It’s been a month already since our new Programme Manager, Emily, joined the team, and she’s been very busy! We sat down with her for a chat about what she’s been up to so far and her exciting plans for the rest of the year…
Hi Emily! Can you tell us a little bit about your background and how you came to join RivelinCo?
I grew up in Sheffield and have worked in loads of different roles across the arts and voluntary sectors in South Yorkshire. At the moment, as well as working at RivelinCo, I facilitate creative workshops and work with organisations on accessibility. I live just up the road from Hillsborough in Lower Walkley and have been following RivelinCo’s journey from the start; it was really exciting to see so much great stuff happening in the area! The Programme Manager role was a really good fit for me, and I’m very happy to be a part of the team.
How have you found this first month in your new role as Programme Manager?
We’ve been really busy planning our workshops and events for the summer, as well as running our first proper workshop programme! It’s been fantastic to see so many people coming down and getting involved. It’s been a lovely mixture of people that have lived in the area for a long time as well as those that are new here, and the workshops seem to be a great place for people to connect and chat.
What are you most excited about for the rest of the year?
We have some brilliant holiday workshops happening over the summer (Spy School anyone?) and we’re also finalising our workshop programme for Autumn and Winter. I’m really looking forward to letting people know about all the exciting stuff we’ve got coming up; I think there should be something for everyone.
Why do you think access to arts and cultural activities is so important to communities like ours in Hillsborough?
In the past this area hasn’t had that much cultural infrastructure in place compared to other bits of the city, and it’s clear that there is a real demand for it. Every community deserves a place to be creative, relax, and connect with each other. Arts and cultural activities are really important for reducing social isolation, giving people a chance to try out new things, and improving wellbeing, and I’m really glad to be part of an organisation that’s improving access to these things.
A blog by George Allan and Ted Steptoe, Marketing Assistants
