Staff Team
Amber McGhee – Young People & Performance Lead (she / her)
Eden Hewitt – Facilitator Artist (he/ him)
Eden is a Facilitator Artist in Studio Focus, working with our artists 1-2-1 and in group settings to provide practical and creative support. Eden has also supported other Prism projects, such as during the Rest Under The Stars: A Cumbrian Journey tour by facilitating workshops for the public. Additionally, Eden co-devised and co-led Autism Awareness Training on behalf of Prism throughout 2024.
Outside of Prism, Eden is a talented visual artist, specialising in creating character art in traditional and digital mediums. Eden is also an anime, videogame and cosplay enthusiast who thoroughly enjoys trips to conventions with his friends. They are currently working on an exciting, new webcomic about aliens invading earth.
Catherine Coulthard – Strategic Director (she / her)
As Strategic Director, Catherine enables Prism Arts to achieve our ambitions and goals. Catherine has worked in the arts and cultural sector for over 20 years with a mission to always strive for equality of access to the arts.
Outside of Prism, Cath loves being outdoors, walking the dog with her husband Mark, riding horses and enjoying our beautiful Cumbrian countryside. She is very much a family person and is entertained, frustrated and charmed in equal measure by her 2 sons, Jacob and Stanley who are live in Newcastle and London. She is a committed audience member for cultural events including theatre and art galleries and a big reader of novels.
Chloe Esselmont – Facilitator Artist (she / her)
Chloe is a Facilitator Artist at Prism on Tuesdays, supporting the Lead Artist with every aspect of running the creative programme, and working 1-2-1 with studio members to create excellent artwork. Chloe began volunteering at Prism in 2023, joining the staff team one year later.
Dr Col Conroy – Creative Strategic Director
As Creative Strategic Director, Col will focus on our creative strategy, expanding relationships with local SEND partners and leading the way in growing our Theatre programme.
Outisde of Prism, Dr Col Conroy is a theatre maker by background and worked in professional theatre from the age of 17, including time spent as a director in the theatre industry. Col is also a writer and editor and has written books and articles about theatre. As an academic, Col worked for several universities, teaching and doing research into theatre and equality. As well as going to the theatre, reading and listening to music, Col also runs long distances very slowly.
Emma Turner – Communications Officer (she / her)
Emma has two job roles at Prism Arts. As Communications Lead, she oversees our social media pages, website and marketing. Emma also leads our community fundraising activity, giving advice to those who wish to raise money for our charity. As Facilitator Artist, Emma supports our artists and the running of Studio Arts.
Outside of Prism, Emma is an avid fan of Dungeons & Dragons, playing in a group with her friends whenever they can wrangle their schedules. She enjoys creating artwork inspired by fantasy and nature, as well as spend time with her family and two rescue cats.
Jac Ridley – Facilitator Artist (she / her)
Jac is a facilitator artist in Studio Focus, supporting participant artists in group and 1-2-1 settings as well as lead artist Katie in the running of the programme. Jac has worked with Prism Arts in many community projects, delivering workshops to schools across our local area.
Jac is also a Qi Gong practitioner and exhibiting landscape artist, inspired by Cumbria’s iconic and beautiful scenery.
Katie Lock – Studio Programme Manager (she / her)
Katie is our Studio Programme Manager, which means she oversees the core studio programme that run on a weekly basis in our building. This includes continuing to lead on the visual arts groups Studio Arts and Studio Focus as well as the exhibitions and events that populate the Prism calendar. In this role Katie is always on the hunt for more exhibiting opportunities, commissions and collaborations for our artists to be involved in.
Outside of Prism, Katie is an artist who is inspired by abstraction, psychedelia and paganism. You can check out her work on her website. Otherwise Katie enjoys foraging, stone circles and old films.
Lisa Johnston – Fundraising & Devleopment Manager (she / her)
Lisa is our fundraising and development manager, supporting the charity to raise money from a variety of sources including trusts and foundations, businesses and through commercial activity. She works alongside Emma in developing our community fundraising programme.
Outside of Prism Arts, Lisa provides freelance income generation support to small charities and channels her creative side making textile jewellery with her micro business @hitchandloop. She enjoys yoga, cooking and city breaks and is frequently seen being dragged around the countryside by her cockapoo, Madge.
