OURSELVES
VCreate is a disabled women-led, not for profit limited organisation that co-creates creative work across dance, the arts, culture, community and education to create high quality experiences.
Vanessa Oxspring-Director VCreate
The participatory arts and the cultural sector has been part of Vanessa’s professional life for over 25 years. She’s worked for well-known dance companies and organisations including People Dancing, Gary Clarke Company, together with Dance4, Made in Corby, and Inspire: Culture, Learning and Libraries. As well as leading her own projects through her business VCreate. Vanessa is currently the Partnership manager for Captivate- Nottinghamshire Cultural Education Partnership as well as working for First Art (Creative People and Places Project) as a freelance project manager and working as a consultant for High Peak Cultural Education Partnership , Buxton Opera House and Buxton International Festival . Often found twirling, swirling and shakin’ it, Vanessa is a professional dancer; she decided on a career in the arts at the age of 15 when she was chosen to be part of a tour round Russia with Leicestershire Youth Dance. She said this “opened her eyes to how the arts could take you to different places, experience culture and how dance could reach diverse communities”. Vanessa is a cancer thriver and is living her best life, through leading and engaging in arts and creative experiences.
Consultant and Mentor for VCreate: Morag Ballantyne: Ballantyne Carmichael
Ballantyne Carmichael is a consultancy, led by Morag Ballantyne, specialising in culture and the creativeindustries. She supports a wide range of cultural organisations, artists and creative businesses to help them to see things differently and to transform what they do: to build capacity, develop strategy and achieve their goals. Morag has 25 years experience in the sector as a practitioner and consultant across all artforms and the creative industries. Projects have included strategic and policy studies, research, business and organisational development and mentoring. Clients have included individual artists, organisations, local authorities, Arts Councils and other agencies. Consultancy includes developing strategy, organisational development, change management, governance, business planning, audience development, marketing and evaluation. Facilitation includes development work with Boards, executive and staff teams to identify opportunities and issues, find solutions and shape new strategies. Mentoring personal & business development support for individuals and creative businesses to achieve significant transformation.
Morag is passionate about the value and impact of the arts and about ensuring that everyone has access to the arts and culture. She a Trustee of The Traverse Theatre, Scotland’s new writing theatre, and of Leicester based, Turned on its Head which specialises in dance for under 5s. Previously, she was a Trustee of Northamptonshire Arts Management Trust, Royal and Derngate, the Chair of the Board at The Core at Corby Cube and a Trustee of Wriggle Dance and South Northants Leisure Trust. Morag now lives in West Yorkshire with her husband and has two grown up children.