Residents
Riaz is the newest member of the KC team having joined us in June 2024 however Riaz has been involved with the organisation since 2018, championing the first Keighley Arts and Film Festival in 2019, becoming a trustee in 2020 and regularly supporting events and volunteering his time.
Having studied film editing at the National Film and Television School before embarking on his career as a Film Editor, Riaz has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to film and production, and he continues to edit both drama and documentary. He has had a recent focus on feature documentaries about musicians and Riaz’s films have won a number of awards, and Riaz himself is a BAFTA nominee.
As an experienced creative, Riaz will oversee Keighley Creative’s organisational development and transition to a permanent base. His brief will include working with East Street Arts, which is due to take over the lease of the former Sunwin House building on Hanover Street, with Keighley Creative as its tenant from 2026.
Riaz will work to build relationships with organisations including Bradford Council, Keighley Town Council, Keighley Business Improvement District, Bradford 2025, and the Towns Fund board and its long-term plan for the town. He will also develop a fundraising strategy for the organisation that secures its sustainability and long-term future.
If you would like to get in touch, email at:
Paula Clark has worked for over 25 years as an artist, performer, creative director and executive producer. She has developed and realised multi-disciplinary, co-creation and talent development projects for young people and adults in community, education, criminal justice, theatre and arts settings. Most recently she has worked with Creative Scene, York St John University, York Theatre Royal, Pilot Theatre, ARC Stockton and Plaines Plough. She is also co-founder and Creative Director of female-led creative projects company Bolshee CIC.
All of her creative endeavours have a strong focus on social justice and sharing joy. Paula knows from her own lived experiences the power that access to arts and culture can have to improve the lives and wellbeing of people and communities.
Paula wants to level the playing field by creating programmes that remove barriers, amplify voices and bring communities and new audiences together. She believes that this can be achieved through strategic and innovative partnerships and dynamic collaboration, but most importantly by connecting with people, listening and having good conversations. She wants to find out more about what people from Keighley care about and what makes them tick!
Paula is delighted to be joining the Keighley Creative team at a time of great ambition and exciting change and cannot wait to get to know Keighley and its residents even better.
If you would like to get in touch, please email:
Cathryn has been in post since 2022 and she is making waves in the town with her positivity and care for Keighley’s communities and local stories. With a passion for music, theatre and making events as inclusive and accessible as possible, she’s making sure there is something for everyone in our events programme.
Cathryn is also the person you’ll chat to if you email us, and the person to contact if you’d like to volunteer with us.
If you would like to get in touch, email at:
Emily joined Keighley Creative as part time Financial administrator in Jan 2024. She lives nearby in Menston with her daughters and the family’s crazy black cat, Mojo!
For the past 6 years Emily has worked as the Business Manager for a local charity preschool. Prior to this she ran her own successful children’s cookery business for 10 years.
In her spare time Emily volunteers for a theatre local society in the trustee role of treasurer and she loves reading, walking, listening to music, and ‘feeding’ her passion for health, nutrition and wellbeing through cooking.
If you would like to get in touch, email at:
Naseem is an artist and studio holder at Keighley Creative. She creates large scale sculpture and installations from her studio and tours them. Alongside her work as an artist she writes and delivers audience participation projects for education and consultation.
She is excited to see Keighley Creative develop into an arts hub that draws on the town’s heritage and creates a vibrant project space for artists, schools and the wider community… So many possibilities!
If you would like to get in touch, email at:
Steve is a studio holder and photographer based at Keighley Creative, and the brains behind everything we build! From the studios, to the gallery, to our most recent moveable drawing boards in the Project Space, Steve has worked out how and made it happen, using recycled materials wherever he can. Having worked for the last 15 years for arts charities like Fabric and East Street Arts, Steve can turn his hand to pretty much anything, and has helped countless artists realise their ideas.
Lauren joined the team in 2024 and her role is to work with community groups in a two-year project run by Kala Sangam. Lauren’s brief is to identify and engage with a number of communities over the next two years, as the Keighley heads into Bradford’s City of Culture celebrations in 2025. The Kala Sangam-Keighley Creative project will culminate with an arts event involving a professional artist.
Lauren was educated in Bradford and knows Keighley well and has a degree in fine arts from Newcastle University. She has recently worked as a freelance in the arts and creative sector.
Lauren is determined that Keighley plays its part in the City of Culture celebrations. “I want to highlight Bradford 2025. This project is going to happen in that year of culture, so I’ll be saying: ‘don’t forget Keighley’. So much stuff is going to be happening over here too, so we’ll hopefully be bringing people across into the district.”
If you would like to get in touch, email at:
Ailsa is a highly experienced art teacher and therapist with a rich knowledge of delivering creative workshops for people living with neurological conditions like dementia and those being negatively affected by their mental health.
She leads the Arts for Brain Health programme at Keighley Creative which involves organising our Monday and Wednesday Creative groups, offering a non-judgemental, calm environment for people who may benefit from creative therapy.
07423 154855
Ailsa is a highly experienced art teacher and therapist with a rich knowledge of delivering creative workshops for people living with neurological conditions like dementia and those being negatively affected by their mental health.
