CACN is run on a day-to-day basis by our team of Freelance Practitioners
Kate has worked in the culture sector in Cumbria for almost 30 years. Based in Cockermouth, Kate worked initially for the National Trust at Wordsworth House before running Kirkgate Arts centre for eight years. She then returned to her roots in museums and spent eight years as Head of Partnership for Arts Council NPO Cumbria Museum Consortium, working with Tullie museum, Wordsworth Grasmere and Lakeland Arts. After leading Cumbria Arts and Culture Network in her spare time for several years, she left her day job in 2024 to be secure and grow the network. She now works freelance as Director of CACN, while undertaking other consultancy work in fundraising, bid writing and organisational development. She specialises in developing and managing collaborative projects that enable more people to access and enjoy arts and culture.
Kate is a trustee of Cockermouth Festivals Group, helping to run the Cockermouth Live music festival, and of Cumbria Opera Group. In her spare time she plays bassoon in a variety of ensembles and orchestras. She loves cats, cheese and travelling.
Chris develops and manages a range of activities for CACN, including training sessions, networking events and mentoring schemes. He also helps shape funding bids, project planning and budgets.
Until recently, he was part-time Project Manager for Upland, the visual art and craft development organisation based in Dumfries & Galloway.
Previous work includes Artistic Director of Kirkgate Arts & Heritage, programming the Kirkgate Arts & Community Centre in Cockermouth and managing Arts Out West, the rural touring scheme for West Cumbria. Also: Creative Producer for Lancaster LitFest; Director of North West Playwrights (script-writer development agency) for many years; and leading the creation of the Northern Actors’ Centre. He has also worked as an actor, director and radio journalist/producer.
Chris sits on the Board of the National Rural Touring Forum, and is a Town Councillor for Cockermouth.
Tom Speight is CACN’s Content Producer. He organises and chairs the weekly Friday morning zoom conversations for the Network which have been running since February 2020, just before the pandemic hit. He’s also in charge of the regular face to face Big Meets which take place across the county. And he produces and presents the regular podcast Behind the Scenery.
He’s organised music festivals for many years; he currently chairs the planning committee for Cockermouth Live! Festival.
He was chair of the National Rural Touring Forum for many years and is now vice chair of the Trustees of Theatre by the Lake in Keswick.
Tom lives in Cockermouth, plays a little on the ukulele and bass guitar, and worked for the BBC for 25 years as a journalist, trainer and coach.
Emily Elshaw is an experienced accounting professional who provides bespoke services to a wide range of clients. Her expertise spans accounts preparation, VAT returns, self-assessment, and she’s proficient in various accounting software systems. Emily has worked across industries including hospitality, construction, and retail, giving her a well-rounded and adaptable approach.
She is also the director and founder of Fettle Ltd., a creative company specialising in campervan conversions and small space design — blending functionality with aesthetic style.
Emily is passionate about the outdoors and staying active, with hobbies that include hiking, running, swimming, climbing, and CrossFit. She also has a deep appreciation for the arts, which inspires both her personal and professional life.
Iona St Joseph is a creative communications professional with a BA(Hons) in Print Journalism and over 15 years experience working in the communications industry. Iona has worked in PR, marketing and journalism, generating client coverage across national publications and writing for the likes of Buzzfeed UK at its peak.
Outside of work, Iona is a riso printer and zine maker. Her work focusses on bright colours and stupid stuff. Find her on Instagram @dumbgalstuff.
As the Freelance Producer at CACN, Iona provides marketing and admin support for all of CACN’s activities.
Naomi Frost is a multimedia artist, working across music, theatre, film and visual arts.
Last April she released her debut album ‘Somewhere Out There’ which she independently wrote, recorded and produced in Penrith. She is currently working on her second album. You can find her music on all streaming platforms.
Naomi has worked in various roles for Theatre By The Lake including as Exhibition Host for their ‘We are 25 Exhibition’ and as Rehearsal Pianist and Exhibition Designer for their musical production of ‘The Wizard of Oz’.
CACN is managed by a steering group of volunteers from across the Cumbrian arts & culture sector.
