Meet the Team behind Our Freedom: Then and Now
Our Freedom: Then and Now is a major national programme of community-based events in arts centres and libraries, to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. It’s led by a passionate and experienced team of arts leaders, producers, and community collaborators across the UK.
Programme Leadership
Gavin Barlow
Co-Director, Future Arts Centres
Gavin is Co-Director and co-founder of Future Arts Centres, a network of over 170 venues across the UK, that exists to advocate for the unique role of arts centres at a local, regional and national level, support leadership development and drive innovation and growth.
He was Chief Executive and Artistic Director of the Albany in Deptford, South East London for over twenty years until 2025, transforming it from an under-used community resource into a highly successful arts centre and cultural hub. From 2013, the organisation also managed Deptford Lounge, a new £25million cultural and community hub with a library, on behalf of Lewisham Council, and the Canada Water Theatre on behalf of Southwark Council. He is currently Capital Project Director for the venue.
Gavin was also Director of We Are Lewisham 2022, the Mayor of London’s Borough of Culture, and has advised on major national initiatives including the Family Arts Campaign and local cultural strategies. He was formerly Executive Director at Contact Manchester, Executive Producer of ATC (Actors Touring Company), and a founder Director of the Queer Up North Festival.
Annabel Turpin
Co-Director, Future Arts Centres
Annabel is Chief Executive of Storyhouse in Chester, one of the country’s largest arts centres, and Co-Director of Future Arts Centres. In December 2023, she was appointed as North Area Council Chair and National Council member of Arts Council England.
In her previous role as CEO and Artistic Director of ARC in Stockton on Tees, Annabel established the venue as a leading North East arts organisation with national and international influence. She founded Venues North, developing best practice through a network of venues supporting artists making new work, and produced and toured new theatre work nationally and internationally.
Prior to her 15 years at ARC, she was Director of Norden Farm Centre for the Arts in Maidenhead from 2002-2008.
Christine Lee
Administrative Director, Future Arts Centres & Programme Manager, Our Freedom: Then and Now
Christine is Administrative Director for Future Arts Centres, a UK peer-network with over 170 members. She brings extensive experience from roles at arts centres including General Manager at The Exchange, North Shields and Project Manager at Farnham Maltings. She was also trustee of Applecart Arts in Newham and General Manager at Entelechy Arts. She is a producer (Senior Producer for Theatre of Wandering for Coventry City of Culture) and freelance organisational consultant (Family Arts Campaign). Prior to working in the arts, Christine qualified as a chartered accountant and was tax manager at Deloitte LLP.
Cluster Coordinators
Our six Cluster Coordinators are the local leads supporting the programme’s delivery in communities across the UK:
Amanda Gould
Queen’s Hall Arts, Hexham
Amanda is the Engagement Manager at Queen’s Hall Arts, an arts centre in Hexham. She manages the delivery of the engagement programme, both within the Queen’s Hall building and across the large rural community of West Northumberland. With a background in visual arts, Amanda brings over 25 years of experience in participatory arts and community-led practice to the Cluster Coordinator role.
Annabel Wheeden
Cast, Doncaster
As Participation Producer at Cast, Annabel project manages the National Theatre’s Speak Up programme in Doncaster. She also designs and delivers the work experience programme in the theatre, and is the youth theatre leader for Brights Lights, Cast’s youth theatre groups for young people aged 14-26 with learning difficulties and SEND. Annabel is also the director of Liquid Dance Academy, a community dance CIC based in Rotherham.
Helen Johnston
Kirkgate Arts and Heritage, Cockermouth
Helen is the Community Projects Officer at Kirkgate Arts and Heritage, delivering community projects and events in Cockermouth and across West Cumbria. She also supports the Heritage Volunteer Group to maintain the Cockermouth Heritage Collection and manages a programme of heritage events and activities. With a background in archaeology and social inclusion, her projects often explore overlooked histories and grassroots storytelling.
Jen Farmer
Trinity Arts, Bristol
Jen is the Arts Engagement Manager at Trinity Community Arts in Bristol, managing their Communities and Neighbourhoods programmes which support 15 regular groups using Trinity each week as a trusted space for a wide range of activities including movement, music, horticulture, and craft. With 20 years of experience in arts engagement, Jen also manages a team of freelance artists to deliver a year-round programme of one-off events and long-term programmes with a focus on health and wellbeing, reducing isolation, and learning and skills.
Laura Yates
The Bluecoat, Liverpool
Laura is a programme leader, creative producer, and storyteller based in her native Liverpool in the north west of England. With a long history of participatory practice across the arts, culture, heritage, and libraries sectors, Laura is currently Head of Participation at the Bluecoat, Liverpool’s Centre for the Contemporary Arts, where she oversees a diverse programme of activity including the trailblazing Blue Room, which supports learning disabled and neurodivergent artists to enrich their creative skills, grow their careers, and expand their networks.
Millie Bottomley
Storyhouse, Chester
Based at Storyhouse and with extensive experience in producing and coordinating projects with diverse communities, Millie is currently Lead Facilitator for The Agency, a national programme supporting young people in Lache, Chester to lead social change projects. Millie’s emphasis on inclusive, accessible, and community-led practice enables her to adapt to the unique needs of the communities she works with while ensuring ambitious, high-quality outcomes.
Also working on the programme is Simon Savidge from Libraries Connected:
Simon Savidge
Programmes Project Manager, Libraries Connected
Simon supports the delivery of Our Freedom: Then and Now through his position as Programmes Project Manager with partner Libraries Connected, where he has led on nationwide library focused projects including StoryTrails, Share The Vision Challenge and BBC’s Novels That Shaped Our World.
He has co-presented three seasons of Sky Arts Book Club and hosted Sky Arts Live from Hay in 2023. He has judged the Costa Book Awards, Portico Prize and Desmond Elliott Prize. He has appeared on the Booker Prize Live on BBC, recommended books on BBC 5 Live plus co-hosted Turn Up For The Books on BBC Sounds. His popular YouTube channel, Savidge Reads, has over 2 million views.
The programme is also supported by:
Sophie McKenna
Sophie provides Executive Support for Future Arts Centres as well as the Our Freedom: Then and Now programme.
Louise Wilkin
In addition to a part-time role providing Social Media Support for Future Arts Centres and website support for Our Freedom: Then and Now, Louise works for Sunderland City Council as Audience Development Officer for Culture House Sunderland, a brand-new cultural venue due to open later this year. Prior to joining Culture House she was Audience Development Coordinator, and then held the role of Deputy Marketing Manager, at ARC Stockton Arts Centre in the Tees Valley.