Derby Museums and NAS are proud to introduce the 25 creative entrepreneurs selected to the 2021 cohort of UK Creative Community Fellows. Celebrating its second year, the Fellowship is a learning and collaboration experience for individuals using the power of arts and culture to drive transformational change in communities throughout the UK. Meet the full 2021 UK Creative Community Fellows cohort.

“It is an honour to support individuals doing vital work with and for their communities to drive cultural and social change,” said Tony Butler, Executive Director, Derby Museums.

“We are so excited to announce the second year of UK Creative Community Fellows and continue building a group of cultural trailblazers committed to using the arts to make their communities fairer and more inclusive places to live.”

Begun in 2020, UK Creative Community Fellows is an international partnership between Derby Museums and United States-based NAS to bring its long-running Creative Community Fellows programme to the UK. Fellows will explore proven tools and frameworks over five months in a curriculum designed with the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Social Impact Strategy (CSIS) to foster authentic leadership skills. The programme journey includes an online retreat and focussed online learning modules in addition to a five-day in-person convening at an incubator-like environment in Yorkshire.

Fellows were selected amongst artists, community organisers, administrators and entrepreneurs from around the United Kingdom for the crucial work they are doing in their communities. From an arts festival in Edinburgh preparing co-commissioned public artwork, to a community of creative freelancers and wellbeing practitioners in Eastleigh exploring trauma-informed methods of peer support, Fellows will work with Derby Museums, NAS, faculty partners, mentors and each other to examine opportunities for strengthening partnerships and strategies, forging deeper relationships with their local communities, and elevating their programmes’ impact.

“Leaders who work at the intersection of arts and community change have few opportunities to connect with each other, exchange ideas, and learn and grow together,” said Gail Crider, President and CEO, NAS.

“UK Creative Community Fellows creates space for this exchange and support, and we are pleased to work alongside Derby Museums to add another incredible cohort of Fellows to a growing and global community of change makers supporting more inclusive and equitable communities.”

UK Creative Community Fellows programme fees are underwritten with support from Arts Council England and the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (UK Branch) Foundation. At the programme’s conclusion, Fellows will join a network of nearly 200 leaders from NAS’ Creative Community Fellows programme, sharing resources and collaborating to build positive change in our world.

2021 UK Creative Community Fellows

Sandy Abdelrahman | London

Rosalind Allen | Derby

Samantha Allen | London

JC Candanedo | London

David Chabeaux | Derby

Alison Curry | Bishop Auckland

France-Leigh Hadrysiak | Keighley

Claire Hilton | Worcester

Amy Lilley | Wakefield

Clare Limb | Matlock

Thomas Mason | Basildon

Emma Miles | London

Linda Monckton | Swindon

Marieke Navin | Manchester

Bethan Page | Penybontfawr

Anisha Parmar | Mickleover

Toby Peach | Clapton

Emily Purser | London

Andre Reid | Walsall

Jason Shenai | London

Greta Solomon | Wimbledon

Tony Spencer | Eastleigh

Douglas Thompson | Harrogate

Lynn Weddle | Brighton

Holly Yeoman | Edinburgh

See more about the Fellows here and follow their journey online with the hashtag #UKCCF. Find out more about the programme here.