CHWA Awards 2022: The Panel

The CHWA Awards programme is made possible by the generosity and commitment of our award partners and judges who work with us to amplify and celebrate the work of the sector.

This year we are excited to bring together artists, practitioners, lived experience perspectives, researchers, community activists and CHWA Award 2021 shortlistees in our panels.

Learn more about the CHWA Awards 2022 here

Collective Power in collaboration with Ideas Alliance and The Lived Experience Network (The LENs)

asks

aaks

aaks is an artist, educator and cultural producer. They are a co-creator of MISERY, a creative mental health community and sober party for queer, trans, intersex, black indigenous, people of colour focused on harm reduction, healing justice, and cultivating community care. As a mad capri-sun in recovery, they are often dreaming about a world where we are doing things differently, a place where we can play freely, be with each other, and plotting & scheming safe and sustainable ways to make magic happen.

MISERY Meets received the Highly Commended Collective Power Award in 2021.

Anna Eaton

Anna is one of the founding Directors of the Ideas Alliance, a social enterprise that wants public services to work 'with' local people rather than 'to' or 'for' them. They build bridges between communities and organisations – between stories and strategy.

She specialises in community engagement, operations and campaigning. Anna has worked for Labour politicians and on national campaigns around music, politics, infrastructure and education. She is passionate about capturing and sharing stories in order to inspire others and bring about change.

Kelly McCormack

Kelly is an Event Manager for the University of Leicester, Film Producer for GM Finney Productions, Performer for Skytribe Studios, Director of Social Enterprise Iconic Music Dance Drama Ltd, and Trustee for Voluntary Action Leicester.

In 2019, Kelly won the East Midlands Women’s Award (EMWA) Outstanding Woman in Arts, Media, and Music.

Kelly is also the LENs Champion for the East Midlands.

Read Kelly's blog

Mah Rana

Mah is a researcher, artist & maker, filmmaker, writer and curator based in London. She has over 20 years’ experience lecturing on UG and PG courses in the UK and internationally, and over 30 years exhibiting internationally with her creative practice.

Currently she is teaching on BSc and MSc Psychology courses at London Southbank University, and Art and Design at the Royal College of Art.

She is also working on a PhD in Psychology at Birkbeck College investigating the lived experience of participatory crafting within the context of dementia-care, and speaks at conferences covering issues across art, craft, design, health and wellbeing.

As well as being a LENs Co-Director and champion for London, Mah is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

Climate in partnership with The Happy Museums Project and Culture Declares Emergency

Hilary Jennings - action for happiness

Hilary Jennings

Hilary is part time Director of The Happy Museum Project which explores museum practice that supports the wellbeing of people, place and planet.

She is an associate of the Clore Leadership and Extend Leadership programmes and a core group member of the Co-Creating Change network and has worked extensively in the craft sector including founder Director for Craft with the government skills agency Creative and Cultural Skills.

She is Co-Chair of the global grassroots sustainability Transition Network.

Natalie Linney

Natalie is a Manchester based artist and educator working with textiles, form, pigment & print.

In her practice, Natalie explores our landscape by using nature to create her work. She utilises ancient dyeing techniques to make site specific prints documenting environment & heritage. Working with traditional methods, she creates striking and delicate patterns which emerge in unpredictable ways to reflect the materials used and the place in which it was produced. Natalie is interested in fusing traditional crafts with modern design wishing to preserve these methods whilst making them relevant to current times.

Co founder of Salford Slow Fashion along with artist & maker Jessie Fewtrill, Natalie seeks to educate, upskill & empower through creativity. Salford Slow Fashion aims to build awareness & develop conversations around the textile industry past, present & future.

Natalie was part of the COLLABORATE project with Cartwheel Arts (Highly Commended for the Climate CHWA Award 2021)

Victoria Burns

Victoria Burns is the National Coordinator for Culture Declares Climate and Ecological Emergency.

Victoria has a 25-year career in culture and the arts as a producer, curator and organisational development consultant. In the last ten years, her work has explored the deep interlocking systemic challenges of social injustice, inequity and the climate and ecological crisis, and the cultural sector's vital role in cultivating the vision and inspiration for crucial systemic changes. Victoria is also a practising coaching psychologist with a research interest in transformative learning and socially engaged practice in arts and heritage.

Practising Well in collaboration with Nicola Naismith

Alex Evans

Alex Evans is an Artist whose practice encompasses drawing, performance and social engagement, working locally, nationally and internationally.

In his current role, as the Artistic Director of Kazzum Arts, he leads a multidisciplinary team of artists to support children and young people facing adverse childhood experiences within hospitals, schools and refugee settings.

Kazzum Arts were the winner of the Practising Well CHWA Awards 2021

Myah Jeffers

Gail Babb

Gail Babb is an award-winning dramaturg and director, specialising in devising, new writing and participatory arts. She has collaborated with professional and community artists to create shows for theatres and found sites (museums, swimming pools and a derelict school), as well as national and international touring. She is Director of the MA in Applied Theatre at Goldsmiths, University of London.

Cath Cartman

Nicola Naismith

Nicola Naismith is a Visual Artist, Lecturer and Researcher. She was the Visual Artist Fellow on the Clore Leadership Programme in 2017/18. She completed an AHRC and Clore Leadership research project Artists Practising Well in spring 2019 which explores affective support for creative practitioners working in health and wellbeing contexts. Nicola is currently researching a range of reflective practice methods which will be used to inform the Practising Well Support Menu and Support Conversation resources for creative practitioners, commissioners and funders.

Monika Mochaupt

Thanh Sinden

Thanh is a Chief Advisor to organisations who want a consultant to develop EDI awareness, create a culture of respect for every individual, and develop positive impact for audiences. Her role includes consultancy, organisational development, coaching and mentoring on culture change programmes. Her core skills include EDI consultancy, team and individual development coaching, inclusive and sustainability practice. Thanh is also a CHWA Board Director.