Staff and volunteers

Robin Simpson – Chief Executive

Before joining Voluntary Arts in 2005, Robin was Deputy Chief Executive of Making Music – the national umbrella body for amateur music making, supporting over 2,000 amateur music groups throughout the UK, including choirs, orchestras, and music promoters. Previously, he worked as General Manager of the British Federation of Festivals, supporting the volunteer organisers of more than 300 festivals of music, dance and speech and drama across the UK. Robin has substantial experience of working with volunteers, having also worked for six years for the Royal National Institute for the Blind, managing a team of over 130 volunteer readers to record academic textbooks onto tape for visually-impaired students. He completed his MBA with the Open University Business School in 2002.

Robin is a keen amateur French horn player, currently a member of the Northampton Symphony Orchestra. He is also a perennial ballroom dancing student, a frequent theatre-goer, an enthusiastic reader of contemporary fiction, an insatiable consumer of classical and world music and a keen blogger at culturalplayingfield.org and culturaldessert.blogspot.com.

“For those of us who voluntarily practice some form of arts activity in our own time – and some estimates suggest that this includes almost half the adult population, playing in orchestras, singing in choirs, acting, dancing, painting, lace-making etc. – it’s often difficult to articulate exactly why we do it. But it usually becomes such a significant part of our lives we genuinely feel we couldn’t do without it.”

Mary Lowe – Voluntary Arts England Coordinator

Mary is Coordinator at Voluntary Arts England, which involves all sorts of things but essentially managing projects and initiatives, looking for new opportunities to raise the profile of the sector and developing connections with the wider community. She’s worked for the organisation since early 2010. Mary’s background is working in community arts as a project organiser and practitioner.  For years she worked part time for arts organisations and part time sweating over an unfinished manuscript for a novel. The novel is still stranded on her desktop, unloved and untended, but hopefully one day she’ll return to it.

“What I love about the voluntary arts is the self reliance, quirkiness and passion demonstrated by individual art and crafts people and the sector as a whole. There is a sense that despite government cuts and economic turmoil people will continue to dance sing and draw partly as a response to the world we live in. They will always want to share their enthusiasm and it’s always a privilege meeting people who are extremely skilled in something and do it for love rather than being motivated by profit.”

Kevin Murphy – Voluntary Arts Ireland Chief Officer

Daniel Carpenter – Voluntary Arts Link Coordinator

Fiona Campbell – Voluntary Arts Scotland Executive Officer

Fiona has been involved in cultural activities for a number of years, both in Scotland and New Zealand (where she hails from). She has been at the helm of Voluntary Arts Scotland for over 10 years, having previously worked for the National Association of Youth Orchestras and Scottish Education & Action for Development.

Fiona has a Postgraduate Certificate in Cultural Policy and Management, a BA in Music and BA (Hons) in Art History and English. She is a voluntary board member of the Traditional Music & Song Association (TMSA) of Scotland and Neo Productions, teaches and performs Scottish traditional dance, is a member of two Irish dancing groups and performs at folk dance festivals across the world.

She has also taken part in and produced many musical theatre/opera productions as well as running the annual Northern Streams Festival – bringing together Scandinavian and Scottish cultures. Fiona enjoys singing, playing a variety of instruments at mediocre levels, reading, sewing and needlework.

“I’m passionate about arts participation,” says Fiona, “as I love seeing people discover the same joy I experience from taking part, enjoying a great performance or completing a craft project (which doesn’t happen as often as I would like!).”

Lindsey Jackson – Voluntary Arts Finance, Administration and HR Officer

Anne Witton – Voluntary Arts England Communications Development Officer

Having worked in charity communications for over six years, Anne joined Voluntary Arts England in November 2010 as the Communications Development Officer.

“I really enjoy my role and it’s exciting to be able to help voluntary arts groups get better at what they do and reach more folk in their communities. I am passionate about encouraging people to get involved in the arts to develop their skills, have fun and make friends.”

