Community Arts North WestCelebrating 30 years of Participatory Arts 1978-2008

Annual Report 2008-2009www.can.uk.com

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Between April 2008 and March 2009 Community Arts North West:

• Undertook 34 projects and promoted 62 events, in which a total of 3,609 people attended 395 sessions of artistic activity;• Engaged with audiences in excess of 10,000 people;• Delivered 21 participatory programmes as part of Exodus, which worked with 312 refugees and asylum seekers, of whom 168 went on to perform in events;• Supported 151 young people from host and refugee communities who participated in integrated artistic programmes;• Facilitated 233 attendances of artists engaged in participatory arts at 15 bespoke training days;• Provided employment for 120 freelance artists and 12 core staff;• Offered 78 volunteering opportunities;• Offered informal apprenticeships to 7 people; and • Generated over £500,000 for arts and culture in Greater Manchester.

is a Manchester based, arts development organisation who since 1978, has worked in partnership with communities, artists and agencies to encourage, create and produce cultural programmes of work. CAN’s main priority is to create access to cultural production for people that are excluded or on the fringes of mainstream cultural resources.

Community Arts North West (CAN)

CAN gratefully acknowledges financial support from:

Photo credits: Shaheda Chowdury, Joel Chester Fildes, Segun Lee French, Shirlaine Forrest, Oona Mae, Marizu Okerike, David Martin, Mario Popham, Phil Styles. Design: tyme design

‘Exodus is a programme of national importance’ Michael Eakin, Executive Director 2009, Arts Council England North West

‘When I first arrived in Manchester, CAN and the Exodus programme gave me a chance to show what I could do as a musician and this gave me hope as a person’ Serge Tebu, Musician

produced by CAN, is a dynamic programme of participatory cultural production working with refugees and asylum seekers and local host communities. With a strong focus on cross cultural collaborative production, the Exodus programme brings together a great mix of people, artists and communities - working creatively together in shared arenas and drawing upon the rich heritage and experiences of Greater Manchester’s diverse communities.

The Exodus Project Exodus: The Greater Manchester Refugee Arts PartnershipGreater Manchester hosts more asylum-seekers than any other conurbation outside of London. In addition there are many more people with refugee status and many failed asylum-seekers who are unable to return to their country of origin and remain here in destitution.

According to the Home Office, 50% of Greater Manchester’s refugees and asylum-seekers have fled Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Somalia, Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of Congo, all countries with a well-documented history of abuse of human rights.

People arrive in Greater Manchester disorientated and apprehensive. Many have experienced persecution, torture and terror. Many have lost loved ones, or have left their families behind. Refugees and asylum-seekers experience barriers to interacting with mainstream society, isolation, prejudice, poverty and fear.

Since 2005 CAN has worked with people seeking sanctuary and with the Greater Manchester Refugee Arts Partnership to create Exodus - an artistic programme that promotes both artistic endeavour and social engagement amongst refugees and asylum-seekers. Exodus challenges negative representations, supports the arts and culture of people in exile, promotes cultural cohesion through cultural exchange, but above all creates a voice for refugees and asylum-seekers.

Exodus continues to encourage integration and dialogue, providing a platform and visibility for refugee arts in Greater Manchester. The programme of activity between 2008-2011 is supported principally by an award from the Big Lottery Reaching Communities Fund.

1 Exodus (the Greater Manchester Refugee Arts Partnership) is led and coordinated by CAN. Partners include: Refugee Action; Manchester Refugee Support Network; Multi-Agency for Refugee Inclusion in Manchester; In Place of War at the University of Manchester; Salford Museum and Art Gallery, Waters’ Edge Arts and Rochdale Link4Life.

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Exodus Events Exodus Festival 2008The 2008 Exodus Refugee Arts Festival took place on Sunday 31st August at Urbis and in Cathedral Gardens - the first time that the festival was delivered within the City Centre. The association with Urbis and the use of Cathedral Gardens gave this event a far greater profile than in previous years and opened up the event to a new eager audience, who were able to see the brightest talents from Manchester’s refugee communities. Despite the rain, an estimated audience of 7,000 people were entertained by performers on two stages; one situated in the mobile pavilion and the second in the main foyer in Urbis. 159 people from Angola, Bosnia, Cameroon, China, DR Congo, India, Iran, Iraq, Kurdistan, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, Sudan and Uganda performed at the festival. A further 40 people provided food from many different cultures. There was also an extensive workshop programme offered by CAN within the museum, with 494 attendances.

