Develop your own profile, network, career, and/or business by joining us at The Arts and Culture Network as a full member. It's just £10 per month. Cancel any time. Benefits are here . This profile is just one of them. Meet Carrie Reid In a world where museums are the gateways to history, science, and culture, Carrie Reid is the keymaster. With a career spanning over a decade in the travelling exhibitions industry, she has become a force to be reckoned with, weaving her magic to bring extraordinary exhibitions to museums across the globe. It was wonderful hearing an overview of her unique work and we created her unique Fantasy Cultural Year. Find out where Carrie chose to visit in the video above or on the audio version. Carrie's journey began with a deep-seated passion for museums and the stories they tell. Even as a child, she was fascinated by the power of exhibitions to captivate and educate. This fascination led her to work with a diverse array of professionals, including museum curators, designers, fabricators, and brand licensors. In her relentless pursuit to empower museums, Carrie founded Dala Projects . Drawing inspiration from her Swedish heritage, she named her company after the iconic Dala horse, a symbol of meticulous craftsmanship and cultural pride. From her cozy village of Lindström, MN, “America's Little Sweden”, Carrie set out to revolutionise the museum exhibition industry. Over the past ten years, Carrie has worked with more than 100 museums, contributing to over 50 exhibition projects. Her role is multifaceted: she collaborates with exhibition producers and museums to create and market travelling exhibitions, supports fundraising efforts, and ensures the seamless integration of these exhibitions into their new homes. Carrie’s expertise doesn’t just stop at creation; she is also a master at negotiating the best deals, managing logistical challenges, and ensuring that every exhibition is a resounding success. Her clients, including illustrious names like the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Liberty Science Center, and the Royal Ontario Museum, all sing her praises for her precision, efficiency, and professionalism. Carrie’s commitment to her clients is unparalleled. She takes the guesswork out of selecting and planning incoming exhibitions, offering her years of experience to guide museums through every step of the process. From floor planning to hiring local labour, renting equipment, and coordinating travel, Carrie’s attention to detail ensures that every exhibition she manages is flawless. Carrie’s approach is both strategic and creative. She helps museums brainstorm concepts that sell, develop and design exhibits, and manage operations to maximise investment. Her deep understanding of the market allows her to secure the best venues and opportunities for her clients, ensuring their exhibitions reach the widest and most appreciative audiences. Carrie’s clients often describe her as a vital collaborator whose insights and industry knowledge have been instrumental in their success. They commend her for connecting them with key decision makers and helping craft their offerings to meet the needs of various venues. Her work is seen as precise, efficient, and highly professional. Carrie’s choice of the Dala horse as her company’s symbol isn’t just about heritage; it’s about representing the meticulous care and craft she brings to every project. Just as the Dala horse is hand-carved and hand-painted with love, Carrie pours her heart and soul into every exhibition she touches. As the president and founder of Dala Projects, Carrie Reid is committed to leveraging her extensive knowledge, experience, and connections to support the museum industry. Her mission is to empower museums to share the best possible experiences with the world, ensuring that every exhibition not only educates but also inspires. In a nutshell, Carrie Reid is not just a consultant; she’s a visionary, a strategist, and above all, a passionate advocate for the power of exhibitions. If your museum is looking to dazzle the world, there’s no better partner than Carrie and Dala Projects. You can reach Carrie on LinkedIn here and Dala Projects website here . Would you like to be interviewed published and promoted? We'll publish the video to our YouTube channel and embed it in a profile we will write about you. We'll also create an entry for you in our searchable directory . Your interview will be promoted on all our socials, by email like this, and posted as a pinned post at the top of all our LinkedIn groups where we now have over 100,000 registered members, serving 2m post views to over 800,000 LinkedIn users every month. This is just one of several benefits of full membership at just £10 per month (€12/$12) and you may cancel any time. Join us here . Mark Walmsley FRSA FCIM AGSM Chief Culture Vulture Arts & Culture Network Join us as a full member for "done for you" profile, network, career, and/or business development support for just £10 per month. Cancel any time. https://www.artsandculturenetwork.com/join Here are some of our full member testimonials: "Had to write and say a huge thank you for the networking sessions you are running. Met some great people today, thank you so much." "Great speed networking session today - I really enjoyed it and got some really relevant and valuable connections!" "I've just joined!! £10 a month for a 1:1 business growth session, free networking, and access to all the events (on top of everything else!)?! This is INSANE value for money Mark and I'm so grateful for everything you've done to build such a supportive network of likeminded creative professionals." Forthcoming free networking events Mark Walmsley FRSA AGSM Chief Culture Vulture Arts & Culture Network www.ArtsAndCultureNetwork.com mark.walmsley@ArtsAndCultureNetwork.com