Anne is a member of her local (young persons) WI and enjoys having a go at a range of activities from watercolour painting to salsa dancing! She plays the piano and trumpet, and drums in her church music group. She is a keen photographer and web developer and displays her photography on her website – www.annewitton.org.uk. She also likes to raise money for charity and has an irrational fear of buttons!

Tony Carlin – Voluntary Arts Ireland Information and Communications Officer

After getting a first class honours degree in Media and Psychology, Tony planned to go into the advertising sector. It was while completing an internship that he was by chance involved in the Derry-Londonderry City of Culture 2013 bid. This was a seminal moment in his life, opening his eyes to the true power of the arts and the effect it can have in energising people and communities. When an opportunity to work with Voluntary Arts Ireland came along he jumped at the chance.

Tony is passionate about music and has been playing guitar for over 15 years.

“One thing that has struck me in my time working with VAI is the sheer number of people participating in the arts in the UK and Ireland – whether it is with their church choir, a local knitting group or a dance class – nearly everyone is involved in some kind of art form at some point in their lives.  To be able to play a part in supporting this vibrant and exciting sector is a great privilege.”

Kelly Donaldson – Voluntary Arts Scotland Information Officer

Kelly has a BA (Hons) in Theatre Studies and Media, and has been responsible for Voluntary Arts Scotland’s information output and communication since 2005. She also works as a freelance journalist and has been The Scotsman’s chief dance critic for twelve years, is Dance and Kids Editor of The List Magazine, and writes for a variety of other newspapers, magazines and festivals. Kelly is secretary of the Primary School Musical Voluntary Association, and regularly helps out with the various musical and craft pursuits of her two young daughters.

“Although I spend most of my time these days watching others perform, I know how exciting, engaging and fulfilling it is to participate in arts activity,” says Kelly. “Anything we as an organisation can do to facilitate, support and encourage that activity can only help to make the world a better place.”

Sioned Best – Voluntary Arts Wales Projects Development Officer

Gwenan Davies – Voluntary Arts Wales Information Officer

Laraine Winning  -  Up for Arts Project Director

Helen Jones – Voluntary Arts England Up for Arts Broadcast and Helpline Manager

Whilst studying towards a first class Performance degree from the University of Bedfordshire, Helen took to the stage, performed for TV for Children’s television but best of all got the chance to interview the great comedy legend Ronnie Barker. She specialised in Radio Performance, and since graduating as mature student in 2000, has been based at BBC Radio Merseyside in Liverpool.

Helen has been Helpline & Broadcast Manager for Voluntary Arts England since 2010. She currently oversees the radio project Up for Arts which is a Voluntary Arts England and BBC Radio Merseyside partnership supported by the Liverpool Primary Care Trust the whole collaboration showcases voluntary arts and crafts groups. Helen is also an established broadcaster and often can be heard on the BBC Radio Merseyside airwaves.

“I believe you can come to life on a stage and that performance can really take you to places beyond your wildest dreams. My Up for Arts role allows individuals to promote their work and give them a voice on local radio … the folk I have met have truly been inspirational and passionate about the arts.”

Helen Thomas – Once in a Lifetime Project Officer

Helen Thomas has been in post since April 2010 as Once in a Lifetime Project Officer. Her role is to encourage voluntary arts groups across the UK to take advantage of the opportunities presented by the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad. The part-time post is part-funded by Making Music and involves:

• encouraging and supporting involvement in the Inspire Mark and Local Leaders programmes;
• building on links with LOCOG, the Creative Programmers and Cultural Olympiad project organisers to ensure maximum involvement of voluntary arts groups;
• liaising with London 2012 Ceremonies to develop voluntary arts involvement;
• managing Making Music’s Cultural Olympiad projects.

Helen has a management degree and studied heritage tourism at postgraduate level. She has worked extensively in the voluntary and community sector, including four years supporting Pembrokeshire organisations to organise community-led festivals and events. She has organised many events and festivals involving music, dance, watersports  and education, and coordinated the Welsh cultural representation at the International Celtic Watersports Festival.