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Exodus LiveExodus Live events took place on 20th June 2008 and 20th March 2009 at Contact Theatre and School of Sound Recording in Manchester. This popular live music event originally grew out of the need to profile the work of the many talented musicians from refugee backgrounds in Greater Manchester. 67 musicians, were able to showcase their work and increase their profile in the community. Exodus Live was seen by an enthusiastic audience of over 700 people who come from both host and refugee communities. Working with the School of Sound Recording allowed performers to come away with a high quality recording of their acts.

Exodus Events

Exodus Shorts is a festival of film shorts either made by refugees or asylum-seekers, or addressing issues of migration and sanctuary, which has been held during refugee week in June since 2005. Events took place at four venues within Greater Manchester: Urbis, Cornerhouse, Contact Theatre and the Imperial War Museum North; and also, for the first time at FACT in Liverpool.

Exodus Shorts

Submissions from local artists were exhibited, as well as contributions from filmmakers working nationally and internationally. We were particularly delighted to screen films from the Triumphant Refugees’ Short Film Festival which is based in Canberra, Australia.

Alongside the screenings Exodus Shorts also offered a series of workshops in scriptwriting and stop-motion animation and a series of talks and seminars with refugee filmmakers.

‘It feels good to perform, I can show people who I really am.... Seeing people’s reaction, they enjoy my music, that makes me feel good - builds up my confidence.’ Young refugee performer at Exodus Live

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‘It feels good to perform, I can show people who I really am.... Seeing people’s reaction, they enjoy my music, that makes me feel good - builds up my confidence.’ Young refugee performer at Exodus Live

Third annual programme of Urban Music TheatreStreet Dreams was alchemic, original Hip Hop theatre, showcased in December 2008. It was the third and final live multi-media production created as part of the Urban Music Theatre project, funded by the Big Lottery Fund and the Paul Hamlyn Foundation.

UMT was a unique opportunity for CAN to develop and sustain an effective participatory arts programme that was able to respond to the needs of young people aged between13-25. The core of the project was to bring together participants from a wide range of backgrounds in a highly creative and structured environment, working alongside experienced artists. The third year of the project was delivered in association with Sunshine Studios and the Zion Arts Centre.

An initial outreach phase made contact with young people, principally through schools, colleges and the youth service. These sessions were invaluable in researching the wants and needs of potential participants and introducing young refugees to the project.

The second phase took place at Sunshine Studios in Manchester City Centre, where participants were involved in the creative development of the project through a series of workshops across five art forms: instrumental music, theatre & script development, Hip Hop & street dance, digital arts & moving image, and choral work.

The final stage involved rehearsals of the resulting devised piece - StreetDreams - and its spectacular performance at the Zion Centre.

Key achievements of the Urban Music Theatre Project 2006-8.Over three years the project delivered:• 581 creative sessions in five art forms, culminating in:• Three multi-media performances, seen by an enthusiastic audience of 1,275 people;• Engagement opportunities for 590 young people who accessed the programme, 347 of whom became regular attenders;• 187 young people who accessed the programme were young refugees and asylum-seekers; and • 60 were members of the steering group who proactively shaped the delivery of the project.

‘My first time doing this, it’s wicked!’ ‘It was absolutely awesome, loved it.’ ‘A fantastic project, full of fantastic people!’ Young people working on Urban Music Theatre

‘… an incredibly rare and special programme of work, combining creative challenge, innovation and experiment; high quality artistic product; skills development; partnership working between artists, organisations and agencies; increased aspiration; reduced isolation of individuals and communities; and extraordinary stories of personal and social development.’ Chris Sudworth, Urban Music Theatre Director

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Working with Young People

During the first year of this programme, CAN produced twenty one participatory arts projects, of which nine took place in Manchester and twelve in the other nine boroughs of Greater Manchester.

At the start of the programme we consulted widely with our partners, users and potential new participants and partner groups. To engage in meaningful consultation, CAN organised a range of promotional events, followed up with visits to individual groups to facilitate their engagement in the project. We were also able to respond to people who dropped in to find out more about Exodus, or to tell us about their own work.We identified many recurring themes which included amongst others: opportunities to create and expand social circles; connecting with diasporas; practise of traditional art forms; contributing to life in Britain through sharing culture with host communities; the need to bear witness; and helping British people understand why people seek asylum, through the narratives of forced migration.