Develop your own profile, network, career, and/or business by joining us at The Arts and Culture Network as a full member. From just £10 per month. Cancel any time. Benefits are here . This profile is just one of them. Meet Thea Cole - live performance streaming, filming and production. Thea Cole is what happens when a razor-sharp brain meets an irrepressible creative drive—and then decides to build immersive, impactful, and sometimes delightfully disruptive content for a living. With over two decades of experience at the forefront of digital innovation, broadcast media, and immersive arts, Thea has been a central figure in the evolution of storytelling across screens, formats, and technologies. Starting her career at the BBC, Thea moved rapidly through editorial, development, and executive roles, including being the BBC's Head of Content for the Red Button and iPlayer. She went on to lead digital strategy and creative development at FremantleMedia and Endemol, working with household-name entertainment brands like The X Factor , Britain’s Got Talent , and Big Brother . Her digital acumen isn’t just theoretical—it’s commercial, award-winning, and platform-shaping. Today, Thea is the creative force behind DigiBox Arts , a consultancy and production company at the intersection of culture, tech, and social impact. Through DigiBox, she works with broadcasters, institutions, arts organisations and charities to develop immersive content and campaigns that push boundaries and pull audiences in. Whether she’s producing VR projects for museums, storytelling for climate-conscious brands, or delivering strategic leadership workshops, her work always aims to educate, provoke, and entertain in equal measure. She’s also the founder of StartPoint.tv , a digital-first creative incubator helping the next generation of talent and ideas come to life across screens, stages, and emerging tech. As a mentor, speaker, and strategist, Thea is as comfortable on a panel as she is directing an XR shoot. It’s all part of the same mission: making brilliant things happen by blending creativity, purpose, and a healthy splash of humour. 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/theacole/ 🔗 https://www.worldsong.tv/ 🔗   http://www.digiboxarts.com/ 🔗   http://www.startpoint.tv/ The interview on Spotify Championing Digital Inclusion in the Arts Thea highlighted the power of digital platforms  to break down barriers in the arts: She used a theatre production as an example of how digital tools can broaden access and inspire more people. She introduced Digibox Arts , a platform for streaming performances and events, encouraging others to explore its potential. For those interested, she shared contact details to continue the conversation. Mark & Thea's Imaginative Cultural Adventure In a playful exchange, Mark and Thea created a fantasy cultural year using: A magic wand , time machine , and a Star Trek transporter ! Thea’s dream destination? The Olympic Stadium in London . Her go-to drink: a crisp French white wine . Favourite book? “The Rainbow” by D.H. Lawrence  – she admires his portrayal of inequality and his dreamy, escapist style. Global Arts Streaming League Table Thea floated an exciting dream idea for a year-long project  with a fictitious London Family Foundation : A league table  ranking arts streaming capabilities worldwide. Starting in Kenya , where her colleague Barney Rattle  is leading a music initiative. She dreams of universal high-speed internet , making art more accessible globally. Artists would be explored continent by continent . If limited to one music genre for a year? She’d choose her son Freddie Garner’s fusion jazz-pop . Dream night out: Margot Fonteyn  at the Royal Opera House, dinner at Dozo , and drinks at Ronnie Scott’s  or Alfie’s  jazz bar. Mark & Thea’s Jazz-Fuelled Memories The two reminisced about jazz nights and early music memories: Mark’s first visit to Ronnie Scott’s  at just 9 years old! Thea once snuck her colleague Freddie in  for a night of jazz. They traded stories of meeting legends like Buddy Rich  and Dave Weckel . Mark, a fellow drumming enthusiast, expressed interest in meeting Thea’s drumming colleague, Toby . Cultural Curiosity in California Mark and Thea dreamt up a cultural trip to Los Angeles , with stops including: A digital art gallery  showcasing virtual reality art—Thea wants to see Picasso in VR ! A tour of London's cultural gems: Favourite concert: Dire Straits Favourite play: Stranger Things Favourite musical: Starlight Express Favourite opera: The War Requiem Movie night pick: When Harry Met Sally  on the big screen at the Imax Waterloo . Fantasy Lunch With Architect Rod Sheard Mark asked Thea to choose any  lunch guest, living or not. Her pick? Rod Sheard , the visionary architect behind major performance spaces. She wants to chat about how digital tech is reshaping architecture  and cultural venues. Mark imagined Thea’s future as a global thought leader  in digital arts access—an idea she found both inspiring and grounding . Would you like to be interviewed and promoted in this way? This is just one of several benefits of full membership at just £10 per month (€12/$12) and you may cancel any time. Join us here . Mark Walmsley FRSA FCIM AGSM Chief Culture Vulture Arts & Culture Network Join us as a full member for "done for you" profile, network, career, and/or business development support for just £10 per month. Cancel any time. https://www.artsandculturenetwork.com/join Here are some of our full member testimonials: "Had to write and say a huge thank you for the networking sessions you are running. Met some great people today, thank you so much." "Great speed networking session today - I really enjoyed it and got some really relevant and valuable connections!" "I've just joined!! £10 a month for a 1:1 business growth session, free networking, and access to all the events (on top of everything else!)?! This is INSANE value for money Mark and I'm so grateful for everything you've done to build such a supportive network of likeminded creative professionals." Forthcoming free networking events Mark Walmsley FRSA AGSM Chief Culture Vulture Arts & Culture Network www.ArtsAndCultureNetwork.com mark.walmsley@ArtsAndCultureNetwork.com

Develop your own profile, network, career, and/or business by joining us at The Arts and Culture Network as a full member. It's from just £10 per month. Cancel any time. Benefits are here . This profile is just one of them. Meet Valerie Rivera - Writing books. Poetry workshops. Teaching young minds. Valerie Rivera (professionally known as VA Rivera) is a New York educator turned children’s poet‑author who inspires young minds one verse at a time. With three decades of experience teaching elementary ELA and ENL in Long Island, she’s now on a heartfelt mission: to spark a lifelong love of language. She penned her first poem at seven. Her teacher’s cheering “VERY GOOD” in red ink sealed the deal and she’s been writing ever since. Valerie writes picture‑books like I Am Puppy  and Kids Read and Write Japanese Haiku  and Tanka, turning poetry into a creative adventure for ages 6–11 and younger, encouraging children to explore poetry through Japanese forms, acrostics, rhymes and more. Expect laughter, imagination, and the occasional cat cameo—her yoga sessions with SweetiePie and Miss Tish are legend. Valerie’s witty warmth, combined with her educator’s insight, makes poetry feel accessible—and rather brilliant. She is available for school visits, online or in person, and often offers a free bedtime story reading guide with early bookings 🔗 https://varivera.com/ 🔗 https://www.facebook.com/authorpoetforkids The interview on Spotify During this interview, Mark had access to a magic wand and a time machine and created Valeri's fantasy cultural year. Valerie opened up about her deep admiration for the Mormon Temple in Washington, DC—she found its appearance breathtaking and personally meaningful. Mark then painted a playful picture of Valerie at a pop-up café outside the temple. Her go-to drink? A fizzy mango beverage. Her top book picks? 