The Culture Challenge has three new Associates on board – and some of you may know them. Jo Atherton, Edward King, and Dionne Ible are already creative providers with us, but alongside this, they’re now taking on the roll of Associate – helping us to spread The Culture Challenge word, discover new providers, and be on hand to help things run smoothly. So here’s a bit more about them…
Jo Atherton is an artist and freelance creative educator who works with materials all found on the UK coast. Jo loves reading the tide line to reveal what it means to be living in the 21st Century, and through her weaving, printing and writing she is inspired by the stories these orphaned objects have to tell.
Jo has exhibited her work around the UK and beyond, at venues including the National Maritime Museum Cornwall, London Luton Airport and the University of Edinburgh. During 2017, Jo has partnered with the University of Cambridge for their Curious Objects exhibition and Being Human, the National Festival of the Humanities. She is working to deliver creative workshops in schools with The Culture Challenge and produced a weekend of flotsam weaving activities at the iconic Cutty Sark in Greenwich as part of the Totally Thames festival. She is currently writing Fifty Things, an anthology of objects collected on the UK coastline.
Jo has been with The Culture Challenge for a number of years. She particularly enjoys sharing her skills and enthusiasm in a learning environment and finds the opportunity to distill her own creative practice in a classroom setting particularly rewarding. Jo was delighted to be invited to join The Culture Challenge as an Associate and is looking forward to working more closely with teachers, and seeing local children have the opportunity to embrace the arts.
Edward King runs Irie Vibes – professional music workshop delivery and freelance youth work. He is a JNC qualified Youth Worker and is based in Luton. His workshops allow kids to explore African drumming, the Didgeridoo, Capoeira (Brazilian Martial Art), guitar song and lyric writing, plus lots more.
Edward is looking forward to his role of Associate at The Culture Challenge, and will be fulfilling this role alongside his work as a provider. As Edward is based in Luton, he will largely be connecting with potential providers, and helping to spread The Culture Challenge word in this area.
Dionne Ible is a mosaic artist and workshop facilitator who creates African inspired pieces by using materials such as stained glass, Italian smalti, fused glass beads, and Swarvoski crystals.
Dionne has loved working with The Culture Challenge as a creative provider, and is thrilled to have worked in several schools helping children learn new skills, create art, and brighten up their spaces with mosaics. She is excited to begin her work as an Associate for The Culture Challenge, and hopes it will allow her to serve a wider range of clients, and gain a greater knowledge and experience of what other creative practices there are out there.
Dionne believes there are so many creative people waiting for an opportunity to showcase their talent, and she is looking forward to finding them and bringing them to an audience that will truly appreciate them.