MEET THE NOVUM TEAM
Would you like to know more about the people who bring NOVUM Festival to life?
NOVUM Core Team
We are a compact yet powerful team, and the success of the festival relies on a vast network of associates, technical production crews, front of house staff, security personnel, first aid responders, dedicated volunteers, and, naturally, the incredible artists. During the festival weekend, our team expands to include over 150 professionals working together on-site.
Alison Brodie
Creative Producer
Alison is a creative producer, project manager and artistic programmer with over 10 years’ experience. Her background is in theatre and performance and she has experience in UK touring, opera, international festivals, participatory practice and has a keen interest in art for social change. She has knowledge and expertise across a range of creative projects at different scales, working in traditional arts-venues as well as found and public realm spaces. Before joining Curated Place she worked with The Marlowe Theatre, Birmingham Opera Company, Curve Theatre and Aberdeenshire Council as well as Prague Fringe.
Ciara O’Connell
Senior Producer
Ciara has worked internationally throughout the cultural sector for the past 18 years, specialising in festivals, music and theatre. Ciara has extensive leadership experience through her time working in high-end festivals, education and the creative industries. Ciara is at her best when she’s assembling and leading extensive teams of industry professionals across complex multi-agency projects, and managing the needs and expectations of stakeholders. Ciara’s key skills and experience include the management and artistic direction of festivals and arts organisations; and curating and managing diverse cultural organisations: classical, regional producing, new and emerging theatre, arts centres, festivals.
Andy Brydon
Creative & Company Director
Andy is an established and experienced curator, festival and major events director, arts producer and writer. Andy has in-depth knowledge of the entire production and documentation process and more than 20 years experience working in a senior strategic role in arts organisations. He works internationally collaborating with visual & digital artists, performers and musicians to create high-impact, high-quality content rich exhibitions and experiences. His experience encompasses delivery of all media including photography, audio, film, digital distribution and high impact public events.
Silvia Morelli
Creative Projects Coordinator, Volunteers Coordinator
Silvia is an arts and cultural events professional with over 10 years' experience and a varied background in communications, admin and event management. She is passionate about festivals, carnivals, live music and outdoor arts, and thrives in all things organisational, event production and delivery.
During the festival, Silvia keeps all the admin tasks running and coordinates the volunteers.
Valentyna Sturzova
Junior Producer
Valentyna recently joined the team as a new Junior Producer.
She has been working closely behind the scenes with the Secret City: Newcastle artists, helping to coordinate site visits and photo shoots.
Associates working with us
Hannah Ayre
Stage Manager
Hannah has 18 years experience of devising/delivering arts and research activities with the general public, school groups, families, adults and early years. She is an expert in creating environments and events to engage audiences in creating work from a variety of media specifically to inform broader arts programmes. She is experienced producing various objects from small craft items to large-scale outdoor sculpture and events in an inclusive manner. She works with audiences where the boundaries between art, craft, performance & collaboration are blurred and in doing so enables disparate voices to be heard. She has worked with a broad range of organisations including NVA, Walk the Plank, The Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, The National Museums of Scotland, Historic Scotland and various local councils.
Andrew Brooks
Photographer for Secret City: Newcastle
Andrew Brooks is a photographer, film maker and digital artist based on the edge of the Peak District. His photographs capture landscapes, cities and architecture in vivid, atmospheric detail. Through this work he shares the stories of these places, capturing their histories in ways that connect with our modern world.
Andrew Brooks has exhibited his Secret Cities exhibitions across the UK and the Netherlands and delivers workshops and talks where he shares his techniques for documenting places and landscapes.
Explore more of Andrew’s work www.andrewbrooksartist.com
Anth Fenton
Videographer
Since the tender age of 15, Anth has been involved in the film and advertising industry, working on projects home and abroad. From launching a sports park in Tanzania and helping capital of culture bids in Norway to directing TV commercials and filming with major brands. His biggest achievement however is having a cup of tea with Rick Astley, so you're assured he's never going to give you up, let you down, turn around or hurt you.
Thomas Jackson
Photographer
Thomas is a music and live event photographer based in Newcastle, UK, with over 20 years experience in the industry. His work has been published in Rolling Stone Magazine, Clash Magazine, NME, Time, The Guardian, MTV, Wired Magazine, BBC Music and The New York Times.
Anita Morris Associates
Public Relations agency Anita Morris Associates (AMA) is the PR partner of NOVUM Festival. Cultural regeneration specialists, from day one we have chosen to work across sectors that add value to society. For 25 years we have helped shape the reputations of exceptional projects, people and places at every scale from start-ups to PLCs.
