Our Artists

Sam is the Artistic Director of Green Shoes Arts, a grassroots arts and wellbeing charity based in Dagenham. Green Shoes Arts delivers high quality arts projects, enabling people of all ages and backgrounds to access and engage with a wide range of creative and artistic activities. They believe that artistic and creative activity provides huge benefits to wellbeing and personal development and offer opportunities to disadvantaged and vulnerable young people and adults with lived experience of mental health issues, physical and learning disabilities, and social deprivation.

Ideate Education is a pioneering education company founded by John Akinde, dedicated to transforming the learning experiences of young people. Ideate specialise in developing bespoke educational programmes, workshops, and community engagement initiatives that celebrate diversity and promote equitable learning experiences.

India Harvey is an artist with an inclusive, socially engaged practice who has worked across a number of fields including in museums and galleries, schools, youth services, mental health facilities, hospitals through open-ended, collaborative processes and conversations. The work is often focused on exploring unusual material combinations to trigger memories, challenge normal modes of engagement and support the development of new perceptions or approaches.

 Far From The Norm is a Hip Hop Dance Theatre company, led by Artistic Director Botis Seva. Their performers bring to the studio a range of dance styles from Popping to Breaking, Krump to House, and it is with their informed knowledge of different dance styles that Botis is able to question, learn and translate what else is possible. 

They challenge perceptions of Hip Hop and create work that empowers marginalised people. They tour nationally and internationally, and are continuing to develop strong partnerships around the world to nurture a new generation of hip hop dance theatre.

"Voice” is all about building young people’s voice in your organisation. Voice is run by the charity Upstart Projects and provides training, consultancy and an online magazine for young people interested in the arts culture. They work with young people to develop their creativity, skills and confidence through arts and media projects. They champion youth voice and leadership and since 2014 have worked with a range of partners across the UK to support young people to engage in culture, explore career paths, and develop skills. 

New Town Culture is curatorial project based within Barking and Dagenham Council. With a radical vision to connect contemporary art practice and the services of public life, New Town Culture has led to changes in how social work and youth justice is done in the Borough. New Town Culture is a platform for radical new training including a new MA in Creative Social Work, research and tools for social care practitioners, artists and cultural organisations.