Leaps & Bounds

Inspiring Change

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Artistic team

Anne Brierley - visual arts

Anne Brierley has an extensive and successful history of projects completed to a high standard and possesses a high level of technical skill and knowledge. She has a wide-ranging experience of working with diverse community groups. This has included commissions in hospitals and community centre across the country (e.g. hospitals in Aintree, South Glamorgan, Dudley and Northumbria as well as community centres in West Bromwich and Birmingham).

 

She has worked extensively in schools across all age ranges and settings - primary, secondary, special and PRU's addressing a wide range of topics. She is, in addition, currently an associate lecturer in fine art and visual studies. As an artist she has had exhibitions both in this country and worldwide including Israel, Melbourne, as well as at the V & A in London.

 

Brian Lammas - visual arts

Brian has a lifetime of experience in teaching all aspect of the visual arts. He has been head of arts (visual and performing) at several high schools across the region. He was also seconded to the University of Birmingham to assess teaching practice for post graduate students. He gained a grant from the Learning & Skills Council to introduce computer technology into secondary school art curricula. This was followed by an EU award of £740k to develop "Mediaonics", a new area art/technology area of the curriculum.

 

His is also a practicing artist and is working towards a solo exhibition later this year.

 

Lee Benson - photography, exhibition curator

Lee Benson has been a children's author, which is about making young people think. Lee wrote the single for Coventry City football club when they won the cup in 1987. With over 30 years working within the arts as a musician and now owner / curator at No. 9 Gallery with an annual turnover of £5,000,000. His ability for working closely with both the public and private sectors has produced a strong reputation for discovering and supporting new talent from the region.

 

He is an accomplished photographer and has undertaken many exhibitions, including the "Observationists", which investigates visual aspects of Birmingham from a totally different and reflective viewpoint.

 

He has worked on behalf of UK Trade and Investment promoting the UK arts' industry between New York and Los Angeles art markets. He is currently successfully selling the works of the UK's most famous living artists including Ralph Brown, and Ronnie Woods of the Rolling Stones.

 

Matt Windle - written word
Matt Windle is a former Birmingham Young Poet Laureate. He is part of the Northfield Poets. Although Matt works with a wide age range, he works extensively in schools developing the writing skills at all levels. He is also an energetic and engaging performance poet who brings poetry to life. This energy is no doubt derived from the fact that he is an accomplished amateur boxer of national repute!

  

Laura Kiteley - visual arts
A graduate of Leeds College of Art, Laura Kiteley majored in surface design and has since developed a distinctive style of illustration. She has recently been part of a commission from Birmingham City Council promoting fostering in the city. She has a particular interest in depicting animals in a humorous way as well as exploring ways of representing societal issues. Her work is included in a current London exhibition entitled "Beer Mat Characters" and has been shortlisted in a poster competition for a regional theatre company.

 

Kokumo - Poet

 

Kokumo is a citizen and artisan from Jamaica whose debut album “Writing’s On The Wall” may well be the finest recording in the dub poetry vain for many a decade. Kokumo’s delivery will obviously draw comparisons to Mutabaruka but there is an originality of style that will appeal to audiences worldwide.

 

Described as not just an artist but also a cultural anthropologist and dub-griot, Kokumo uses his skills as a singer/songwriter and a dub-poet to capture his audience, whilst taking them on a cultural, spiritual and political journey.

He is considered a man on a mission, which has taken him to places like Brazil, America and Africa.