📚 The Book of Mormon 📚 700 Sundays  by Billy Crystal 📚 On Writing  by Stephen King 📚 The Poet X  by Elizabeth Acevedo 📚 The House on Mango Street  by Sandra Cisneros Valerie's Global Poetry Adventure Mark offered Valerie a dream role: a fantasy year-long, globe-trotting mission to discover emerging and established poetry talents, backed by a prestigious - but fictional - Washington-based Family Foundation. Valerie enthusiastically accepted, kicking off the journey in Paris, France —and committed to listening exclusively to Linda Ronstadt  for the year after a musical challenge. Dance Dreams in Paris Mark imagined Valerie swept off to Paris by a group of young poets. They’d stay in a stunning flat overlooking Notre Dame , and attend an evening dance performance. When asked which show she’d see if she could time-travel to any dance, Valerie chose the intimate Joyce Theater  in Manhattan, where she could savour a range of styles, past and present. French Food & Spanish Escapades For dinner, Valerie leaned into French cuisine , craving crepes, vichyssoise , and even escargot , which she’d once been hesitant to try but grew to love. Their journey then shifted to Barcelona , Spain, where they imagined poetry interpreters and marvelled at the city's famous church architecture —most likely Gaudí’s Sagrada Família. Sports & a Breathtaking Ice Dance The two bonded over favourite sports. Valerie enjoys watching volleyball, racquetball , and especially ice dancing . They then imagined themselves in Tokyo , visiting a cutting-edge digital art gallery featuring icons like Monet . A Week of Culture: Concerts, Theatre & Film Plans for the week? A cultural marathon: 🎤 A historic pop/rock concert 🎭 A theatre play 🎶 A West End or Broadway musical 🎼 An opera 🎬 A film night Valerie reminisced about seeing Blondie  at NYC’s Palladium and acting in The Crucible  in high school. Musical pick: Les Misérables Opera suggestion: Tosca  (Mark’s intro recommendation) They wrapped up agreeing to watch When Harry Met Sally  together. Valerie’s Cultural Year & Online Presence As their creative thought experiment came to a close, Mark asked Valerie to pick a guest for a dream "hero lunch." Her choice? Jesus Christ . Would you like to be interviewed and promoted in this way? This is just one of several benefits of full membership at just £10 per month (€12/$12) and you may cancel any time. Join us here . Mark Walmsley FRSA FCIM AGSM Chief Culture Vulture Arts & Culture Network Join us as a full member for "done for you" profile, network, career, and/or business development support for just £10 per month. Cancel any time. https://www.artsandculturenetwork.com/join Here are some of our full member testimonials: "Had to write and say a huge thank you for the networking sessions you are running. Met some great people today, thank you so much." "Great speed networking session today - I really enjoyed it and got some really relevant and valuable connections!" "I've just joined!! £10 a month for a 1:1 business growth session, free networking, and access to all the events (on top of everything else!)?! This is INSANE value for money Mark and I'm so grateful for everything you've done to build such a supportive network of likeminded creative professionals." Forthcoming free networking events Mark Walmsley FRSA AGSM Chief Culture Vulture Arts & Culture Network www.ArtsAndCultureNetwork.com mark.walmsley@ArtsAndCultureNetwork.com

Develop your own profile, network, career, and/or business by joining us at The Arts and Culture Network as a full member. From just £10 per month. Cancel any time. Benefits are here . This profile is just one of them. Meet Jez Smith - Sound bath therapist and ancient music expert. Jez Smith  is a bit of a musical instrument time-traveller. With over 40 years under his belt playing everything from the lute to the hurdy-gurdy, Jez brings ancient music back to life in ways that don’t involve dust or boredom. Starting as a modern guitarist, Jez quickly realised the past had way cooler sounds. So he dove headfirst into period instruments spanning the Middle Ages to the 17th century, mastering the kind of music that would have had Shakespeare tapping his toes. But Jez isn’t just about blowing old tunes dust-free. With a BA in Sociology, a Museum Master’s, and professional sound therapy diploma, he’s also a sound whisperer who knows how to make music heal your soul as well as your ears. He now leads sold-out sound bath workshops at venues such as kew Gardens, and teaches everything from ancient chants to the magic of listening. His project, Playing in Time , is the perfect blend of history, sound, and storytelling — proving that old music doesn’t have to be stuck in a museum case. Whether it’s a medieval melody or a multi-sensory sound experience, Jez is your guide on a sonic journey through time. If you’re curious, or just want to hear how medieval bagpipes can really rock, Jez is your man. 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/jez-smith-0734b767/ 🔗 https://www.playingintime.co.uk/ The interview on Spotify In their interview together, Mark created Jez's fantasy cultural year with the aid of a time machine and a magic wand A Love for History and Gongs Favourite building? Hampton Court Palace , hands down. Jez and Mark geeked out over its rich history, architecture, and – of course – how good gongs would sound echoing through those ancient halls. They also shared a fun tangent about Roger Taylor from Queen  (Jez is a fan!). Café Daydreams & The Sound Therapy League Mark and Jez imagined a whimsical moment: Jez, sipping coffee in a pop-up café at Hampton Court, reading a book. Then things got bold. What if Jez was hired by a wealthy foundation  to create a global league table of sound therapy ? Performances, travel, a TV series, TED Talk and a book deal are up for grabs. Jez: “Count me in.” Swedish Folk & 70s Rock Next stop: Sweden . Jez is keen to explore Sami culture  and traditional music. Mark challenged him: Pick one genre to listen to for a whole year. Jez’s pick? LOUD 70s rock.  