The dispersal process means that many refugees and asylum-seekers do not live in the same geographical areas. Projects were therefore designed to bring together groups with similar interests from a variety of neighbourhoods to venues within the City of Manchester. A similar approach was developed throughout Greater Manchester, using resources such as the Eagles Wings Centre in Bury as a focus for activity.

Exodus Participatory Arts Programmes

In 2008 – 2009 CAN also delivered eight projects across Manchester, Rochdale, Tameside, Salford and Bolton that promoted theopportunity to meet, work and mix with members of host communities. Integrated projects promote mutual understanding that can counter prejudice and the influence of a malign tabloid press. Two of these projects were developed directly by refugee or asylum-seeker groups.

Mixing It Up

Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Dominican Republic, Eritrea, Ethiopia, France, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, India, Israel, Kenya, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Libya, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Malawi, Mauritius, Morocco, Nigeria, Nor-way, Pakistan, Palestine, People’s Republic of China, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Macedonia,

Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, United Kingdom, Venezuela, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Positive Action Programme for Women Refugees and Asylum-seekersRefugee and asylum-seeker women have been under represented in previous projects and events under the Exodus banner. There are specific barriers to participation by women, including location, timing of workshops, the need to provide child care and in some circumstances the need to work in an all-female environment. With support from Awards for All and the Network for Social Change and in consultation with women’s groups, we designed and delivered a range of women-led projects. We are pleased to report that the overall number of women participating in Exodus has risen to 50% of the total number of users.

A new development for this year has been the dramatic increase in the number of French-speaking communities and artists participating in the Exodus programme. These participants primarily originated from Francophone countries in Africa.

Francophone Manchester

Of the 21 participatory projects delivered, 16 worked with people from several nationalities, leading to a rich mixture of cultural expression and an opportunity for participants to meet and explore their different heritage. The remaining five projects were with culturally specific refugee groups, such as the Somali Bravenese Sisters and the Kurdish Arts and Culture organisation. A significant proportion of participants in all projects came from a wide range of African nations.

Diversity

In 2008-9 Community Arts North West has worked with participants from the following countries of origin:

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Exodus Participatory Arts ProgrammesManchester

Other projects included: Festival Food Project 14 women’s groups and individuals undertook food hygiene training and support so that they could provide and sell their soul foods at the Exodus Festival. A ‘Tasty treats’ sampling for members of the press was laid on at greenroom.

‘I have grown so much in confidence; I feel empowered to dream and develop my aspirations’ Participant, Testimony project

City Centre: CAN worked with women victims of torture to produce short animated films, using textile characters and landscapes.

The Medical Foundation

based at the Arlaadi Centre, Moss Side reconnected with their traditional culture through the making of their elaborate embroidered Kofi hats with great hilarity and enjoyment. The project encouraged isolated older women to get out and meet new people with the result that a strong bond developed between the whole group. The workshop process was documented by digital artist, Shaheda Choudhury for an exhibition which took place in 2009. Percussionist Aisha Lourenco also worked with the Sisters to encourage their traditional music making.

Somali Bravanese Sisters

These extremely popular workshops based at the Nigerian Cultural Centre in Fallowfield involved a task force of 41 and was led by Creative Hands Foundation Artist, Joseph Ayavoro.

Exodus Festival Design and Make, Site Decoration Project

developed a humorous and insightful theatre piece that was performed at Exodus Festival 2008, based on the group’s personal experiences of the British Kafkaseque asylum system.

CAN worked in partnership with RAPAR a voluntary human rights organisation based in the City Centre to produce the Indigent Stories project – which comprised of five moving and powerful stories from destitute asylum seekers which are shortly due to be published by Commonword community publishing.

‘If we were at home, we would not be doing much, so it is good to get out of the house’, ‘Some of us have had problems. My husband died and I was alone in the house and sad, but this helped me to come out of the house and get to know people’ Participants, Somali Bravanese Sisters

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Chrysalis Theatre Project, Moss Side

Testimony is a Central African womens led African Gospel music project that sees the inspirational power of music making as a form of spiritual self help for women asylum seekers and refugees. This all female vocal troupe from North and East Manchester have worked with CAN since 2007 to build their organisational capacity, leadership skills, and professional development through vocal training, recording and production. The project culminated in a spectacular African Gospel performance at Methodist Hall, Manchester City Centre in July to an audience of 300. They have since gone on to perform at other events in the city and are slowly building a fan base for their work.

