ActionSpace Staff
Barbara van Heel, Co-Director
Before joining ActionSpace in 2003, Barbara studied arts management in the Netherlands as well as in the UK, at City University London. After gaining her degree, she worked with various arts organisations, including Strathcona Theatre Company where she first heard of ActionSpace and was immediately inspired by their work. After 13 years, her pride to be involved in the company and to see the artists’ careers develop and strengthen is as strong as ever.
Sheryll Catto, Co-Director
Sheryll joined ActionSpace as Co-Director in 2008, having worked in the creative sector for over 25 years. She has a personal and professional interest in supporting the development of creative practices and was attracted to ActionSpace because of our commitment to providing people with learning disabilities with the same opportunities as their peers in the contemporary visual arts sector.
Charlotte Hollinshead, Associate Artist
Charlotte has led the ActionSpace South London Studio at Studio Voltaire for over 21 years. She supports artists with complex disabilities to develop their individual arts practice and delivers an extensive range of commissions, projects, events and exhibitions including Nnena Kalu’s solo exhibition for Studio Voltaire elsewhere in 2020. Charlotte manages ActionSpace’s innovative participatory programme including ‘Make It Live’. Charlotte also has her own inclusive participatory practice Wild City, developing interactive sculptural works and installations for outdoor public events.
Siobhan Stewart, Pastoral Care Co-ordinator
Siobhan joined ActionSpace in 2011. She has over 20 years of experience working with people with disabilities and their families and carers in various settings, specialising in Autism and challenging behaviour. Siobhan is also a practicing gestalt counsellor. At ActionSpace she supports across all projects and takes the lead in recruiting new participants. Siobhan enjoys her work at ActionSpace as she is particularly interested in communication. ActionSpace allows Siobhan to bring all her areas of skill and experience together. She is happy to contribute to the development of our talented artists and celebrate achievement and successes.
Flora Bain, Programme Manager
Flora joined ActionSpace as Programme Manager in 2022. She worked in the gallery and museum sector prior to this for 15 years, most recently at The Mosaic Rooms. She was drawn to ActionSpace by her interest in opening up the contemporary art sector to all, and by the talent of ActionSpace artists.
Abigail Brothers, Communications and Projects Officer
Abigail joined ActionSpace in March 2019. Abigail leads on all marketing and communications at ActionSpace and organises several projects and exhibitions. She is also a practicing artist. Visit Abigail’s website.
Ian Wornast, Administrative Assistant
Ian joined ActionSpace as a volunteer in 1997, and became Administrative Assistant in 1998. Ian is employed under the Access to Work scheme and supports the office team and the studio projects. He is also an ActionSpace artist. Visit Ian’s website.
Gabby Jones, Administrative Intern
Gabby joined ActionSpace in 2022 as our Administrative Intern. Gabby supports the day-to-day running of the office and assists with exhibitions and events. She was keen to join ActionSpace to learn about the Visual Arts sector and how it can be made more accessible.
Rebekah Cameron, Artist Facilitator
Rebekah has a BA Hons 1st from Chelsea College of Art. She joined Action Space as a volunteer in 2004 and started running projects in 2008. Rebekah runs the Cockpit Tuesday and Cockpit Thursday studio projects at Cockpit Arts.
Lisa Brown, Artist Facilitator
Lisa has a BA Hons Fine Art Sculpture from Chelsea College of Art and a MA from Winchester College of Art. She joined Action Space in 2004 as a volunteer with the Young People’s Group. Lisa used to run the parents group as well as the mentoring course. She runs the Cockpit Wednesday and Cockpit Friday studio projects. Visit Lisa’s website.
Lisa Muten, Artist Facilitator
Lisa runs our Cockpit Monday studio sessions and has previously run the North London Young People’s Group at the Leighton Project, Camden. Lisa has a BA Fine Art degree from Central St Martins, Byam Shaw and an MA with a PGCert HT&L from Kingston University. She is also an artist tutor at the Arts Centre at Brunel University. Visit Lisa’s website.
Emily Rees-Haynes, Artist Facilitator
Emily has BFA in Visual Arts and Psychology from the University of Victoria, Canada. She began working with ActionSpace in 2015 as a volunteer. She started volunteering with a young people’s project in Kentish Town and went on to volunteer with the Studio Voltaire Friday group. Emily now runs the Brent studio project for young people.