His playlist would feature: Led Zeppelin Deep Purple Black Sabbath Rainbow Queen Jimmy Page Teleporting Through Culture With imagination fully unlocked, they teleported (Star Trek-style) to: Stockholm  – to see a dance show and eat Turkish food (or was it Thai green curry?) Berlin  – to watch the World Athletics Championships Jez also expressed a wish to see the Whirling Dervishes  from Turkey. Gongs in Nepal & Digital Art in Kathmandu Jez dreams of visiting Nepal , the source of his beloved gongs. While there, why not pop into a digitally-enhanced art gallery  in Kathmandu? He loves the Pre-Raphaelites , especially John William Waterhouse , and would love to see an animated version of one of his paintings. Artistic Bucket List Their dream cultural week would include: A historic 70s rock concert A play  (maybe Macbeth ) A West End musical  ( Les Mis , obviously) Opera  ( Turandot ) A classic movie night Jez regrets never seeing John Renbourn  and Bert Jansch , but hopes to catch Pentangle  live someday. Dream Dinner Party Mark suggested a research idea: "Have lunch with anyone  – who would it be?" Jez picked Nick Drake . And who would Nick invite? Probably a blues legend . Would you like to be interviewed and promoted in this way? This is just one of several benefits of full membership from just £10 per month (€12/$12) and you may cancel any time. Join us here . Mark Walmsley FRSA FCIM AGSM Chief Culture Vulture Arts & Culture Network Join us as a full member for "done for you" profile, network, career, and/or business development support for just £10 per month. Cancel any time. https://www.artsandculturenetwork.com/join Here are some of our full member testimonials: "Had to write and say a huge thank you for the networking sessions you are running. Met some great people today, thank you so much." "Great speed networking session today - I really enjoyed it and got some really relevant and valuable connections!" "I've just joined!! £10 a month for a 1:1 business growth session, free networking, and access to all the events (on top of everything else!)?! This is INSANE value for money Mark and I'm so grateful for everything you've done to build such a supportive network of likeminded creative professionals." Forthcoming free networking events Mark Walmsley FRSA AGSM Chief Culture Vulture Arts & Culture Network www.ArtsAndCultureNetwork.com mark.walmsley@ArtsAndCultureNetwork.com

Develop your own profile, network, career, and/or business by joining us at The Arts and Culture Network as a full member. It's just £10 per month. Cancel any time. Benefits are here . This profile is just one of them. Meet Charlie Kirkham. Charlie an I recorded an update to our interview recently. In a warm and insightful update, Charlie Kirkham shared her recent work at the intersection of art and health. Over the past year, Charlie curated and contributed to Sudden Cardiac Art , a solo curation debut featuring 81 works by 37 artists, exhibited in Dursley and later at the Keck School of Medicine in Los Angeles. The show focused on visualising cardiac experiences and included community engagement and panel discussions. Charlie also discussed her involvement in the Mortal and Strong  project, contributing a podcast episode and a series of portraits of heart patients—including a self-portrait—to promote visibility, advocacy, and body positivity in medical representation. She’ll also speak at the upcoming Mortal and Strong event about how art supports health and healing. Mark Walmsley expressed his admiration for Charlie’s work and thanked her for being a dedicated full member. Watch it here: And here is our full interview together: In the heart of the UK, where the whispers of myths meet the hum of contemporary life, resides Charlie Kirkham , a Midlands-based fantasy art creative with a flair for the fantastical and a heart steeped in history. Charlie's latest creative adventure, the " Georgian Dragon " series, exemplifies her intricate and methodical artistry. This project merges her finely detailed ink drawings, heavily researched and set within mesmerising circular formats, with the cutting-edge precision of laser cutting. Her work often blossom from these ink foundations into vibrant oil paintings, each piece an elaborate and time-consuming masterpiece. Charlie and Mark had a conversation that was lively, humorous, and revealed several shared interests by exploring her work, creating Charlie's fantasy Cultural year and playing Mark's This or That game. Charlie's love with circular art began at Coventry Cathedral, where she encountered a round depiction of George and the Dragon that ignited her imagination. This fascination with circularity permeates her creations, which frequently feature dragons in various guises, intertwined in stories that reflect her passion for narrative art. One standout piece from her collection reimagines the four rivers of Eden as colossal dragon creatures, a work that will soon dazzle viewers at a Brooklyn gallery. Charlie Kirkham's journey into the arts is as rich and winding as the tales she tells through her work. With a diploma in portraiture from The Heatherley School of Fine Art in London and a background from the prestigious Bezalel Academy of Art and Design in Israel, Charlie's academic foundations are robust. Her education has equipped her with a diverse skill set, spanning traditional oil painting and ink drawing to modern digital etching techniques. Her career is a testament to her versatility and dedication. As the driving force behind Charlie Kirkham Art, she offers a variety of artistic services including original artworks, prints, laser-etched pieces, and engaging artist talks. Charlie also conducts corporate team-building art workshops, making classes, and provides bespoke art tuition, demonstrating her commitment to nurturing creativity in others. Not just a creator of art works, Charlie also channels her art for impactful causes. As the Lead Artist at Sudden Cardiac Art, she collaborates with HeartCharged to raise awareness of women's cardiac health through visual art. Her role exemplifies how art can transcend mere aesthetics to touch lives and spread vital messages. Charlie has received numerous accolades and funding from prestigious institutions such as The Eaton Trust and STEAMhouse, Birmingham. Her work has graced galleries far and wide, from the Mall Galleries in London to Seven House Gallery in New York, demonstrating her wide appeal and international recognition. Charlie’s portfolio of exhibitions is a chronicle of her evolving artistic journey. Highlights include her nomination for the Passion for Freedom (Visual Arts) award in 2024 and her triumph at the Visions of Science Award in 2018. Her exhibitions range from the RBSA Drawing