Cameroonian led Ensemble French Supplementary School is a parent run organisation, whose aims are to build community cohesion by providing access to the music and culture of Francophone Africa and by bringing together the children of Francophone Africans in Manchester with host community parents and children. Regular intergenerational African drum and dance workshops took place at St. George’s Community Centre, Collyhurst, culminating in a celebratory performance in December. The project has helped the group to establish a base for its work and build new partnerships with local services and host community.

To help the orchestra to build on this success, MIF and CAN proposed to work with the group on a second commission for the 2009 Manchester International Festival, this time inviting the orchestra to develop a full-length concert with Malian musicians, Amadou and Mariam. The artistic approach for this project was quite different to the 2007 commission. Rather than having new work composed for them, it supported the orchestra to bring their own musical ideas and expertise to the table, to re-imagine Amadou and Mariam’s music with different sounds, styles and cultural influences.

This development has spanned 2 years of the Exodus Programme and included two, three-day collaborative workshops with Amadou and Mariam in December 2008 and early April 2009. Led by Music Director Arun Ghosh, the 2008/9 phase of this project saw the start of what was to become a huge journey for the BWO.

IN 2008/9 CAN also undertook a successful programme of capacity development, to build a sustainable future for the orchestra after the 2009 festival, as an independent organisation. This involved consultation, development of a management committee and a fundraising programme. This had led to a solid organisational basis to support their future activity and creativity.

Exodus Participatory Arts ProgrammesManchester The Beating Wing Orchestra

Members of the orchestra come from countries as diverse as Kurdistan and Cameroon, Bangladesh and Brazil and each bring their own individual musical style and talents. As an international music group, Beating Wing Orchestra (BWO) helps to forge new connections between the city’s rich mix of musicians, bringing communities together through music to share experiences, ideas and understanding.

BWO was originally brought together by CAN to undertake a commission for the 2007 Manchester International Festival, working with Palestinian singer and composer, Reem Kelani. The resulting performance was one of the highlights of the 2007 Festival, earning a 5* review in the Metro newspaper.

‘There is a truly memorable moment during this collaboration between Malian duo Amadou & Mariam and refugee/migrant collective The Beating Wing Orchestra. Amadou is playing a delightfully evocative African guitar lick. Meanwhile, a Chinese bel canto opera singer is singing, there’s a Kurdistani saz player in the background, and a Bangladeshi rapper is about to make her entrance. … music can transcend borders, nationalities, races and colours……Fantastic.’The sheer joy of Amadou & Mariam and The Beating Wing Orchestra. Metro Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Formed with musicians from refugee and asylum-seeker backgrounds and from diverse host communities, the Beating Wing Orchestra is a unique ensemble that believes that it speaks the international language of music.

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‘Beating Wing Orchestra, an exhilarating explosion of musical talent, in performance with world renowned duo Amadou and Mariam, was a highlight of Manchester International Festival. Beating Wing grew out of the groundbreaking Exodus programme, proving once again that Exodus is one of the most effective talent development programmes - anywhere!’ Aileen McEvoy Interim Executive Director, ACE North West

Exodus Participatory Arts ProgrammesGreater Manchester

For the Kurdish people, one of the world’s largest stateless nations, with their long history of displacement, the arts play an important role as a cultural and political expression of identity. KAC is a talented collective of Kurdish filmmakers, visual artists, musicians, dancers, theatre directors, actors, poets and writers, who encourage all members of their community in creative activity. They have strong artistic ambitions and since the start of the Exodus Programme have contributed their talents, arts and culture on a regular basis. It is also very important for KAC to share their traditional Kurdish culture with the wider community. In 2008 CAN supported the group to create a troupe of musicians and dancers who have performed at many events throughout Greater Manchester.Their performance at the 2008 Exodus Festival was one of the highlights. Additionally KAC receive regular capacity building support from CAN to support their autonomous development.

NESTAC (New Steps for African Communities) is a Rochdale based charity who are passionate about African dance and culture and believe in its place in the wider community. NESTAC are keen to develop their young people’s knowledge of the traditional and different African Nations dance forms. Combined with a strong interest in other contemporary dance forms such as Street and Break dance, their dedicated dance troupe of young people who meet on a regular basis is open to all in the community and is beginning to gain a reputation.

CAN have and continue to support NESTAC in realising their cultural ambitions through professional support and development for their African and Street dance programmes. In 2008 the group participated for the first time in a range of Exodus projects, including the Festival and the Urban Music Theatre project.

