Network
Ambassadors

Family Arts Network Ambassadors

The Family Arts Campaign is delighted to work with Ambassadors across Family Arts Networks in Bristol, Cumbria, North East England, Sunderland and Manchester as part of the Local Family Arts Network Ambassador Programme.

Each Ambassador is supporting both arts and non-arts organisations to work with more families, particularly more diverse families; encouraging greater participation in arts and culture activities.

We currently have 5 Network Ambassadors supporting family engagement, locally and nationally

Ambassadors work with the central team at the Family Arts Campaign to build upon community relationships in their Networks and further encourage family engagement. In addition, the regional Ambassadors work together nationally to share best practice for dissemination through the Family Arts Campaign national learning programme and resources.

Insight Interviews

Hear from the Ambassadors as they share their insights and learnings from the programme to date. They explore challenges and successes as well as recommendations for organisations considering working collaboratively as a local family arts network.

Articles & Case Studies

Ambassadors have been sharing their experiences and insights from the Family Arts Campaign Ambassador Programme. Read about their learnings and advice from projects they’ve been working on to reach families, particularly those who are least engaged.

Explore:

Manchester Family Fun Summer activity booklet

Family Arts Network Ambassadors

Manchester Ambassador

Maya Cross Odemudi

Z-arts

Alongside her work as an Ambassador, Maya is the Project Manager for MADE, Manchester’s Local Cultural Education Partnership. She has an ambitious attitude to developing inclusive and accessible opportunities that connect young people, families and communities to creativity and the arts. Maya also works as a facilitator and has worked with people of all ages, delivering a range of arts-based projects and courses including Audio/Radio, Creative Writing, Performing Arts and Visual Arts & Design. Maya has a particular interest in print design and has enjoyed delivering a range of digital and physical zine-making workshops that have enabled young people to express their thoughts and views. *

With an academic background in Visual Arts and Design, Maya continues to develop her own practice which includes illustration and printmaking, whilst having an avid interest in the therapeutic benefits of engaging with art-based activity!

Email Maya

Visit Manchester Network page

Cumbria Ambassador

Sarah Lenehan

Florence Arts Centre

Sarah Lenehan works as Engagement and Operations Coordinator at a small community-based arts centre in west Cumbria, between the mountains and the sea. She has previously worked in nature conservation and is a trained forest school leader and home educating mum of three.

Sarah is passionate about improving access to art activities for the whole community, particularly in the outdoors, and helping people discover that creativity comes in all forms and that finding your creative outlet will have a positive impact on your life!

Email Sarah

Visit Cumbria Network Page

Sallyanne

North East Ambassador

Sallyanne Flemons

Family Explorers

Sallyanne Flemons is a freelance culture communications consultant with a specialism in connecting mainstream audiences with great, life changing culture. Since 2014, she has been coordinating Family Explorers North East – 10,000 families now use this service which is backed by a partnership of cultural organisations. Family Explorers enables peer recommendation to help families discover new cultural experiences.

As Audience Development Coordinator for the Generation Tour, Sally also saw over 120,000 visitors attend visual art exhibitions commissioned specifically for families at four northern galleries. She is Communications Director for award-winning art project Wunderbar and also wrote the original communications strategy for South East Northumberland’s Bait, one of the first Creative People and Places projects working in areas with low levels of cultural engagement.

Email Sallyanne

Visit North East England Network page 

Bristol Ambassador

Cara Hayman

Children’s Scrapstore

Cara works as a Communications Team Manager at Children’s Scrapstore in Bristol, a charity that makes waste things play things. Children’s Scrapstore focuses on the themes of art, play and reuse. There are hundreds of creative members and groups that use the Scrapstore’s resources. The charity also runs creative and play workshops and events for children and families both at the Scrapstore and out in the community. Cara gets to meet new and existing network members as they come to visit Children’s Scrapstore and through her work as communications manager. 

Cara has always had lots of creative hobbies and currently also runs her own business creating with polymer clay and sharing her skills through workshops and events. She is passionate about creativity and encouraging others to explore processes and is enjoying working to help other organisations in the city offer more art opportunities to families. 

Email Cara

Visit Bristol Network page

Rachel

Sunderland Ambassador

Rachel Hamer

Sunderland Culture

Rachel is Young People and Communities Producer at Sunderland Culture as well as working freelance with Helix Arts, Gateshead Youth Council and Ubiquitous Arts. Over the last 7 years Rachel has worked on projects and large-scale events in organisations across Sunderland, Gateshead and Newcastle developing and delivering on arts, culture and health and wellbeing projects whilst developing her work with young people and delivering Arts Award.

Rachel believes in meaningful ambitious opportunities for families, young people and communities to be creative, take a lead to share their wonderful ideas, develop skills and make a difference to the world around them.

Rachel is really excited to work with the Family Arts Network to create exciting and innovative opportunities for children and young people across Sunderland.

Email Rachel

Visit Sunderland Network page