Prize in Birmingham to the Society of Graphic Fine Art showcases in London, marking her as a stalwart of the contemporary art scene. Her work invites viewers into a realm where myth meets reality, where dragons roam and rivers roar with ancient secrets. Charlie's art is a dance between melancholy and magic, an invitation to reconnect with the whimsical and wondrous parts of ourselves. Charlie Kirkham’s art is more than just visual delight; it's a gateway to stories untold and worlds unseen. Whether you're an art collector looking to enrich your collection with contemporary mythological masterpieces, an organisation seeking an inspiring team-building experience, or simply someone whose walls cry out for the touch of art, Charlie Kirkham is the artist to watch. With her unique blend of folklore, environmentalism, and feminist themes, Charlie continues to captivate and inspire, one dragon at a time. You can find Charlie on LinkedIn here , on Instagram here . Visit her website here . Would you like to be interviewed published and promoted? We'll publish the video to our YouTube channel and embed it in a profile we will write about you. We'll also create an entry for you in our searchable directory . Your interview will be promoted on all our socials, by email like this, and posted as a pinned post at the top of all our LinkedIn groups where we now have over 100,000 registered members, serving 2m post views to over 800,000 LinkedIn users every month. This is just one of several benefits of full membership at just £10 per month (€12/$12) and you may cancel any time. Join us here . Mark Walmsley FRSA FCIM AGSM Chief Culture Vulture Arts & Culture Network Join us as a full member for "done for you" profile, network, career, and/or business development support for just £10 per month. Cancel any time. https://www.artsandculturenetwork.com/join Here are some of our full member testimonials: "Had to write and say a huge thank you for the networking sessions you are running. Met some great people today, thank you so much." "Great speed networking session today - I really enjoyed it and got some really relevant and valuable connections!" "I've just joined!! £10 a month for a 1:1 business growth session, free networking, and access to all the events (on top of everything else!)?! This is INSANE value for money Mark and I'm so grateful for everything you've done to build such a supportive network of likeminded creative professionals." Forthcoming free networking events Mark Walmsley FRSA AGSM Chief Culture Vulture Arts & Culture Network www.ArtsAndCultureNetwork.com mark.walmsley@ArtsAndCultureNetwork.com

Develop your own profile, network, career, and/or business by joining us at The Arts and Culture Network as a full member. It's just £10 per month. Cancel any time. Benefits are here . This profile is just one of them. Meet Josie Campbell - Your Voice. Your Space. Your Power. Josie Campbell is a distinguished voice coach and communication trainer whose career has spanned acting, education, and executive coaching. Based in Dubai, she is the founder of Space Shift , a unique framework that harnesses the power of theatre techniques to help professionals communicate with confidence, clarity, and presence. Josie’s professional journey began in the classroom, where she taught for many years in the UK and the Middle East. With an enduring passion for performance and pedagogy, she decided in mid-life to follow a long-held dream. She enrolled at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London, undertaking a Master’s degree in Actor Training and Coaching. The course, and the experience of immersing herself in dramatic arts later in life, was nothing short of transformative. While the programme was designed to prepare graduates to teach actors, Josie’s dissertation explored something more unconventional — executive presence in women , using theatre as a lens and a toolkit. Upon returning to Dubai, she rediscovered corporate training, a field she had once dabbled in, but this time with renewed purpose and sharper tools. Out of this fusion of disciplines, Space Shift  was born. The concept is grounded in the theatrical understanding that space is never neutral . It carries meaning, power, and emotional resonance. Josie coaches her clients, ranging from senior leaders to rising professionals, in the nuances of how space, movement, breath, and presence shape communication. She brings a depth of insight that goes far beyond the usual advice to "project your voice" or "stand tall". Her work is deeply embodied, creative, and often transformational. Josie has worked across sectors including banking, insurance, healthcare, tech and the Arts. Her flagship programme, Communication for Women , addresses the real challenges many professional women face: feeling unseen, unheard, and undervalued in the workplace. By helping them find and embrace the "who" of their voice, she restores their presence in rooms where influence happens. Her training provides practical tools, but also creates a space for reconnection, agency, and authenticity. Beyond her corporate work, Josie remains an advocate for the arts and the wider role they play in society. She is a vocal supporter of using theatre for wellbeing and transformation, aligning herself with broader cultural movements such as social prescribing in the UK, which recognises the role of creative engagement in public health. Her rich international background, born in Zambia, educated in the UK, and now working in the UAE, gives her a culturally agile perspective. Josie’s work is global in scope and human at heart. She understands that while environments differ, the need for meaningful, embodied communication is universal. Josie continues to evolve her methodology, staying curious and open to what the stage, and the boardroom, still have to teach. She brings depth, humour, and grace to every room she enters, inviting others to do the same. 