Kurdistan Art & Culture - Stockport

‘I just want to make our children happy in this country’ Parent, Nestac

‘I’m here to remember how my parents lived, coming together to dance and meet.’ Young Kurdish refugee, Stockport Other Greater Manchester

projects included: Eagles Wings, Bury are the main organisation working with refugees from across the borough. Introductory workshops took place in a variety of media including African dance and film making with the aim of identifying a future programme of work for 2009.

Theatre workshops led by young Somali artist Yusra Warsama with participants from across Greater Manchester exploring themes of silence, culminating in a performance at Contact Theatre in October.

is an education programme for new young arrivals in the UK, to help ease them into mainstream schooling. Dance and filmmaking workshops took place with the young people and a DVD was produced to showcase the work of the school. An engaging part of this project was the schools Granny project, where new arrivals, here without their extended families, were paired with older and often isolated women from the local housing estate, who became their grannys’. From across cultures, the two generations went on to form very strong bonds.

Bolton Starting Point

Film training and production took place with Oldham Peacemakers : Salford Refugee Link (Sareli), BluSCI Resource Centre in Trafford and Bolton Red Cross Women's Group.

Dance and drama workshops with young people from leading to a performance at Ashton Town Hall in August.

TARA (Tameside African Refugee Association)Salford Rainbow Haven Drop-in African dance workshops with refugee women.

A sampler workshops programme of Hip hop/spoken word and music workshops with Rafiki Youth Project in Wigan.

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A Room of a Thousand Voices

Building Capacity: supporting groups and individuals

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Furthermore we actively supported organisations to access new resources. CAN has supported the fundraising programmes of groups through providing information, advice and support. We have given guidance in effective self-governance, so that groups can work independently and we have offered support in project management, marketing; and in brokering relationships with other cultural organisations throughout Greater Manchester. In total, a further 16 groups have received this capacity building support in 2008-9.

We are also pleased to report that 211 refugees stated that they had obtained creative skills during the year and that 62 refugees accessed further employment through participating in the Exodus Programme.

An objective of CAN’s programme of work is to build the capacity of groups and individuals to be able to work autonomously, creating their own opportunities to engage in cultural production. We have fulfilled this commitment by offering support to groups to develop their own projects and by signposting groups to new resources, such as access to funding, expertise, or new partnerships.

CAN supported 15 refugee community groups to develop their own creative or cultural projects and events during 2008-9. This support took many forms and was delivered in response to the specific wants and needs of service users.

C-PAL and Core Competences in Delivering Participatory WorkCommunity Arts North West is an active member of the Consortium for Participatory Arts Learning. C-PAL promotes the sharing of best practice in the sector, liaising with arts organisations in other regions and statutory bodies. It has commissioned and is disseminating information on core competences for working effectively within participatory arts. The consortium advocates for defined and explicit levels of experience and skill in planning and delivering participatory arts work to ensure consistent high standards of engagement with service users across the sector.

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The following refugee cultural groups received capacity building support:Beating Wing Orchestra, Britannia Rumba, Eagles Wings, Edukated Thugz, Ensemble, Kokoriko, Kurdish Arts and Culture, Les Missionaries, M. Dala Productions, NESTAC, Nouvelle Alliance, Salford Refugee Link, Tameside African Refugee Association, Testimony, United Community Association for Libyan Refugees and Women from the Far West.

Financial MattersAllocation of Income and Expenditure 2008-9 A full copy of audited accounts for Community Arts North West is available at:www.can.uk.com or from the General Manager, Community Arts North West, 46-50 Oldham Street, Manchester, M4 1LE

CAN Income 2008-9

CAN Expenditure2008-9

£6.470

£303, 919

£175, 904

£324,837

£11,841

£37, 375

£139, 613

Core Grants

Project Grants

Other Income

Building Costs and Administration

Core Staff and Contracted Services

Project Costs

Goverance

www.thetoolkit.net

The Toolkit is CAN’s programme which provides bespoke, practical information and training to people working across a range of art forms, but with an emphasis on working with artists and other practitioners in participatory arts. The service provides information through its website, organises specific training sessions and delivers one-to-one counselling sessions.

The Toolkit contains up-to-date information on artistic practice, organisations, networks, training and funding opportunities. It is a free information service that has been demonstrated to have a real impact in helping socially-excluded artists and communities in navigating and accessing opportunities for future cultural development.

Expenditure in 2008-9 was part-funded by resources brought forward from the financial year 2007-8.

