opera Company. Tracey studied Theology at the University of Manchester.

Amy Belson, Jessica Choi, Stephen Clarke, Alison Duthie, Nadia Fall, Megan Hall, Jessica Hepburn (Chair), Sarah Macnee, Hai Ly Nguyen, Marta Sala Font, Alistair Spalding, Gavin Stride (Chair), Chris Thomson, Jeni Walwin and Mary Helen Young.

Ania Kanik has been working as our bookkeeper since 2017.

Chloe Todd Fordham is supporting us with our communications and marketing development.

Alice Underwood is a filmmaker and video content artist specialising in movement and visual performance. Alice has filmed and photographed a number of our projects as well as put together our brilliant home page video.

And thank you to these earlier team members and freelancers:

Helena Baptista – volunteered with us as a Manager on our large scale events and is now a Creative Arts Teacher and Editor of The Voice of the Ville magazine at HMP Pentonville.

Julia Branché – a university placement and Project Assistant with us; now the Artistic Director of Malaga’s French Film Festival.

Hannah Bruce – originally our Project Manager and then General Manager, Hannah left to pursue her own performance work and now works as a Relationship Manager for Dance at Arts Council England.

Saba Burali – a university placement with us, she is now Manager of Italy’s Teatri Soffiati.

Julia Carruthers – worked with us as our Senior Producer and is now a Freelance Consultant after many years as Programme Director at Warwick Art Centre.

Anne Engel – supported us as an interim General Manager; she continues to freelance at Multilateral.

Steve Ehrlicher – spent many years with us on the finances; he remains an artist and steam train enthusiast.

Katy Fuller – a Creative Producer of outdoor arts with us; now Director of Pinwheel and Chair of North Tyneside Cultural Partnership.

Lizzy Ferguson – was our National Theatre ‘Step Change’ trainee before becoming Company Administrator with NoFit State.

Jackie Friend – spent four years with us as Marketing and Audience Development Manager around our Circus Evolution project. Jackie is now Head of Marketing for WORKTECH Events, a global conference series focussed on the future of work through the lenses of people, place, technology, culture and design.

Céline Gaubert – joined us from France for some UK arts experience; Céline is now Head of External Relations with Akram Khan Company.

Emma Gladstone – was the Crying Out Loud Co-Director at the very beginning (2003-2005). Emma went on to be Artistic Director and Chief Executive of the Dance Umbrella festival and you can read more about Emma’s life here.

Kath Gorman – supported us with her development expertise ; she is now based in Ireland as a freelance consultant and Director of Promenade.

Jo Hammett – came to COL as a producer from Artsadmin in 2006 and went on to work in the Theatre team at Arts Council England.

Richard Haughton – a great photographer for us since our inception.

Flora Herberich – originally worked with us, Roundhouse and Jacksons Lane on a circus producing fellowship. Flora is now Circusful Head of Programmes and Producer for the Festival of Fools, both in Belfast.

Lani Huens – a university placement who went from Crying Out Loud to become Producing and Touring Coordinator at Sadler’s Wells, before relocating to France, now working with tech design company Mesetys.

Denise Jones – worked on project development with us; she is a writer and Project Manager.

Slavka Jovanovic – spent many years as our Education Consultant; now Producer and Programmer on both the year round and the festival programmes at Brighton Dome and Festivals.

Kate Laird – worked for us as a Creative Producer; and continues as a freelance Producer in Brighton and the South East.

Aleisha Mainwaring – is studying film at the University of Southampton and joined the Crying Out Loud team as our 2024 summer intern.

Solène Marié – began as a university placement; and is now Deputy Director and Head of the Americas Sector at the French National Centre for Scientific Research.

Molly Nicholson – originally joined us in 2010 as one of two Jerwood bursary Assistant Producers and went on to produce CircusFest at Roundhouse.  Molly co-founded Scottee & Friends Ltd – now &Friends Productions CIC – and is currently an Executive Producer specialising in circus, cabaret and drag and socially engaged theatre.

Spencer Noll – worked with us as a Creative Performance Facilitator; and is now Associate Director at English Touring Theatre Limited.

Laura Olgiati – worked as our Project Coordinator and is now Managing Director at Impact Hub Zürich.

Alice O’Shea – worked with us whilst finishing her MA in Arts Administration & Cultural Policy at Goldsmiths, Alice graduated with distinction.

Elodie Peltier – began as a Project Manager; she is now in digital project management.

Robin Peters – worked as our Fundraiser; he is now growing olives on the island of Ithaca.

Daniel Pitt – began with us as one of two Jerwood bursary Assistant Producers and is now Creative Director & Chief Executive of Old Diorama Arts Centre.

Marie Remy – was our General Manager and is now a Director of Ample Play Records.

Axel Satgé – now runs Yellow Everything, a platform which connects artists who are burring the lines between circus, dance and everything else with venues and audiences around the world.

Joanne Skapinker – worked as a specialist in Inclusive Practice and Sensory Theatre; is currently working as Programme Producer with Punchdrunk Enrichment.

Stella Tachtara – began as a university placement; and she now works for the International Olympic Academy in Athens.

Annette Telesford – has supported many of our projects and went on the be Venue Supervisor at the Bargehouse, Oxo Tower Wharf.

Leah Townley – originally a trainee producer, she is now a freelance drama facilitator.

Pam Vision – was one of our very first producers and stayed for nine years; she currently works as a Senior Project, Event & Relationships Manager in Theatre at Arts Council England.

Archie Williams – worked with us as a university placement in 2022 on our Taroo project.