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/josiecampbell-spaceshift-creating-space-for-authentic-communication/ 🔗 https://www.josiecampbellvoice.com/ Our interview on Spotify In a warm and wide-ranging interview with Mark Walmsley, founder of the Arts and Culture Network, Josie shared her professional journey and personal passions. They discussed her transition from acting to corporate training, her creation of the Space Shift framework, and her commitment to helping women find their voice in male-dominated industries. Josie reflected on her childhood in Zambia, where she grew up surrounded by open spaces and the sounds of nature, a sensibility that continues to inform her understanding of physical space in communication. Her fond memories of the Chinzombo safari camp were contrasted with her dynamic life in Dubai, where she now helps professionals worldwide become more effective, empowered communicators. Mark and Josie explored the concept of a "cultural age" as proposed by Paul Schafer, and discussed the increasing role of wellbeing in corporate life. Josie expressed her enthusiasm for initiatives like social prescribing, which position the arts as an essential component of public health and emotional wellbeing. The interview also took a whimsical turn, imagining Josie embarking on a fantasy year-long global project to build a league table of women’s confidence, complete with TED Talks, book deals, and a university lecture tour. Josie embraced the fantasy wholeheartedly, reinforcing her belief in the transformative power of creative engagement. The conversation closed with a playful cultural tour, a quick-fire round of preferences, and the enduring impact of 80s music, Watership Down , and Queen Victoria’s legacy. It was a portrait of a coach who is as thoughtful and insightful as she is approachable and inspiring. Would you like to be interviewed and promoted in this way? This is just one of several benefits of full membership at just £10 per month (€12/$12) and you may cancel any time. Join us here . Mark Walmsley FRSA FCIM AGSM Chief Culture Vulture Arts & Culture Network Join us as a full member for "done for you" profile, network, career, and/or business development support for just £10 per month. Cancel any time. https://www.artsandculturenetwork.com/join Here are some of our full member testimonials: "Had to write and say a huge thank you for the networking sessions you are running. Met some great people today, thank you so much." "Great speed networking session today - I really enjoyed it and got some really relevant and valuable connections!" "I've just joined!! £10 a month for a 1:1 business growth session, free networking, and access to all the events (on top of everything else!)?! This is INSANE value for money Mark and I'm so grateful for everything you've done to build such a supportive network of likeminded creative professionals." Forthcoming free networking events Mark Walmsley FRSA AGSM Chief Culture Vulture Arts & Culture Network www.ArtsAndCultureNetwork.com mark.walmsley@ArtsAndCultureNetwork.com

Develop your own profile, network, career, and/or business by joining us at The Arts and Culture Network as a full member. It's just £10 per month. Cancel any time. Benefits are here . This profile is just one of them. Meet Anne Plaisance - A life's journey in social impact and art Anne Plaisance  is a French‑born, award‑winning visual artist, curator, and luxury real‑estate investor who balances colour palettes with property portfolios—with a sprinkle of social justice. In the interview Mark created Anne's fantasy cultural year with a magic wand and time machine to hand. Expect surprises, anecdotes and conversation detours. Based outside Boston, she’s exhibited in more than 100 exhibitions across the USA, Europe and Asia, with work featured in the Boston Globe, Harper’s Bazaar and Elle Decoration. Anne’s artistic journey is as vibrant as her canvases. From running an ad agency that fizzled in 2008 to winning scholarships and residencies in Vermont, Japan and Austria, she reinvented herself as an “artivist”: blending activism with acrylics. Her standout projects include Badrooms —a deeply moving exploration of child sexual abuse—and Wonder Women Now , a touring, multi‑sensory exhibition empowering female survivors of domestic violence, featured in Boston, London, Slovakia, and beyond. Her personal life, too, has shaped her art. During the 2020 pandemic, she left an abusive relationship, using paintbrushes and colours to process trauma. A series inspired by her daughter’s journey through depression— Please Tell Her That I Love Her —emerged from that healing process. Anne is also a licensed realtor with The Prosperity Group , cleverly leveraging property to support her creative practice. She seamlessly switches between discussing housing prices and colour theory—no small talent. Her work lives in private collections from London to Kyoto, and she continues touring Wonder Women Now  through 2026, with shows planned in Massachusetts, Slovakia and London. Despite tackling heavy themes, Anne’s voice remains witty and human. She jokes that her “brush is her sword”—and yet, it’s also her stethoscope, healer, compass and microphone, all in one. Interview summary Mark and Anne imagined a dreamy scene of Anne sipping a coffee in Hudson’s Crow’s Nest café, reading Julia Cameron, a wild idea took flight. Mark pitched a globe-spanning art project: Anne would capture powerful “Wonder Women” through painting and photography—leading to a TED Talk, book, TV series, and a global lecture tour. Anne was all in and suggested starting in Japan. From there, things got wonderfully whimsical. Anne accepted a music challenge—Renaissance tunes only for a year (hello, Thomas Tallis!)—and they mapped out imaginary travels: Maiko dances and sushi in Tokyo, tennis in Dubai, and catching up with friends in Warsaw, her former home of 18 years. They wrapped it up with plans for a digital art gallery visit, opera, and a packed London arts crawl—plus music discoveries, film recs, and the ultimate thought experiment: lunch with Leonardo da Vinci, who, according to Anne, would be fascinated by AI. 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/theanneplaisance/ 🔗 https://www.anneplaisance.com/ Examples of Anne's work Anne's Instagram The perfumes series statement: This series of perfumes show the multiple manipulation techniques used by abusers, giving a visible form to something intangible that is hard to define and recognize, complex as the elaboration of a perfume, referring also to the physical and chemical trauma bond created with victims. The sense of smell is closely linked to memory. The group of brain areas that are best known for processing emotions, learning, and memory also process odors. View Anne's CV here: Would you like to be interviewed and promoted in this way? This is just one of several benefits of full membership at just £10 per month (€12/$12) and you may cancel any time. Join us here . Mark Walmsley FRSA FCIM AGSM Chief Culture Vulture Arts & Culture Network Join us as a full member for "done for you" profile, network, career, and/or business development support for just £10 per month. Cancel any time. https://www.artsandculturenetwork.com/join Here are some of our full member testimonials: "Had to write and say a huge thank you for the networking sessions you are running. Met some great people today, thank you so much." "Great speed networking session today - I really enjoyed it and got some really relevant and valuable connections!" "I've just joined!! £10 a month for a 1:1 business growth session, free networking, and access to all the events (on top of everything else!)?! This is INSANE value for money Mark and I'm so grateful for everything you've done to build such a supportive network of likeminded creative professionals." Forthcoming free networking events Mark Walmsley FRSA AGSM Chief Culture Vulture Arts & Culture Network www.ArtsAndCultureNetwork.com mark.walmsley@ArtsAndCultureNetwork.com