Martin Swan – Creative Director (he / they)
As Creative Director, Martin supports the development of Prism’s Visual Art strands, collaborating closely with our Studio Programme Manager, Katie Lock, to further develop our vibrant visual arts programme.
Outisde of Prism, Martin is an electronic musician and sound artist with an interest in technology and its historic relationship with creativity, as well as being a self-confessed vintage science fiction nerd. To counter all that geekery, Martin also enjoys the countryside, charity shop mining and touring in a battered old Volkswagen van.
Rebecca Moss – Facilitator Artist (she/ her)
Rebecca is a facilitator artist in Studio Lift-Off, supporting participant artists in group and 1-2-1 settings, as well as Lead Artist Katie in the running of the programme. Additionally, Rebecca is currently working with Prism Artists Catherine and Michael in the Transforming Leadership project, an initiative by Access All Areas which aims to provide training for LDA individuals to take part in leadership roles within organisations.
Rebecca Bloxham – Participant Support Lead (she/ her)
Rebecca works closely with our participants and their support networks to give them the best experience at Prism Arts, ensuring they are fully supported on their journey with us.
Outside of Prism Arts, Rebecca enjoys watching live theatre, particularly musicals. Rebecca has a cocker spaniel at home called Bailey and enjoys taking him for walks in her spare time.
Steve Telford – Finance & Operations Manager (he/ him)
Steve manages all of Prism Arts’ finances, as well as managing our building and staff policies to ensure we are always working in a safe environment. Outside of Prism Arts, Steve’s main interest is messing about on boats, supplemented by cycling, fishing (though he says he hasn’t been very successful so far) and military history which includes painting figures and models and wargaming.
Our Board of Trustees
CJ Pitcher – Trustee (they/ them)
Jennifer Gilbert – Trustee (she/ her)
Jennifer is a member of our Board of Trustees. She is a Manchester-based gallerist, freelance producer, and curator, working with self-taught, disabled, neurodivergent, Deaf and overlooked artists. In 2017, she launched the Jennifer Lauren Gallery to showcase and empower artists internationally, having previously managed a national arts charity for under-represented artists.
Outside of Prism Arts, Jennifer enjoys Lindy Hop dancing whenever she gets the time. She also likes to watch contemporary dance at the theatre and other small productions with interesting story lines. Jennifer likes to go walking in the countryside, feeling at her happiest at the seaside!
Juliet Fellows Smith – Trustee
Michael Shepherd – Advisory Board Representative (he/ him)
Michael Shepherd has been an active member of Prism’s studios for nearly a decade. In 2023, he began his journey into governance through the Access All Areas Transforming Leadership programme, which led to his appointment as Chair of the Prism Advisory Board.
Michael is now furthering his leadership development as he plays a key role in keeping the board informed on the Advisory Board’s decision-making and developments
Sarah McGrath – Co-Chair of the Board (she/ her)
Sarah is Co-Chair of of our Board of Trustees. Sarah has worked in the Further Education sector for over 20 years. Initially a lecturer of Adult Skills for Life and within the Arts sector she has since held management and leadership roles at all levels. With her background in further education she has a real passion for widening participation and raising aspirations for our artists.
Sarah also enjoys many outdoor ventures such as cycling, running, paddleboarding and – more recently – surfing!
Sonny Smith – Trustee (he/ him)
Sonny is a member of our Board of Trustees. He is the current director of Always Another Way CIC and has been the director of several charities from finance to lead researcher. Sonny has a degree in economics and is an experienced researcher, having delivered research projects by companies who operate under Sellafield and the NDA.
Outside of work, Sonny enjoys reading poetry in the Lake District or at the seafront near his house. Sonny also loves horror games!
Verity Shillabeer – Trustee
Vincent Walden – Co-Chair of the Board (he/ him)
Vincent is Co-Chair of our Board of Trustees. He is also Director and Graphic Designer at Studio Walden. Studio Walden is a sustainable eco-friendly design studio that produces works through renewable processes and materials. The business was set up with the aim of tackling pollution in modern business and allowed for greater avenues of sustainability, starting with only providing printed works on recycled papers to becoming completely carbon positive
Outside of work, Vincent can often be found upon a hill, failing to climb a big rock or perhaps pestering a cat somewhere in the street. In all cases, snacks will be near by!