Briana Pegado is Executive Director of Creative Edinburgh. A social entrepreneur, Briana was named one of Scotland's 30 Under 30 Inspiring Young Women by YWCA Scotland the Young Women's Movement at the end of last year. She is cofounder of Povo and founder and director of the Edinburgh Student Arts Festival. Her work centres around financial sustainability for creative organisations, barriers young people face to the arts, festivals, and human-centered design processes.
e-mail: briana@creative-edinburgh.com
Anna is Director of Community & Mentoring at Creative Edinburgh. With over 3 years experience as part of the core team, Anna works closely with our community to find the support they need along side coordinating our Mentoring Programme. A painting graduate from ECA, with experience in sales, team management, events curation, visual merchandising and as a visual artist, she is interested in communication and the relationships between place and peace of mind.
e-mail: anna@creative-edinburgh.com
Claire is our Social Media & Content Producer. After graduating from Edinburgh Napier University with a degree in Journalism, she has since worked in communications and digital marketing. She is a freelance writer, who spends her spare time immersed in Edinburgh's music scene, working on her music blog.
e-mail: digital@creative-edinburgh.com
Katherine is our Events Producer. She graduated from studying English Literature at the University of Glasgow in 2018. During and since her degree, Kath has worked at various events and festivals across the UK, including EIF, EIBF, Hay Festival and Aberdeen's Granite Noir Festival. She also writes (sporadically) at The Warren, an arts and culture site.
e-mail: katherine@creative-edinburgh.com
We may be a small team, but we are part of a huge community and always keen to explore ways we can work together. From commissioned artwork and design projects to volunteering at our events, there are various ways you can get involved with Creative Edinburgh in order to support and connect with the wider creative community.
If you have a concept or skill set that you're keen to share with us, we'd like to hear from you! Simply get in touch with us at info@creative-edinburgh.com.
Creative Edinburgh’s independent Board are ardent envoys of the creative sectors. They meet every quarter to support policy and strategic developments within the organisation, discussing how best to move forward. We'd like to thank past board members David Weir, Ginnie Atkinson, June Edgar, Jeff Meeks and Ros Davis, Janine Matheson, Michael Johnston, Mike Davidson, Carrie Maginn, Mike McGrail, Danae Shell and Kate Ho.
Board Chair of Creative Edinburgh since April 2019. Jim is also Chief Executive of Dance Base, Scotland’s National Centre for Dance. Prior to that he spent two years looking after the Edinburgh International Festival’s relationships with its public sector funders and supporters in Scotland, the UK and globally. This followed almost two decades with the British Council in India, France, China, Indonesia and the UK, supporting international connections between arts and creative organisations.
As Director of Think Hard, Mark Gorman views creativity from both ends of the creative industry spectrum. As a photographer, blogger, Chair of Forth Children's Theatre and NABS at one end; and as a seasoned mentor and practitioner in the advertising, marketing, PR, research and digital sector at the other. Talk to me about: marketing strategy, communications, business mentoring and board management.
Nicki Lundy is a communications professional who has worked as a journalist, travel writer and magazine editor too. Currently Head of Media Relations for Standard Life Assurance, part of the Phoenix Group, and a trustee of the Scottish charity Smalls for All, we welcomed Nicki to our Board in 2018.
Joe Tree is a Bafta award-winning designer who helps tech startups with their products, branding and investment material. In 2010 he founded Blipfoto, a photo-sharing platform which exploded into a worldwide community of daily photojournalists. Now, as well as working for a handful of his own clients, he’s Head of Product at CivTech. Talk to me about: the start up process, fundraising, investment and online community building.
Charlie has worked at Whitespace, an Edinburgh based creative agency working across digital, content, brand, experiential and campaigns since 2005, working his way up from Junior Designer to Creative Director as the company has grown over the years. A D&AD judge in 2016, Charlie is a creative thinker and designer delivering world-class courses throughout Scotland to help mentor young creatives.
Bruce is a corporate partner and chair of Anderson Strathern. His clients range for start up’s to global businesses - many in the creative sector.
Sarah Cuthbert-Kerr is a communications professional who has spent her career in the public and charity sector. As Communications Manager for the National Trust for Scotland – Scotland’s biggest membership organisation, she plays her part in protecting Scotland’s heritage. Talk to me about: all things communication, change and membership.