Toolkit

Raising standards: training for artists working in participatory arts

www.artsnetmanchester.co.uk

Artsnet is a service hosted by CAN for people employed in, or interested in arts and culture. It helps them to engage with the wider strategic issues which affect their work, play and quality of life in the City of Manchester through the Cultural Partnership.

In January 2009 Artsnet promoted a series of installations across the City of Manchester – I don’t about Community Networks, but I know what I like! This work was primarily an art research project investigating the response of seven contemporary artists to the various pools and networks of the Community Network for Manchester (CN4M). Part of Manchester’s local strategic partnership, CN4M is the key network of networks, linking neighbourhoods and areas of the city in common themes of interest. The project was funded by CN4M and Arts Council England Grants For the Arts via a partnership with Voluntary Action Manchester.

The installations were seen by an estimated 6,000 people in community, civic and other public venues. They promoted public debate about the effectiveness and appropriateness of vehicles for participation within the city and gave the artists free reign to express their ideas in their chosen medium.

Artsnet also distributed a quarterly full-colour newsletter with a total distribution of 5,280 in 2008-9, reporting on creativearts information and opportunities within Manchester. The service continued to promote an e-mail listings service, a Google-group and a Facebook page, providing a local forum and signposting service highlighting opportunities within the sector.

Artsnet

Artists and creatives who have contributed to the 2008/9 Artistic programme

Abigail CheswickAisha Lourenco (volunteer)Ako SiriniAliAli GademaAlialeAlison VaasAmadou Bagayoko and Mariam DoumbiaAmina Savid (volunteer)Anastasios SotiriouAnna WebsterAnnie HarrisonArun GhoshBorhan MohammadiCeleste MakebaChiman RahimiChris SudworthChristine Evans

CrystaliseDana Bruce David ParrishDebra TraceyDeclan SlatteryDiane Rickerby Evadney ClarkeFatima HelowGeli BergGill BradleyGordon PlantImani JendaiJaheda ChoudhuryJakki PerkingJaydev MistryJean AzipJerry TseJo Lane

Joe Harrison Joel FildesJoseph AyavoroKerry Tuhill Kooj ChuhanLawrence ReekieLouisa ChoiMagdalene BartlettMarcus HerculesMariamMartin De MelloMartyn MillsMel Uye ParkerMelanie NgangenMichelle LindsayMick FuzzMike AtkinsonNicole Volaka

Pedro DJ Hot Pepper Richard RamchurnRosalind Simmi SandhuRoy FearnleySam MaitlandSami KhanSamira Arhin AcquaahSara TiegerSarbjit KaurSerge TebuShaheda ChoudhuryShilaine ForrestShirley MaySteve Ndungu ( volunteer )Vincent O’ BrienYvonne SheltonYusra WarsamaYves Abadi

The trustees and staff of CAN were saddened to hear of the death in December 2008 of Helen Caplan, who had been a valued member of the Board of Trustees since April 1st 1997. Helen had been a highly active member of the Board and her advice on a range of issues was a very welcome contribution. Her work in championing the rights and conditions of people with disabilities is remembered with great respect and she will be sadly missed. We would like to take the opportunity to pass our sincere condolences to Helen’s husband Robert.

A special thanks to all the volunteers who have helped make this year happen

Board of Directors

Teresa AdesanyaHelen CaplanMarla CunninghamSara DomvilleRhonda FinlaysonSue Fletcher (Chair)Angela Harris (Treasurer)Martin HazlehurstYvonne Hepburn-FosterLeanne ManfrediTrupti PatelGurdeep ThiaraJohn WallaceJanine Waters

Staff

Cilla Baynes MBE - DirectorAmy Cham - Digital Arts ManagerRuth Daniel - Exodus CoordinatorNatasha Evans - Administrative AssistantSegun Lee French - Exodus Artistic Manager - City of ManchesterDot Lomax - CleanerIan Marsh - Exodus Artistic Manager - Greater ManchesterDavid Martin - General ManagerErin McNeaney - Exodus CoordinatorDave Morris - Finance WorkerAdelle Robinson - Toolkit Information WorkerSue Robinson - Artsnet CoordinatorFaye Salisbury - Arts Development ManagerYasmin Yaqub - Lead Artistic Manager

Board Observers

Zoe Higgens (Manchester City Council)Janet Leach (Association of Greater Manchester Authorities)Julie McCarthy (Arts Council England NW)Louise Sutton (Manchester City Council)

Community Arts North West46-50 Oldham Street, Manchester M4 1LE Tel 0161 234 2975 Fax 0161 234 2976 info@can.uk.com www.can.uk.com