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Artconnexion delivers innovative cultural projects,
Live Lit installations and performances
and public art commissioning internationally.

We also devise groundbreaking creative literacy schemes
and workshops for schools, galleries, museums and local authorities.

For staff and employees, we offer ‘A Day Trip to Happiness’
which gives those taking part a ticket for their journey to wellbeing.

Our Team:

Sally Crabtree

Creative
Director

Jo Fitzgerald

Education
consultant

Amanda Crabtree

Project
Manager

Anna Dupont

Assistant
Project Manager

Mandy Engelsma

Communications
Officer

EnCOURAGEment


Our work is international in scope but with the local community at its heart and we give all those we work with, many of whom are living in very deprived and/or difficult circumstances, the courage-or enCOURAGEment-to find their voice and for this to be heard in ways that will delight and inspire others.

Our approach, by its very nature, encourages participants to be creative and for their ideas to constantly shape each project, allowing it to evolve so that it truly reflects and speaks to the heart of everybody involved.

“ I am in awe of the magic you bring” 
Kate Pordage
Cornwall Council. 

Artconnexion believes like Einstein, that ‘Creativity is intelligence having fun.‘ 
We take an intelligent approach to creativity knowing that it leads to growth both of individuals and communities.
We also take a fun approach, knowing that people who are happy and inspired lead inspirational lives.

For everybody

Our projects appeal to absolutely everybody, regardless of age, background or ability.
The intergenerational nature of our work and the fact that the activities can be adapted to suit all ages means that a grandad of 70 and a child of 5 or a teenager of 14 or a businesswoman of 43 can all take part in exactly the same activity and share the fun, discovering that art and culture is not only for them, but can be made by them. 

“I never knew I could do such things!” 
Participant

Bring back the joy

The powerful contribution creativity and the arts can make to wellbeing and health has just been recognized by an all-parliamentary report and yet in schools and colleges and the workplace, it is being less and less encouraged in favour of highly competitive striving for academic results or a heavier workload.

Those who do not thrive in such a competitive environment or one with excessive targets feel a sense of failure and become more stressed, lonely, anxious and depressed. 

Our workshops are able to bring back the joy, allowing people to regain their energy and enthusiasm, leading to wonderful new ideas, inventions, productivity and zest for life.

Passionate about making a difference.

Our team have worked for over 25 years on award winning initiatives and have a reputation for devising and delivering innovative projects and events successfully and always within budget. We are passionate about making a difference to people’s lives and the CIC we have developed is a culmination of this experience, of listening to those in our community and working with them to create projects that matter.

“This is wonderful!
Thank you so much for all your hard work for Trelya  and those we work with and now this amazing collaboration!!  
You have made such a big difference already!”  
Sharon Rich
Director, Treyla

Thanks to support from:

Artconnexion UK
CIC Number 11256842

contact

Copyright © 2024 Art Connexion

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Sally Crabtree

Creative Director

Sally Crabtree was once a world class gymnast, winning a scholarship to train in Russia at the age of 14, going on to become the youngest ever member of the GB Women’s gymnastics team performing around the world. 

Since then, she has been turning the poetry world upside down with her cartwheeling poems and colourful, quirky performances, interactive installations and projects that inspire whole communities to get involved and discover the poetic heart within themselves. 

She devises and delivers award-winning creative literacy projects internationally and is an official Ambassador for National Poetry Day 

“You advocate beautifully for poetry every single day” 

Director

Jo Fitzgerald

Education consultant

Jo Fitzgerald worked for 28 years as a teacher in highly deprived areas of London and Cornwall with a key focus on inclusive provision of music education for children and young people.

She worked with the Paul Hamlyn Foundation and OFSTED as a key primary practitioner for the development of the Musical Bridges programme which enables transition between primary and secondary schools.

Jo currently works in schools and community settings to provide creative and performing arts enrichment.

Amanda Crabtree

Project Manager

Amanda Crabtree established artconnexion in Lille in 1994 and joined the organisation full-time in 2001, having worked at the British Council, Le Fresnoy, Studio national des arts contemporains, Le Magasin contemporary art centre, Grenoble and the Centre d'art contemporain of Geneva.

She is currently project manager for exhibitions, residencies, education and public realm projects at artconnexion and artconnexion UK CIC.

At the University of Lille she initiated and now directs the new Master's programme 'Art and Society' with a particular focus on the production of contemporary art projects within the public realm.

Her research interests focus on public art practice and place-making.

Anna Dupont

Assistant Project Manager

Anna Dupont-Crabtree is an artist and illustrator, interested in exploring the link between arts and ecology and how to reconnect people with nature (especially birds) through art. 

She is also the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Administrator for the British Trust for Ornithology

Mandy Engelsma

Communications Officer

Mandy began her career as a linguist in writing, designing and translating children's educational materials that appeal to different learning styles.

Currently she is employed as a sworn translator and a proofreader of academic texts.
Her proofreading work covers a variety of fields, including articles for the Graduate School of Education, University of Tokyo, on the use of the creative arts in educational settings.

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