About Us

B arts (Beavers Arts ltd) is a combined and participatory arts organisation founded in 1985. Our artistic vision is to produce high quality arts experiences with people from many different backgrounds who would not normally engage with the arts. We aim to strengthen the cultural infrastructure in our area; increase the diversity and range of artists and producers working in the region, and offer quality and depth of engagement in the arts to all.

Our vision is of a society where everyone has an equal chance to take part, and by taking part can make change for the better in themselves, their place and their communities. Our aim is to improve the lives of people and the places in which they live through creative and cultural interventions.

We work locally, nationally and internationally. In 2014 we moved into an ex-industrial building in Stoke on Trent and created a new front door for the organisation with our food justice café and bakery, Bread in Common.

The Team

B arts is an artist-led company, run by a small staff team and full of associate artists. We are governed by our Board of Trustees, made up of volunteers from across the UK.

Board of Trustees
David Rennie, Chair
Kelly Prince, Vice-Chair
Claire Meadowcroft, Treasurer
Funmilayo Ayanbadejo

Adrian Ball,

Michaela Cooper,

Ben McManus, Alexandra Scott, Sujen Walker,

Associate Artists
We have a network of professional artists and support workers who we call upon to help devise and deliver high-quality engagement programmes involving arts and creative activities:

Behjat Abdulla, Emily Andrews, Ryan Ball, Liam Banks, Chloé Belcher, Sarah Bonam, Esther Brennan Hulme, Evie Brennan Hulme, Joe Brennan Hulme, Martin Brockman, Natalie Brown, Maya Chowdhry, Cynthia Coady, Leone Davis, Alliyah Dawud, Jez Dolan, Molly Drummond, Luke Edwards, Dallit Fischman, Joe Fleming, Katie Forrester, Dan Fox, James Fox Neville, Laurel Gallagher, Gabriella Gay, Jodie Gibson, Martin Gooding, Katy Goodwin, Jon Paul Green, Parul Gupta, Sophia Hatfield, Saul Hewish, Dan Higgs, Aidan Jolly, Harry Jukes, Said Karimi, Mary Keith, Anne Kinnaird, Rebecca Kremer, Ben Macdonald-Evans, Anastasia Mamlouk, Amy-Lou Matthews, Siobhan McAleer, Wendy Meadley, Tom Mellor, Holly Norcop, Onyda, Denise Pitter, Les Poussières, Ian Pringle, Richard Redwin, Rideout (Creative Arts for Rehabilitation), Chloe Rickett, Diane Rowles, Caroline Scott, Malaz Al Shatar, Danny Shaw, Lotika Singha, Rory Smart, Dan Southward, Isla Telford, Sujen Walker, Francesca Wheeler, Toby White, Dan Wiggins, Natalie Willatt, Peter Wilshaw, Carl Wilson, Lei Xiaoyu (Greenie)

We are an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation 2023-2026 - a network of arts and cultural organisations that reach diverse audiences with high quality work. We bring our experience of the arts and education to make positive contributions to cultural developments and cultural leadership in our city.