Meet the team

  • Kirsty Halliday

    Development Manager

    I started working with AAM as Development Manager in 2013 (and I've known and loved the organisation since 2004). I lead on fundraising and impact measurement, so I spend my time writing about AAM and the brilliant people who take part in our projects. I love getting the chance to tell people about what we do and the difference we make. 

    I've been involved in developing arts projects and organisations since 2004. I've been an Arts Development Officer for the local authority, Director of a youth music development charity, produced an award-winning community opera and worked on dozens of festivals and arts projects. Outside of AAM, I work with other arts organisations and charities on fundraising, impact measurement and strategic development. 

  • Hannah Hardcastle

    Programme Manager

    I first came to know and love AAM in 2008 when I had the opportunity to start volunteering with Hands and Voices through my Performance Music degree. I started to work with AAM on projects in 2011 and I haven’t looked back!

    My main role is Programme Manager for our learning disability projects, which means I work behind the scenes to make all our projects are fun and safe! I am a qualified Signalong Tutor so I train all our staff and freelancers (and anyone else who wants to learn to sign!) on sign-supported communication and all things accessible communication.

    Seeing the participants blossom in communication and confidence is so magical and this is why I love working with AAM and being hands-on with the projects. You can usually find me using intensive interaction alongside messy play or iMUSE and you can always find me singing and signing with Hands and Voices.

  • Lauren Harrison

    Marketing and Community Fundraising Coordinator

    I joined AAM in October 2021 as Marketing and Community Fundraising Coordinator. My job is content creation for our website, newsletters, and social platforms. I also deliver community fundraising events and coordinate volunteers for them. 

    My background stems from the DIY arts and events community in Leeds. I am a digital projection artist and for the last 5 years, I have been part of a three-strong collective called Think Tank. We curate ambient listening spaces that foster creativity, communal reflection, and recovery. As an artist, I make reactive visuals that compliment events such as this and others across Leeds and Manchester.  

    In the past, I've volunteered for an alternative education provider called MAP Charity. Whilst there, I delivered successful fundraising campaigns and led workshops in the education department. Another passion of mine is DJ-ing. Every month, I host DJ workshops, where I teach beginners how to DJ on industry-standard equipment. My favourite thing about working with community groups and collectives is seeing an idea grow and evolve. 

     

  • Pam Jackson-Vickers

    Finance Administrator

    I’ve had associations with Cube Media, and more recently Accessible Arts & Media, for around 25 years and have played a part in many of their projects. I've worked as their part-time Finance Administrator for 11 years and I bring with me more than 30 years’ experience in Financial Administration in both the Private & Public sector.

    During the last 15 years, I've also worked as a mentor, job coach and trainer on inclusive community, Higher Education and employment programmes

    I'm a keen amateur performer in and around York for many years and am actively involved in Rural Performing Arts, including  the York Wagon Mystery Plays.

  • Alison Jones

    Inclusion Support Coordinator

    I joined Hands & Voices in 2001 as a volunteer after experiencing the joy of seeing the choir perform! I’ve been fortunate enough to be working for AAM in various roles now since 2014. My job is to support the delivery of the projects both in the sessions and behind the scenes. I work closely with participants, families and supporters to make sure everyone’s included in the best way for them.   

    You’ll find me working with the Movers & Shakers and Hands & Voices projects, and I'm often at outreach events where I connect with our wonderful communities and partners. My favourite thing about AAM is the magic that happens in sessions and performances. I am always in awe of our participants’ fantastic creativity - all whilst having fun!   

    My background is in inclusion in libraries. Before moving from London to York in 2001, I worked on various aspects of increasing participation, literature development and engagement with communities. I’ve also been a support worker locally for the National Autistic Society. My degree was in literature and drama. I’ve always had a passion for theatre and have sung and danced in one way or another. Even now, I'm currently learning piano. I’m particularly interested in Intensive Interaction, with participants leading on facilitating communication and creativity together.  

  • Jodie Jordan

    Project Assistant

    I started working with AAM in the summer of 2022, having volunteered for the charity since January of that year. I've just completed my Masters in Community music at York University, which followed my Undergraduate Music Degree at the University of Sheffield in 2021. I became interested in Community Music throughout my time there, where I was struck by the power music had to engage and support people from all walks of life.

    As part of my Masters, I was able to understand a lot of the benefits that music can have on people. This can be anything from confidence to expression, independence to socialisation, and it's been a joy to work with AAM and see it first-hand.

    As the Project Assistant, I've met some brilliant people through our IMPs and Hands and Voices projects. As part of my role, I get to enjoy supporting our members in sessions. In addition to this, I am on hand to help the session leader with planning, organising and delivery. I’ve gained lots of experience whilst at AAM, and I'm thrilled to be part of the team that makes the amazing things we do happen!

  • Rose Kent

    Creative Director

    I founded the Accessible Arts arm of the charity back in 1992 when I was a young community artist. The organisation grew out of a visual arts project I was running in the late 1980s for adults with learning disabilities at the Priory Street Centre. Little did I know at the time that I’d still be running that same charity 30 years on and that I’d still be as passionate about the work we do and the amazing people we work with. I really do have the best job!

    My experience spans the community arts, voluntary, education and commercial sectors and ranges from arts practitioner to consultant. This experience has been key to raising Accessible Arts and Media’s profile from two small fledgling community arts charities to the award-winning organisation it is today. Over the years my role’s included pioneering the wide range of inclusive, user-led, disability, youth and community programmes that AAM is so widely respected for, as well as running a community centre, and managing a recording studio and media production facility.