She leads the Arts for Brain Health programme at Keighley Creative which involves organising our Monday and Wednesday Creative groups, offering a non-judgemental, calm environment for people who may benefit from creative therapy.
07423 154855
Carine Brosse is a multi-disciplinary artist and gallery owner who has worked delivering creative workshops to a range of people for many years.
She is a facilitator at our Monday Creative sessions, offering arts and crafts sessions, for people and their families affected by conditions such as Alzheimer’s, and at our Wednesday Creative sessions, which welcome those experiencing loneliness, social isolation or are struggling with their mental health.
Georgina has lived in or near Keighley for 30 years, drawn to the local landscape and friendliness of the people. She knows that involvement in art can change people’s lives, and provide fun along the way! Georgina has worked with communities and community organisations all her life, locally, nationally and internationally, to make positive change happen. “I believe we can achieve big things for Keighley.”
Georgina@keighleycreative.org
Born in Shipley, Charles has always lived in Bradford district. He is passionate about music and the arts and he plays guitar in three local bands.
Career wise, as a qualified accountant he laterally worked at Leeds City Council as a Head of Finance and is excited to help develop the amazing potential of Keighley Creative.
Charles@keighleycreative.org
Rachel works as a Social Venture Co-ordinator for a capacity building charity which means she supports people with ideas for social change choose the right structure to set up and make something happen. Keighley is a hot bed of social enterprise and is working towards being a social enterprise town. She believes the open and inclusive approach to try and work with all areas of the community is something that is worth supporting and that is why became she wanted to become a trustee.
Rachel moved to Keighley 6 years ago to start a family so is also keen to support the development of working with young people.
Rachel@keighleycreative.org
Fiona is an experienced HR professional who worked for almost 20 years across Bradford and Keighley within the NHS helping to create organisations that harness the many talents of NHS staff. She is passionate about helping individuals and communities thrive and reach their full potential.
As a Trustee of Keighley Creative Fiona is keen to see the arts and culture support the economic development of Keighley and help improve the wellbeing of individuals.
Bob worked as a photographer on the Keighley News for 31 years and is now a freelance photographer and is also editor and writer on his online magazine grough, which covers outdoors activities.
“I joined the trustees because I think Keighley Creative can be a real asset to my home town. Having a vibrant hub for the arts is a great way of reinvigorating our town centre and supporting local creative people from all sectors of the arts is vital to the economic wellbeing of the area.”
Bob@keighleycreative.org
Trevor’s career was spent in the technology sector where he held project and personnel management positions for many years, working with teams from different backgrounds and locations worldwide. He settled in Keighley in 2009 and is proud to live in this beautiful part of West Yorkshire, rich in heritage and cultural diversity.
“I am excited to be part of the Keighley Creative team because I know we can massively enhance our area and strengthen relationships between the different, local communities through the variety of external events, workshops, arts projects and the amazing multi-functional hub!”
trevor@keighleycreative.org
I have worked in arts education for over 30 years developing programmes for young people and adults.
I’m committed to promoting the transformative potential of creative arts both on an individual and societal level.
My recent appointment as Principal of Keighley College gives me the great privilege to work with hundreds of learners and improve their life chances through exposure to fantastic teachers and facilities.
It is because of these drivers that I wanted to be more involved as a trustee of Keighley Creative.
kevin@keighleycreative.org
Michelle was raised in the Keighley area and still lives locally with her family. Although Michelle’s career is centred around the Criminal Justice Sector, a keen interest in the arts and a passion for Keighley motivated her to become a trustee.
In April 2023, Michelle led the Knife Angel Project in Bradford and managed 35 partnerships locally, utilising the arts to reach communities and create cohesion, trust and positive links across Bradford.
Through her work and volunteering roles, Michelle is passionate about creating good quality and inclusive opportunities for people to achieve their potential, particularly for those from under-represented groups or lower socio-economics backgrounds.
Michelle is also keen support the local community to express themselves through arts, create new hobbies and encourage connection with others to help make Keighley a wonderful place to live!
michelle@keighleycreative.org
Keighley Creative are pleased to announced that 5 artists have been specially selected by a panel of local people to design sculptures for a new
Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe joined members of our Monday Creative group for the premiere of our new short film Keighley Creative were thrilled to have a
Application Deadline: Monday 3rd March 2025, 12:00 noon.Fee: £900 We are looking for a talented and creative Freelance Graphic Designer to work with us on
With a rich heritage in the textile industry, an inspiring multi-cultural community and heaps of creativity to boot, we’re proud to call it home.
Great question- and the answer is lots! Keighley is buzzing with fantastic opportunities to get creative, try something new and find out about our local history and heritage.
Just a short walk out of town, Cliffe Castle Museum, with its wonderful collections and grounds is a treat for the whole family! https://www.bradfordmuseums.org/venues/cliffe-castle-museum
If you know about a creative or cultural gem in Keighley, do let us know so we can shout about it! There is always plenty more to explore.
Keighley Creative, Registered Charity Number 1190497 | Brand And Website By Out Of Place Studio Ltd