Place-making, climate change, equality, social justice, arts, culture, collaboration – these huge issues are a feature of the work we’re delivering today across the North of England. We seek out projects, people and organisations that make a positive difference in their communities.
We are highly successful at positioning complex projects and multiple messages across the expanding network of print, broadcast, digital and social media, bringing a depth of communications experience; a commitment to skills and training; a love of the subjects with which we work; excellent media contacts and a high level of respect amongst our peers.
Caroline Newton
Stage Manager
Caroline has worked in event production for 24 years, although this is her first time working at NOVUM Festival. Over the course of her career she’s put a symphony orchestra into Tate Modern for a private party, organised a musical serenade of commissioned pieces on canal boats in Birmingham & Utrecht, produced a festival for the Southbank Centre in London which required putting musicians and speakers all over the building in a variety of unusual spaces, amongst many more weird & wonderful creative projects. At NOVUM, you’ll find her behind the scenes, wearing black, managing the stages, and eating birthday cake on her breaks.
Jasmine Plumpton
Writer for Secret City: Newcastle
Jasmine is a poet and writer facilitator from South Shields. She is in her final year of study for an AHRC-funded PhD in Creative Writing at Newcastle University. Her practice-led research explores the interplay between poetry, photography, and trauma.
Laura Rosierse
NOVUM Site Manager
Laura is an events and artist manager, online marketing, PR and bookings agent and has worked with international creatives, venues and festivals to help them reach a wider audience and their events run smoothly. She is passionate about music, yoga, meditation and spreadsheets.
Victoria Sanderson
Marketing
Victoria Sanderson is a freelance marketing, fundraising and events professional with over eighteen years of experience in the cultural sector, holding an MA in Arts Management and Policy.
Over the years Victoria has worked with the V&A, The RSA, The Big Draw, Seven Stories, the National Centre for Children’s Books, London Borough of Enfield Cultural and Leisure Services (Forty Hall & Estate, Millfield Theatre, London 2012 and London 2012 Cultural Olympiad), Tullie House, Cumbria Museum Consortium, University of Salford Art Collection, Trent Park House of Secrets, Unfolding Theatre and Helen Lederer's Comedy Women in Print Awards.
Joel Thomson
Music Programmer
Hailing from Newcastle, Joel stands as a seasoned music industry professional boasting an impressive track record of over 18 years. His career has seen him excel in various facets, including venue management, where he notably oversaw operations at The Cluny & Cluny 2 from 2013 to 2021. His adeptness in programming is evident through his involvement in organising events such as the Brave Exhibitions Festival and Generator Live, demonstrating a keen eye for curating diverse and compelling lineups.
In addition to his managerial and programming prowess, Joel has made significant strides in concert and tour promotion, contributing to the vibrant music scene in Tyneside. Alongside local DJ and promoter Alannah Lamb, Joel co-founded the esteemed promotions company 'F54 Live' in August 2021. Together, their collaborative efforts have left an indelible mark, bringing renowned acts like Lankum, Thundercat, John Francis Flynn, The Comet Is Coming, Peggy Seeger, Big Thief, and Tangerine Dream to the region in 2023. Their dedication and expertise continue to elevate the live music experience in Newcastle and beyond.
TG Events Team
Adam Long
Technical Production Manager
Adam is a Production manager at TG Events. With 25 years experience in the arts, over his career he’s been working on a variety of projects from solo contemporary music performance to outdoor shows for 40,000 people.
Tim Garbutt
Event Safety Manager
Tim set up TG Events over 30 years ago and has managed a variety of unusual events since.
A qualified Event Safety Manager, Tim has worked on events from the Olympics, several Cities of Culture to the Tour de France and anything in between.
When not working Tim enjoys the great outdoors, dog walking, climbing mountains and sailing around Wales.
A bit more about what we do
Our core team specialises in scoping, planning, designing and delivering strategic creative interventions, at scale. We regularly work with partners to drive major festivals and events from feasibility stage, to realisation, to post-event evaluation, at regional, national and international scale - creating cultural and economic development projects that are community driven, site-specific arts experiences. We have developed and delivered hugely successful cultural strategy and creative economy feasibility studies and live programmes for clients and partners including: The British Council, The Royal Opera House, Edinburgh City Council, Aberdeen City Council, Manchester City Council, The City of Reykjavik, Creative Scotland, and Creative Europe.
We are well networked in and beyond the cultural sector, regularly developing programmes alongside education, landowners, city branding teams and developers, and have delivered festivals and spectacle outdoor events across more than 20 countries including the UK, the Nordics, the Netherlands and Kazakhstan.
Find out more at www.curatedplace.com