Helen volunteers as a steward at Farnham Maltings and at festivals. Through supporting her daughter’s passion for acting and dance she has chaperoned young performers and has been involved in youth theatre and several dance forms including Bollywood.

Pauline Matthew  -  Young Arts Creativity Co-operatives Project Coordinator

Isobel Cleary  -  Another Way In Project Officer

Carol Stobie – Voluntary Arts Scotland Ambassadors Coordinator

Carol has been at Voluntary Arts Scotland since September 2010. She recruits, trains and supports Voluntary Arts Ambassadors throughout Scotland, who in turn connect their local voluntary arts groups with VAScotland resources, help raise their profiles and put forward their achievements and challenges to local decision-making bodies.

Carol is also a community education professional and has worked in the voluntary sector, events/heritage and adult education for many years. She enjoys storytelling, traditional Scottish baking, cartooning/card-making, and loves to celebrate seasonal events with her family using simple costumes and crafts (pretty haphazardly!).

“Taking part in the arts can reconnect us with one another, rebuild community, strengthen family, forge friendship and restore health,” says Carol. “They can allow us to express our deepest selves, campaign against injustice, create a better environment and show what makes us angry, ecstatic, despairing or encouraged. It doesn’t matter what kind of art form it is, or whether we do it superbly or badly – I’m convinced we’re all artists inside.”

Gillian Harrison – Voluntary Arts Scotland Support Networks Development Officer

Gillian has been with Voluntary Arts Scotland since 2009, offering support to art-form umbrella bodies and helping local authority arts teams and third sector interfaces across the country improve relationships with their local voluntary arts and crafts community.

Prior to joining Voluntary Arts Scotland, she worked mainly in local authority education administration, but also spent time with a training organisation in the voluntary sector and on a Millennium Awards project.  Gillian loves all kinds of needlework, and is an active member of The Quilters’ Guild of the British Isles, having spent 3 years as a voluntary Regional Co-ordinator in the North East of England and now on the Quilt Heritage Committee. After a gap of over 30 years, she is also currently re-learning the piano.

“Participating in the arts is so uplifting in all sorts of ways,” says Gillian. “It gives me another life, away from the stresses and strains of other everyday routines, and has helped me get through difficult times as a means of temporary escape. I’ve also met so many like-minded people who have become friends. I believe that the chance for creative expression should be encouraged and available to us all, to raise our spirits and our aspirations of who we could become.”

Cassandra Barron – Voluntary Arts Scotland Marketing and Research Assistant

Cassandra has been with Voluntary Arts Scotland since January 2011, helping to organise Voluntary Arts Week, conducting country-wide research on the sector, and maintaining VAScotland’s social media presence amongst other things. Cassandra graduated with a Masters in Art Museum and Gallery Education in 2010, having previously studied Fine Art Sculpture at Glasgow School of Art. She has since worked in various roles encouraging participation in the arts and crafts including Art Educator at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Arts Director at Camp Tamakwa in Canada and Artist in Residence at the Girvan Festival of Light. She currently volunteers with Remade in Edinburgh, whose primary aim is to create a reuse and repair centre in Edinburgh. At Remade she has taught various arts and crafts workshops and in turn has learned how to sew and knit, and is currently experimenting with making her own clothes.

“For me, taking part in arts and crafts activity is a way to relax and be free,” says Cassandra. “I really enjoy the process of learning a new skill, experimenting, creating a final product and passing on my newfound hobby; be that sewing a purse, knitting a jumper or drumming a tune (a more recent venture). The arts are a great way to bring all sorts of people together to create a sense of community and it makes me happy to be part of this.”

Jason Brown – Voluntary Arts Scotland Administration Assistant

Jason was born in Edinburgh and went to school at the Edinburgh Academy. Prior to joining Voluntary Arts Scotland, he spent ten years at Scottish Widows, primarily in the New Business Pensions department. Before that he worked in a variety of posts in a range of small and large businesses. He personally prefers smaller organisations as there is a much greater variety of work. Jason has excellent computer and organisational skills. His main interests lie in reading and writing, cinema and multimedia gaming.