2023-24 Associates Cohort

Amerah Saleh is a spoken word artist born and bred from Birmingham. Her Muslim Yemeni roots give her space to get lost and found on multiple occasions between identities. She is the co-founder of Verve Poetry Press, Chair of Apples & Snake. Amerah has performed all around Europe and has released her first collection called ‘I Am Not From Here’ this year. Her work touches on identity, womanhood, religion and the obscure idea of belonging only to one place.

Bryony Attenburrow is a cartoonist and comic book artist based in the UK. Her comic strips largely focus on themes of transformation, change and metamorphosis, taking inspiration from the natural world, as well as her own experience of chronic illness and disability. Understanding the role of mythology in both ancient and contemporary narratives is another key part of her practice. Bryony initially draws all her comic strips by hand, using pencil, then transfers the pages onto a computer to colour and ink using a digital drawing tablet.Owing to the limitations of her own body, due to chronic illness, Bryony is increasingly exploring how technology can assist her in making art and telling stories.

Gemma Lees is a Romany Gypsy, disabled and neurodiverse artist, poet, actor, facilitator and theatre-maker from Bury, Lancashire. Her work often deals with her lived experiences of mental illness, homelessness, physical disability, neurodivergence and the contemporary Romany experience. In 2022 she worked with Graeae, Open Mind, Chester Disability Pride, Triple C, 53Two and British Art Show 9. In 2023 she’s worked with The Turnpike Gallery, Told By An Idiot and BBC Radio Manchester. She’s a core team member of Girl Gang Manchester, a trainee journalist for Traveller’s Times, a member of CRIPtic’s Reach programme and her musical, ‘Mind Your Business!’ has been selected for BEAM2023.

Kate Betty Scott is a songwriter, spoken word artist, poet, facilitator and filmmaker. Her work looks at themes of the transience, beauty and agony of existence.

Nailah or Nai is based in the heart of Southeast London. She intends to employ ethnographic research methods to unveil the history and lived experiences of homelessness in her community. Through visual mediums, qualitative research and co-production activities, she intends to explore ways to gather and present the stories individuals, with pride. Nailah or Nai is developing a grassroots organisation called Kreatives Talk. She is determined to work with creators and creatives, to produce products and services that demonstrates the impact of empowering and supporting individuals.

Nell Hardy is an actor, writer, theatre director and facilitator, and the founder of Response Ability Theatre (RAT). Based in London, the company seeks to represent and support people whose lives have been derailed by trauma. Nell believes that theatre is a vital biological process that can help us, in an ever more divisive and isolating world, to find out how to be with each other. She tries in her work to create spaces in which people can question themselves and listen to others in ways that usually feel too challenging, but are crucial to developing the empathy and humility that we need to be part of healthy societies.

Rianna Patterson is a filmmaker, photographer and digital illustrator based in St.Leonards. Her artistic practice is centred on amplifying meaningful stories centred on culture, community work/advocacy and wellness. She is currently in post-production for a documentary on dementia in the Caribbean, to tackle ageism in the media.

Sampira Al-Fihri is a Nottingham born, Birmingham based producer, writer and curator working in the horror genre. She works across film, theatre and exhibitions and is a co-found of all female horror company, Terrifying Women. Her work interrogates horror, conspiracy theories and authority hierarchies.