Develop your own profile, network, career, and/or business by joining us at The Arts and Culture Network as a full member. It's just £10 per month. Cancel any time. Benefits are here . This profile is just one of them. Meet Olga Goldina Hirsch -the fine artist behind Olga Hirsch Art . Olga Goldina Hirsch , MA FA, is a London‑based artist whose exuberant mixed‑media canvases are equal parts memory‑mining and cosmic confession. Born in Moscow and professionally forged at the City & Guilds of London Art School (MA, 2018), she merges the rigour of Russian conceptual tradition with a painterly sense of childlike wonder. In the interview between Mark and Olga, Olga shared her fantasy cultural year. Expect surprises, anecdotes, and conversational detours. Each painting is a multilayered palimpsest – literal layers of canvas, spray, screen print and metaphors – that tenderly excavates the “obliterated memories” of her family’s Soviet past From black voids she teases glowing specks of recollection, until the white canvas breathes hope and future. Her work is a celebratory alchemy: memory + metaphor + mood. Olga's art is popping up in some memorable places. She earned runner‑up in the 2022 TEBBS International Art Prize and joined Paris’s Taylor Foundation circle. Her pieces strutted along London Underground stations (Pimlico, Hyde Park Corner) via the Art Below programme and hit Broadway Plaza in New York’s Times Square on New Year’s Eve and the following June. You’ll also find her work in the Copelouzos Museum (Athens), Vladivostok’s Museum of Contemporary Art, London’s Brooklyn Art Library, SaatchiArt , and numerous private collections across Europe, North America and Russia. Olga's portfolio and biography: With a pedigree stacked with avant‑garde ancestry – a constructivist grandmother, a futurist writer grandfather, a jazz‑pianist great‑uncle – Olga weaves intergenerational creativity into every brushstroke. Infusing vibrant hues and metaphysical bursts into abstract spaces, she captures life’s rhythms, inner trauma and reclaimed joy. Olga is one witty, reflective, first‑rate creative who doesn’t take herself too seriously, but whose work sings profoundly about memory, freedom, and a soul armed with aerosol and acrylic. Video Summary In their lively conversation, Mark and Olga wandered through a world of art, architecture, and imagination. Olga named the Guggenheim in Bilbao as her favourite building and pictured herself sketching nearby, a freshly squeezed drink at her side. Mark then proposed a globe-trotting commissioned art project: Olga would travel to underground train stations worldwide, creating site-inspired artworks funded by a fictitious wealthy Spanish foundation. With TED Talks, a TV series, and a book deal on offer, the only twist was a musical constraint—Olga picked piano music for the journey. Their conversation touched on thought-provoking musical performances like John Cage’s 4'33"  and the rhythmic mesmerism of Steve Reich. When dreaming up a trip to New York, Olga imagined seeing Anna Pavlova dance Giselle , adding a poetic flourish to her cultural wish list. Together, they “visited” the Waldorf Astoria in New York and explored digital art in Tokyo, even stepping inside Gustav Klimt’s gilded universe. They envisioned experiencing Pre-Raphaelite works in VR—a blend of tradition and technology. Some of Olga's work: You can find Olga through the links below: Olga on LinkedIn Olga by email Olga's website Olga on ad lib gallery Olga on Saatchi art Olga on Instagram Would you like to be interviewed and promoted in this way? This is just one of several benefits of full membership at just £10 per month (€12/$12) and you may cancel any time. Join us here . Mark Walmsley FRSA FCIM AGSM Chief Culture Vulture Arts & Culture Network Join us as a full member for "done for you" profile, network, career, and/or business development support for just £10 per month. Cancel any time. https://www.artsandculturenetwork.com/join Here are some of our full member testimonials: "Had to write and say a huge thank you for the networking sessions you are running. Met some great people today, thank you so much." "Great speed networking session today - I really enjoyed it and got some really relevant and valuable connections!" "I've just joined!! £10 a month for a 1:1 business growth session, free networking, and access to all the events (on top of everything else!)?! This is INSANE value for money Mark and I'm so grateful for everything you've done to build such a supportive network of likeminded creative professionals." Forthcoming free networking events Mark Walmsley FRSA AGSM Chief Culture Vulture Arts & Culture Network www.ArtsAndCultureNetwork.com mark.walmsley@ArtsAndCultureNetwork.com

Develop your own profile, network, career, and/or business by joining us at The Arts and Culture Network as a full member. It's just £10 per month. Cancel any time. Benefits are here . This profile is just one of them. Meet Taraq Qureshi - A life's journey in theatre and film production. T araq Qureshi is an independent motion picture and film producer with a background in theatre and a deep well of experience that spans short films, feature-length productions, and community-led projects. In our interview Mark created Taraq's fantasy cultural year with a magic wand and time machine to hand. Expect surprises, anecdotes and conversation detours. Trained at Raindance, Theatre Venture, and the Four Corners Workshop, Taraq combines creative instinct with practical skill, bringing a balance of artistry and business acumen to every project. Early in his career, he was awarded a Millennium Award Fellowship for launching a mental health forum theatre group—a nod to his values-driven approach and commitment to social impact through storytelling. Taraq’s growing filmography includes titles like Strictly Salsa: The Beginning , The Chosen Ones , Do Not Enter , Hope , Change , When Everything Happened , A Goat’s Tail , Dil Kai Keta Hai , Evergreen Man , and Adhoree Mohabtain . His productions embrace emotional truth, surrealism, political commentary, and genre