Creative Edinburgh’s Steering Group is composed of committed creative industry experts who champion and advise both our programme and network. The Steering Group meet twice a year to provide feedback, suggest new ideas and offer support. We'd like to thank past steering group members Rohan Gunatillake, Rupert Thompson, Andy Murray, Peggy Hughes, Meghan Bidwell, Ian Greenhill, Chris Behr, Andrew Dyce & Craig Fairweather, Susanna Murphy, Cristina Spiteri, Katy Koren, Catriona Cox and Denis Mallon.
Jessica Armstrong is a business development and project manager with a disposition for organisation, teamwork, efficiency and a drive to achieve goals. Her background is in marketing communications and operational management; but really, she is a project manager with a love for understanding process and a passion for all things inspired. Talk to me about: building and developing your networks, reaching new audiences and finding sponsorship.
After a few years away selling books in London, Paris & Madrid, Tom returned to Edinburgh and started selling books in the street under the Typewronger banner in November 2017. In 2018 Typewronger Books became a full-time bookshop at the top of Leith Walk. The shop hosts events, supports local authors and publishers, is the organiser of the Edinburgh Zine Fair and operates as a small press publisher in its own right. It is also the only typewriter repair shop in Scotland. Typewronger Books is the home of readers, writers, artists & musicians - it's developed a rebellious an eclectic family of devotees.
Callum is a filmmaker based in Edinburgh, working under the guise of Wood Chip Films. The majority of his work pertains to subject matters discovered during his time working within the third sector.
Fin is a British/Sri-Lankan arts producer. His company Island Life Productions seeks to work with emerging artists from around the world, across the artforms to make high quality, accessible, grassroots art for the local Edinburgh community. They have recently produced a podcast titled 'Passport People' and are currently in the midst of producing a radio series. Alongside his own work, Fin is a freelance drama facilitator for many Edinburgh-based organisations including the Lyceum Theatre, Strange Town & Edinburgh Youth Theatre.
Nathan is one of the founders of CreateFuture, a marketing consultancy with offices in Edinburgh and London. He has been working mainly in digital since the internet came on a CD, with stints at the Press Association, Orange, Realise and Tayburn. Possibly the tallest member of Creative Edinburgh.
Michelle Mangan is an experienced PR, Marketing and Communications professional with over 15 years’ experience of working in the arts in the UK. Prior to her role as Senior PR and Marketing Manager for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society Michelle racked up over 8 years’ experience promoting award winning festival shows gaining Fringe Firsts, Herald Angels, Carol Tambor and Holden Street Theatre Awards.
Tamsin is co-founder and Director of Edinburgh based agency wonderhouse. wonderhouse specialises in marketing strategy + implementation for lifestyle consumer brands. Tamsin has worked in the creative industry for over 16 years with a wide network of artists, creatives, photographers and film production crew creating award-winning work for some of Scotland’s most exciting brands.
Leah Silverlock is an entrepreneur and social media lover. She is the founder of the Ooh!Festivals, a festival specific marketing company. Her background is in social media marketing for large scale festivals. Her passion lies within marketing and the arts, chat to her about: social media marketing and festivals anytime!
Isla Munro is an Edinburgh based designer and Product Design tutor at Edinburgh College of Art. With more than 15 years’ experience in the creative industries, Isla’s background is in Furniture and Product Design, and her practice is based in Design and Communication. Isla is practiced in collaborating with project stakeholders to ensure the outcomes embody their collective aspirations.
Award winning Animator, illustrator, designer and brand enthusiast, Erik specialises in digital marketing and storytelling helping clients ranging from beer brands to medical research studies telling their stories. Over the years he experimented with vlogging, illustrations, fiction writing and event hosting. He is the host for Creative Edinburgh’s Talking Heads and MOVE Summit.
Leah is an experienced book designer and art director, former Co-Chair of the Society of Young Publishers Scotland and winner of the inaugural Satire Society Emerging Publisher of the Year award. Talk to me about: graphic design, illustration, publishing and creative direction.
David Mahoney is a British illustrator currently practicing in Edinburgh, Scotland.
