Chris Pavia
Choreographer, Stopgap
Chris was the first of the current dancers to join Stopgap in 1997 as a Trainee and is now a Senior Dance Artist and Resident Choreographer.
Chris became a Stopgap apprentice in 1999 and completed a Foundation GNVQ in Performing Arts at Brooklands College, Weybridge. He became a full-time dancer with the company in 2000. Working with choreographers such as Adam Benjamin, Betina Strickler, Hofesh Shechter, Thomas Mettler, Nathalie Pernette, Rob Tannion and Thomas Noone. Chris has toured both nationally and internationally with Stopgap.
As a choreographer Chris co-choreographed Chris et Lucy with Lucy Bennett, and in 2008 was the first learning disabled choreographer to be selected for Resolution! with his work Statues of Darkness. In 2010 Chris choreographed Shadowed Voices, a duet for Stopgap trainees, that has been performed at schools and conferences across the UK, as well as in Albania for the Albanian President in 2010. Chris choreographed Captured by the Dark for Resolution! 2013.
Chris choreographed The Awakening for Stopgap which toured to festivals and outdoor spaces across the UK in Summer 2014 and 2015. The Awakening made Chris the first learning disabled choreographer in the UK to create work for national touring. In 2017/8 Chris created his solo work Captains Duties. 2019 saw Chris create a duet titled The Journey Between, a Chris Pavia and Carousel production, produced by Stopgap Dance Company.
In 2020, Chris became Artist in Residence at Watts Gallery, as part of this choreographing Beyond The Waves for dance film, a project supported by DAiSY (Disability Arts In Surrey) and Stopgap Dance Company.
Chris continues to lead and support with creative learning outreach work, delivering workshops and leading choreographic residencies in schools and community groups across the UK.
Chris is proud to be chosen by Mencap as someone with Down Syndrome achieving excellence in his career and is ambitious and eager to continue developing.
Clarke Reynolds — Mr Dot
Clarke Reynolds is an internationally recognised blind artist based in Portsmouth, England, known for his groundbreaking work in Braille art. Losing his vision to rod-cone dystrophy, Clarke developed a distinctive creative language that turns Braille into large-scale, vibrant artworks that can be read by touch and seen by sight.
Blending colour, pattern, and texture, Clarke challenges traditional gallery experiences by making art accessible to both blind and sighted audiences. His mission extends beyond the canvas — advocating for greater inclusion, accessibility, and representation in the arts. As an ambassador for Fight for Sight and a finalist for the National Diversity Awards, Clarke uses his platform to inspire change and conversation about disability and creativity.
His work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, alongside public speaking engagements, workshops, and collaborations with organisations dedicated to advancing inclusive design.
Cllr Steve Pitt
Leader of Portsmouth City Council
Born and bred in Portsmouth, Cllr Steve Pitt was first elected as a councillor in 2016 and is the Leader of Portsmouth City Council and also has cabinet responsibilities for Culture, Regeneration and Economic Development and Portsmouth International Port.
Steve has been involved in organising cultural events across the city for 20 years and is a champion of culture’s ability to drive regeneration and positively change lives.
He has run his own business and has worked across several sectors within the arts including as a music manager and promoter, and theatre director.
He is on the regional council for Arts Council South-West and is a trustee of Portsmouth Historic Quarter Trust. Steve is a Board Member of the Solent Freeport and is Chair of the Solent Growth Partnership (run in conjunction with IOW and Southampton), the successor to the Solent LEP.
Daisy Hale
Creative Director, The Hale
Daisy Hale (they/them) is an award-winning independent producer of exciting performance artists and Creative Director of The Hale. The Hale is a London-based arts producing company specialising in experimental, socially-engaged work that is not restricted by form. We exist to produce and develop artists who have been traditionally ostracised from mainstream spaces. We are just as interested in art as protest as art for fun. Often they can be the same.
Our work prioritises joy over trauma, looking for the fun in the mundane and using populism as an access point for deeper conversation with a broad audience about socio-political issues. Our work is countercultural, care focused and transparent.
Daisy regularly facilitates workshops & sessions on producing, leadership & inclusion for organisations. Daisy is an access consultant and disability equality trainer for arts organisations. They are a trustee of Artsadmin and Clore Leadership.
Gemma Nichols
Chief Executive, Portsmouth Creative
Gemma Nichols FRSA is Chief Executive of Portsmouth Creates, a Community Interest Company dedicated to championing Portsmouth’s creative sector and driving cultural development across the city. With a career deeply rooted in arts, culture, and placemaking, Gemma brings extensive experience in strategic leadership, partnership development, and delivering transformative cultural initiatives that put people and communities at the heart of the process.
Before joining Portsmouth Creates, Gemma played a key role as part of the senior leadership team for Southampton’s UK City of Culture 2025 bid, helping shape the city’s ambitious cultural vision and leading on stakeholder engagement, fundraising and campaign development.
Starting her cultural career as part of the team at Culture Liverpool, contributing to the city’s internationally recognised cultural programme and supporting major events that strengthened Liverpool’s reputation as a world-class cultural destination.
Throughout her career, Gemma has championed collaboration, inclusivity, and innovation, ensuring culture is not only celebrated but embedded within economic and social growth strategies.
Under her leadership, Portsmouth Creates supports artists, cultural organisations, and community-led initiatives, driving creative opportunities, cross-sector partnerships, and long-term investment in the city’s cultural future.
As a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA), Gemma is committed to advancing creativity as a catalyst for positive change, advocating for the power of culture to strengthen communities, improve wellbeing, and create vibrant, sustainable places to live and work.