Stefan is a director, actor and radio producer. As Associate Director at Theatre by the Lake he directed over 40 productions and led on New Writing. In 2015 he established Ragged Edge Productions in Cumbria. Their first production was The Chef Show by Nick Ahad, which won NRTF Rural Touring Award for Live Performance 2018 and the Cumbria Life Culture Award for Live Performance of the Year 2019. See raggededgeproductions.wordpress.com Stefan has directed for The Dukes Lancaster, Leeds Playhouse, The Gap in Manchester, Mikron Theatre, M6 Theatre Co., New Vic in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Watford Palace, Quondam Theatre Co, Brewery Arts in Kendal, Chester Gateway and Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and Manchester School of Theatre. As a producer he has worked on many productions for BBC Radio 4. He is visiting tutor in Radio Acting for Manchester School of Theatre and he runs Radio Acting Days workshops (Facebook @RadioActingDays).
Liz is the Artistic Director of Theatre by the Lake in Keswick. Prior to taking on this role she was a freelance theatre director based in Manchester, and worked at theatres including the Royal Exchange Theatre, Sherman Theatre, the Young Vic and the National Theatre. Liz was the co-founder and Artistic Director of Junction 8 Theatre, a theatre company making work with, for and about the local community in her hometown of Chorley, Lancashire. She has also worked extensively as a drama practitioner working with young people in schools and youth theatres across the country.
Faye Morrissey is the Manager & Curator of The Armitt: Museum, Gallery, Library based in Ambleside, Cumbria. She is responsible for the general management and operations of the museum, its staff and volunteers, as well as caring for the collections and curating the exhibitions and events programme. Her first exhibition at the museum, titled ‘The Pull of the Fells’, launched in February 2022.
Having completed her undergraduate degree in Historical Archaeology at The University of York, Faye moved into the heritage sector, first as a heritage coordinator at a college in Cambridgeshire where she planned events, displays and exhibitions, and completed updates to the archival records. She then moved to Northampton where she was part of the team overseeing a multimillion-pound restoration project at Delapré Abbey and was directly responsible for recruiting over 100 volunteers. Faye left her role as Head of Operations and Visitor Services at Delapré Abbey to join The Armitt in March 2021.
Maddi Nicholson is an artist and artistic director of Art Gene in Barrow-in-Furness, an independent international research facility and agency, engaging associate artists and architects in collaborative design led regeneration. Art Gene’s research remit extends across a program of projects, residencies, exhibitions, and symposiums focusing on the role and engagement of artists and architects in the regeneration of the social, natural and built environment.
As an Artist Maddi produces challenging work for varied and diverse situations nationwide, video, cast iron and stitched works to huge paintings and inflated and plastic sculptures.
Her Art Gene art works include the Roker Pods for Sunderland City Council, The Peoples Museum on Piel Island, Seldom Seen Maps and Mobile Apps walking tours for coastal areas, Razzle Dazzle bird hides as education resources with interior artwork interpretation for Cumbria Wildlife Trust, and a mobile app walking tour and non civic war memorial gate and sculpture for Natural England’s North Walney Island national nature reserve.
Loren Slater co-founded and co-directs the award-winning film and digital arts charity Signal Film and Media, alongside co-running the Cooke’s Studios multi arts venue, both based in Barrow-in-Furness. Loren was a Lecturer on BA and MA Tapestry and Intermedia Arts at Edinburgh College of Art for 7 years before leaving to concentrate on her work at Signal Film and Media. She has overseen the growth of the charity since 2001, leading the delivery of 1000s of innovative arts, film and digital media projects to 10,000s of people, producing and curating a string of successful local, national and international digital art and film technology works for exhibition and a wide range of innovative participatory digital media projects. Signal’s last 2 digital arts programmes led by Loren opened up a world of digital art to new audiences, engaging 1000+ participants, 40,000+ audience and 8 new digital exhibitions. 2 of the commissions went on to be exhibited nationally and Felicity Hammond’s piece won The Lumen Prize’s Rapoport Award for Women in Digital Art. Loren holds an MA in Fine Art after graduating with a First Class BA Hons from Edinburgh College of Art and she is still an active and passionate filmmaker and photographer, having made her own TV, short film and exhibited work whilst balancing her executive role at Signal
Jen Garrick has been CEO at Rosehill Theatre in Whitehaven since 2024, and is responsible for Rosehill’s creative and executive direction. With a background that includes roles in the public, private, and third sectors, Jen is a champion of strategic organisational development that is creatively challenging, values-led, and entrepreneurial. She has a particular focus on developing Rosehill’s financial resilience and maximising the potential of the building and resources, including their historic Grade II listed theatre.