experimentation. He’s currently developing Victoria Black , a pirate fantasy epic blending swashbuckling action with layered characters and unexpected twists. Known for his ideas, Innovation, Intelligence, and Information—Taraq is a detail-driven producer with a strategic mindset. Interview summary In his meeting with Mark Walmsley, Founder of The Arts and Culture Network, Taraq shared a life shaped by compassion, creativity, and a deep commitment to mental health through the arts. Together, he and Mark embarked on a “fantasy cultural year,” imagining a global odyssey beginning in Sydney. There, Taraq was commissioned to create a national league table for mental health sensitivity in filmmaking—a visionary project complete with a TED Talk, book deal, TV series, and university lecture tour. Their cultural adventure took playful turns, from dancing in a Saturday Night Fever -inspired show in New York, complete with pizza in Brooklyn, to attending a gymnastics championship in Paris. In Cape Town, they wandered through a digitally enhanced art gallery showcasing Picasso’s works reimagined through technology. The journey continued with a year-long exploration of London’s rich cultural scene. Taraq shared his passion for rock and pop concerts, his love of Shakespearean tragedy, and a keen interest in science fiction cinema. His ideal itinerary featured everything from opera to musicals, culminating in a hero’s lunch with Winston Churchill and Queen Elizabeth—a fitting finale for a man who blends imagination with insight. 🔗 https://taraq.tv/ 🔗 https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2127319/ Would you like to be interviewed and promoted in this way? This is just one of several benefits of full membership at just £10 per month (€12/$12) and you may cancel any time. Join us here . Mark Walmsley FRSA FCIM AGSM Chief Culture Vulture Arts & Culture Network Join us as a full member for "done for you" profile, network, career, and/or business development support for just £10 per month. Cancel any time. https://www.artsandculturenetwork.com/join Here are some of our full member testimonials: "Had to write and say a huge thank you for the networking sessions you are running. Met some great people today, thank you so much." "Great speed networking session today - I really enjoyed it and got some really relevant and valuable connections!" "I've just joined!! £10 a month for a 1:1 business growth session, free networking, and access to all the events (on top of everything else!)?! This is INSANE value for money Mark and I'm so grateful for everything you've done to build such a supportive network of likeminded creative professionals." Forthcoming free networking events Mark Walmsley FRSA AGSM Chief Culture Vulture Arts & Culture Network www.ArtsAndCultureNetwork.com mark.walmsley@ArtsAndCultureNetwork.com

Develop your own profile, network, career, and/or business by joining us at The Arts and Culture Network as a full member. It's just £10 per month. Cancel any time. Benefits are here . This profile is just one of them. Meet Nigel Hilditch - A life's journey in content and culture. Nigel Hilditch is a gifted storyteller and seasoned video producer whose work spans the worlds of television, journalism, branded content, and fine art. In our interview Mark created Nigel's fantasy cultural year with a magic wand and time machine to hand. Expect surprises, anecdotes and conversation detours. With over two decades of experience in content creation, Nigel has mastered the art of translating complex narratives into compelling visual stories. His journey began in Japan, where his fluency in the language and deep cultural knowledge landed him an early role supporting BBC documentaries. That initial spark ignited a remarkable career in video production, including stints at Bloomberg, Reuters, and a transformative tenure as Head of Video at Sotheby’s. At Sotheby’s, Nigel led award-winning campaigns, including the landmark David Bowie art collection and a celebrated video series at Chatsworth House. His eye for detail, reverence for story, and commitment to quality content creation made him a valued creative collaborator across the global arts and culture sector. Most recently, he led a digital storytelling initiative for The Arts Society, promoting the proven mental and physical health benefits of the arts and helping the organisation reach new, diverse audiences. In his interview with Mark Walmsley, Founder of The Arts and Culture Network, Nigel reflected on a career shaped by curiosity, cultural immersion, and a love of indie guitar pop. Together they imagined a fantasy cultural year, from sipping negronis in St. Pancras to VR art installations in Accra. Nigel’s admiration for Japanese cinema (especially the quiet brilliance of Ozu), his lifelong connection to music and theatre, and his appreciation for Tokyo, Buenos Aires, and Ghana revealed a man deeply attuned to global culture. He even mused on the enigmatic figures of David Bowie and Adolf Hitler, asking: what might we learn from the minds that shaped—and scarred—history? With a wry sense of humour and a sharp intellect, Nigel brings a rare blend of artistic flair and strategic insight to every project. He is available for full-time, freelance, or contract work and remains a vocal advocate for the transformative power of the arts. 🔗 https://www.nigelhilditch.com 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/nigelhilditch/ Examples of Nigel's work Would you like to be interviewed and promoted in this way? This is just one of several benefits of full membership at just £10 per month (€12/$12) and you may cancel any time. Join us here . Mark Walmsley FRSA FCIM AGSM Chief Culture Vulture Arts & Culture Network Join us as a full member for "done for you" profile, network, career, and/or business development support for just £10 per month. Cancel any time. https://www.artsandculturenetwork.com/join Here are some of our full member testimonials: "Had to write and say a huge thank you for the networking sessions you are running. Met some great people today, thank you so much." "Great speed networking session today - I really enjoyed it and got some really relevant and valuable connections!" "I've just joined!! £10 a month for a 1:1 business growth session, free networking, and access to all the events (on top of everything else!)?! This is INSANE value for money Mark and I'm so grateful for everything you've done to build such a supportive network of likeminded creative professionals." Forthcoming free networking events Mark Walmsley FRSA AGSM Chief Culture Vulture Arts & Culture Network www.ArtsAndCultureNetwork.com mark.walmsley@ArtsAndCultureNetwork.com