    I’m delighted and honoured to have been recognised as York’s inaugural Cultural Champion in the inaugural York Culture Awards in 2016. It’s also with great pride that under my watch AAM was shortlisted for a National Diversity Award in 2019. The awards are all about celebrating the achievements from grass-roots communities who tackle the issues in today’s society and champion diversity and inclusion and probably summed up best in this testimonial we received from one of our supporters: "Diversity and inclusiveness is the air they breathe, and visible in all they do."

    I’m passionate and determined about using arts and culture to help people to become more engaged in their local community and for their voice to be heard. For me, it’s all about levelling the playing field and using creativity and culture in really fun and enjoyable ways, while not taking yourself too seriously! 

    I’ve also been a trustee for a number of local charities over the over the years and I‘m currently Chair of Tang Hall Big Local, a resident-led initiative funded by the Big Lottery to make Tang Hall a better place to live and work.

  • Jenny Anderton

    I am an Occupational Therapist with a background in supporting disabled students in Higher Education. I am currently the Head of Student Access, Wellbeing and Support at York St John University.  I joined the board in 2023, but have supported AAM for many years, starting as a volunteer at Hands and Voices whilst completing my Occupational Therapy degree.

    I have a wide range of experience which I hope will benefit AAM, from implementing individual access arrangements for students all the way through to the strategic oversight, operation and development of university departments. My spare time is currently spent with my young children in various parks and playgrounds

  • Peter Baumann

    Trustee

    Peter is a digital producer and composer based in North Yorkshire. With a background in music and a passion for all things digital, his work has seen him collaborate with organisations such as Classic FM, Brass Bands England, Making Music, NYMAZ, Make Music Day, and many more — supporting many of these organisations as they navigated the challenges posed by the COVID pandemic. 

    Peter serves as a councillor for his local community, is a trustee for the UniBrass Foundation (a charity which supports and promotes brass banding activities and public awareness at university level), and is also a member of the Selby Creative Drivers Group. With a passion for community work and increasing awareness, resilience and access to the arts, Peter is excited to have joined the board of AAM, and looks forward to helping the charity in its mission to make arts and creativity accessible to all.

  • Lynda Corker

    Trustee

    Lynda has worked for The Children's Society for 22 years designing, funding and delivering projects for disabled children in the York area.  Lynda has experience in project management including securing funding to run a range of projects designed to help disabled young people access their community, secure employment and achieve their aspirations.  She has worked alongside AAM in partnership to run interactive music projects with disabled young people and is AAM's Trustee Board safeguarding-lead. Lynda's son Patrick is an enthusiastic member of Hands and Voices.

  • Mike Cross

    Trustee

    I have been involved with various AAM projects since about 2005 when my Daughter started attending IMPs. She is still involved and now attends Hands & Voices as well as Movers & Shakers. Over the years I have been so impressed by the care and professionalism displayed by the wonderful AAM team that when I was asked to consider joining as a Trustee I jumped at the chance.

    My background is in the construction industry and presently I work with the Department of Education as a Project Manager building new schools across the North East. I am hoping that some of my professional skills will be of benefit to AAM. My spare time is usually taken up with DIY projects and battling weeds in the garden.

  • Lucy Galliard

    Trustee and Chair

    Lucy is the Chief Executive of Sinfonia Viva, a chamber orchestra working throughout the East Midlands and beyond. She has previously worked as the Director of Learning & Engagement at the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, and has held various roles at Live Music Now, a national charity supporting emerging professional musicians across all genres of music and enabling people who were least likely to be able to access high quality live music to have performances and creative workshops in their schools, day centres, care settings and hospitals.

  • Elizabeth Jones

    Trustee

    Elizabeth joined the Board in 2016 but has had informal connections with AAM over many years, not least during the ten years she was Chief Executive of the Theatre Royal in York.   She is now a freelance arts manager, working with a variety of theatre companies to provide interim & project management. She often works with touring theatre companies, both planning and managing tours which visit theatres ranging from 100 to over 1,000 seats.   

  • David Martin

    My daughter is non-verbal but loves to express herself through music and making noise. We discovered AAM through the IMPs holiday clubs, which she loved, so we started attending Senior IMPs regularly. I’ve been so impressed with how the team create a relaxed, happy, creative space, where you can see young people visibly grow in confidence and social skills from week to week. So I’m delighted to have the opportunity to support AAM as a trustee and hope that I can bring a parent’s perspective to the board.

    My background is in writing, media and music. I was a newspaper journalist for 20 years, starting as a trainee reporter on the York Press and finishing as chief features sub-editor for the Yorkshire Post. I was also a staff writer for Aesthetica Magazine in York and helped promote arts events including the ASFF film festival and Aesthetica Art Prize. 

    I originally came into journalism through writing reviews and features about live music, and I also played a lot in local bands in my younger years and still dust off the guitar or the bass whenever possible.  After leaving newspapers, I joined the Civil Service and have since worked in communication, engagement and stakeholder management roles for the Ministry of Defence and the Cabinet Office.

  • Simon Middleton

    Trustee

    I was delighted to become a trustee in 2017.  My background is in business support, spending 20 years in commercial banking prior to joining Make It York in 2015 where I helped local businesses to access different forms of finance.  In November 2022 I joined the York & North Yorkshire LEP where I am now the Growth Hub Delivery Manager, leading a team providing support to businesses across York & North Yorkshire.  I’ve built up a huge number of contacts in the local business community and I hope to be able to use those to the benefit of AAM.  I live locally in New Earswick with my partner and children. Outside of work I’m often found with a pair of trainers on, taking part in running events from the local 5K parkrun to ultra marathons.