Ola oversees Creative Edinburgh's strategic development, creative programmes and advocacy. She has over two decades of experience in various senior roles across the creative sector including at National Galleries of Scotland, Edinburgh International Book Festival and Edinburgh International Festival. She is a passionate and results-focussed cultural leader with an interest in diversity of thinking, civic debate, and sustainability.
Email: ola@creative-edinburgh.com.
Inga looks after our membership and mentoring programme. Inga has a MA in Social Sciences, her research investigates social groups affected by marginalisation, exclusion and powerlessness. As a result of working in the arts industry and performing as a Spoken Word Artist, she has established a significant network in Scotland and is extremely passionate in widening participation for all creatives, artists and entrepreneurs living in Edinburgh and beyond. Email: inga@creative-edinburgh.com.
Zoe oversees our programme strategy and delivery of all Creative Edinburgh events. She has over 7 years of experience in events management and is passionate about collaborating with and supporting creative communities. An accomplished theatre-maker, she co-founded Prickly Pear Productions, a female-led theatre company that champions underrepresented artists. She is also a Board Member at Stellar Quines, an intersectional feminist theatre company based in Scotland.
Email: zoe@creative-edinburgh.com
Caitlin provides administration and event support across the Creative Edinburgh team and everything we do. She is especially interested in translated literature and visual arts and has worked for various literary festivals including the Hay Festival, Bradford Literature Festival and Edinburgh International Book Festival. She is the founder and director of Gŵyl Haf, a festival of translated literature and arts. Email: caitlin@creative-edinburgh.com.
Rachel looks after Creative Edinburgh's digital communications and content strategy. She has six years experience working in content marketing. Rachel is also an award-winning playwright, most recently working with women's theatre company F-Bomb on her plays "Afterparty" and "The Beatles Were A Boyband". Rachel is passionate about making the creative industries accessible to everyone. Email: digital@creative-edinburgh.com.
Raheema Sayed is an emerging writer with involvement in poetry, storytelling and other forms of creative writing. She studied Nutrition and Food Science at Queen Margaret University, and still holds interest in the field, but followed a more creative route instead. In recent years, Raheema has worked with Edinburgh Multicultural Festival and Scottish BPOC Writers Network in curating and facilitating events. Raheema enjoys exploring different mediums of expression, and she regularly attends writing workshops to engage in creativity and connect with other writers in Scotland.
Robyn Owen is an Illustrator and Designer living and working in Glasgow, Scotland. She specialises in Illustrative design and received her Bdes(Hons) in Illustration from The University of Dundee. She has experience in both freelance and agency work. She is passionate about opening up more opportunities for marginalised groups in the creative industries and arts.
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, Kate Ho, Mark Gorman and Sarah Cuthbert-Kerr.
We are in the process of recruiting to the Creative Edinburgh Board. Follow us on social media for updates.
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.
Cristina Zani is an Italian born artist with a background in marketing and communication. She completed an MFA in Jewellery at Edinburgh College of Art in June 2012 and after living and working in different countries, she established her workshop at Coburg House Studios, in the vibrant area of Leith, Edinburgh. Prior to that she worked in corporate communication for the Royal Bank of Scotland Group, in internal communication for Direct Line Spain and in marketing for The National Trust.
Amy Kelly is a creative marketing leader, currently working in the B2B tech space as the EMEA Marketing Director at UserTesting, the leading Human Insight Platform. Amy, a graduate of Glasgow University, is also CIM certified and has over 10 years of global experience across both agency and brand and has previously held marketing roles at ITV, YouTube and Facebook.
Marian is the co-founder and director of Blunt Knife Co., a social enterprise shop and event space in Edinburgh that supports and promotes women and non-binary artists. Marian has worked in the arts in various roles over the last two decades – as a producer, broadcaster, festival director, teacher, publicist, event manager, presenter, editor, designer and writer.
Sara Thomson is the CEO and Owner of the Leith Collective CIC offering affordable and sustainable selling space to 200+ makers. Currently, with three outlets, Sara offers business development alongside supported employment to the small businesses that sell with her. An advocate of supporting the little guy, as a passionate creative herself, Sara also champions the battle against waste. Prior to working in the creative sector Sara managed services in the social care and support sector.
Ana Betancourt is a sound designer and the co-founder at Black Goblin. Her focus on art and experimentation as well as an eclectic background has shaped Black Goblin’s ideas. Ana has collaborated with artists from different disciplines in dozens of international projects with her contributions delving into the realms of science, technology, and art. As a managing director, she oversees business strategy, marketing and funding departments. Talk to Ana about entrepreneurship, product development, funding and sound.
Brian is a game/narrative designer, writer, business leader, serial entrepreneur and university lecturer, who focuses on the transformative power of interactive media within the creative industries.
Brian is the founder and director of the Scottish Games Network, the industry body for the country’s rapidly evolving games and interactive sectors., which is helping to make Scotland the best place in the world to make videogames.
Since 2009 Brian has lectured at Edinburgh Napier University in the School of Creative Industries.
Michaela Turner has worked at supporting SME and start-ups in Edinburgh and the region for over the past 9 years. She currently leads on the industry engagement for the Creative Informatics program where she has been working to grow, develop and support the creative start up ecosystem. Prior to working in Creative Informatics, she has worked in knowledge exchange at the University of Edinburgh advising and supporting SME engagement.
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 her about: building and developing your networks, reaching new audiences and finding sponsorship.
Nicki Lundy is a communications professional who has worked as a journalist, travel writer and magazine editor too. Currently Head of Media Relations at Phoenix Group, welcomed Nicki to our Board in 2018. Talk to Nicki about all things relating to communications and adapting to change.at Phoenix Group, we welcomed Nicki to our Board in 2018. Talk to Nicki about all thing relating to communications and adapting to change.
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.
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, Denis Mallon, Fin Ross Russell & Chris Muir.
Laura is an Edinburgh-based arts administrator. Since graduating from Queen Margaret University in Drama and Cultural Management, and completing a course at the National Arts Fundraising School, Laura has been working at the Traverse Theatre in the Development department. Talk to her about: fundraising, partnerships, international relationships, and project management.
Ashleigh Thow is an experienced membership engagement professional based in Edinburgh. With a background in marketing, communications and events, Ashleigh found her niche working in membership engagement. She is currently Alumni Relations Manager at Edinburgh Napier University. She delivers a programme of activities, volunteering opportunities and events designed to foster meaningful lifelong relationships between the University, its alumni, students, staff and key stakeholders. Ashleigh also manages all alumni communications.
Lynda-Marie Taurasi is an essayist, radiomaker, marketer, science communicator, former language instructor, journalist, and a breakdown-induced illustrator. Her bylines include MTV, The Guardian, Forbes, Marie Claire, and British Vogue. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, she has spent the past decade producing global marketing and communication strategies and consulting under LMTaurasi Creative. She is the founder and salonniere of The Speak Easy Literary Salon in Leith and is currently freelancing with BBC Radio Scotland's Arts and Religion & Ethics teams.
Finlay is graduating student in film from Edinburgh Napier University specialising in producing. Over the last two years, Finlay led a team of volunteers to create the environmentally-focused Edinburgh Green Film Festival. Alongside his passion for linking film and climate communication, and the festival and distribution sector, Finlay is a filmmaker and producer.
Rachel began her career at the creative agency Wieden+Kennedy Portland where she worked as an Account Manager across Nike, Procter & Gamble and several non-profit clients. She joined W+K Amsterdam in 2011 to build the PR and new business department and moved to Edinburgh in 2019 where she now runs a freelance consultancy helping creative companies of all shapes and sizes with new business strategy and operations.
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.
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.