Laura Jones
Co-Artistic Director, Stopgap
Laura joined Stopgap in 2001 where she has been integral to the growth and direction of the company. She is a fierce advocate for dance and disability, inclusion and equality, advancing the sector through teacher training in inclusive practice, public speaking and consultancy work.
Laura started her training at Linda Butler School of Dance, aged 5. Having sustained a spinal injury in 1998, Laura went on to become the first wheelchair user to complete 100% of the A-Level dance syllabus. Since then, she has accumulated a wealth of experience, working with numerous choreographers, gaining extensive creative and performance experience, touring internationally in both traditional and non-traditional settings, including Street Arts festivals and Rural Touring.
Additional choreographic and performance work includes the collaboration with Abi Mortimer (Lila Dance) and Suzie Birchwood on the dance film “a part”, and performing with Step Change Studios. She choreographed the Heritage Flame Ceremony for the Rio 2016 Paralympic handover, and, as a Dance Captain, assisted in the choreography and teaching of the mass volunteer cast for the London 2012 Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony and performed in the ceremony itself.
She also choreographed A:Version for Resolution! (2009), remounting it on IND4 in 2016. Laura also directed and edited the dance film Re:Bound (2004). She was Queen Mouse in the CBeebies Panto The Nutcracker (2016) and performed in Broadcast from Biscuitland (2015) as part of their On Stage: Live from Television Centre event.
Her extensive teaching experience ranges across all ages and abilities, with a passion for empowering future generations of diverse dancers. She has been instrumental in the development of Stopgap’s IRIS Dance Syllabus for disabled dancers and the Seedbed teacher training program. She has also contributed to the ISTD’s and RAD’s inclusive practice.
Laura was Interim Artistic Director of Stopgap in 2016 and in 2018 while Lucy Bennett was on maternity leave, and became Head of Talent Development in 2017. She has collaborated with Stopgap on Triple Bill, Double Booked, Portfolio Collection, Tracking, Trespass, SPUN Productions, Artificial Things and The Seafarers.
She is on the board of trustees for East London Dance and English Folk Dance and Song Society, where she has a focus on Artists, Safeguarding and Diversity.
Lizzie Banks
Deputy Artistic Director, Carousel
Lizzie is a creative access consultant, speaker, and the Deputy Artistic Director at Carousel, an award-winning arts organisation led by individuals with learning disabilities and autism. She has led the development of the Oska Bright Film Festival, the world’s largest festival dedicated to films made by or featuring learning-disabled and autistic creatives. With backing from BFI and Arts Council England and accreditation from BIFA and BAFTA, the festival is recognised as a key platform for inclusive filmmaking.
With over a decade of experience in inclusive arts leadership, Lizzie works across the UK and internationally, sharing her expertise through talks, workshops, and consultancy. She supports organisations to develop accessible programming, champion underrepresented talent, and embed inclusive practice in creative spaces.
Guided by her lived experience and deep commitment to representation, Lizzie brings strategic and creative insight to the cultural sector, always with a focus on creating meaningful change for disabled people in film, the arts and beyond.
Lucy Groenewoud
Founder and Co-Director, This New Ground
Lucy Groenewoud is a multi-media inclusive artist, designer and Co-Director of This New Ground (TNG), an arts organisation that champions creativity and community, believing in the talents of artists with a learning disability.
She studied Graphic Design at Central Saint Martins and holds a Master’s with distinction in Inclusive Arts Practice from the University of Brighton. Her practice is rooted in collaboration, care and creative connection. Lucy is an experienced facilitator and designer, and has worked with a wide range of arts and community organisations. She is an Associate Artist with Recovery Partners and a Project Manager at Fabrica in Brighton.
Lucy co-founded TNG with Nathalie Russell-Clarke, and together they have developed inclusive, artist-led innovative programmes shaped in close collaboration with the artists. Lucy runs the TNG Art Studio in Hammersmith, supporting artists to professionalise their practice, gain commissions and access new work opportunities.
Nathalie Russell-Clarke
Founder and Co-Director, This New Ground
Nathalie Russell-Clarke is the Founder and Co-Director of This New Ground, an arts organisation with hubs in Hammersmith and Fulham and the City of Portsmouth. TNG empowers learning-disabled artists by removing barriers to participation and enabling them to lead, create, and engage with the arts on their own terms.
A trained performer from LAMDA, Nathalie began her career working across regional, national, and international theatre. In 2017, she completed a Master’s in Inclusive Arts Practice at the University of Brighton. Her research explored how arts-based research could deepen co-production and creative collaboration, focusing on the dynamics between performers with a learning disability and drama school students. This work continues to shape the inclusive approaches she uses in her work today.
With over a decade of experience in the sector, Nathalie co-founded This New Ground with Lucy Groenewoud, building the organisation from the ground up. Together, they have established partnerships with major cultural institutions and delivered inclusive, artist-led projects grounded in co-creation, care, and accessibility.
Patrick Collier
Executive Director and Co-CEO, Access All Areas
Patrick heads up the fundraising, finances, producing, communications, and strategic direction of Access All Areas.
He joined us in 2013, helping to grow the company from a community drama group to a National Portfolio Organisation and production company.
An experienced producer and director, Patrick has produced or overseen almost all our productions since 2013, our Transforming Leadership programme, and our more recent collaborations with TV and film companies.
Previously, he was Producer and Associate Director of 201 Dance Company, Creative Producer of Theatre Témoin, and produced Graeae’s “Aruna and the Raging Sun” – a 3 year collaboration with La Fura dels Baus, the British Council, the British High Commission of India, and 100 disabled artists in India, culminating in a large-scale outdoor production in Chennai for an audience of over 10,000 people. He’s also collaborated with Theatre Re, Metta Theatre, Sparkle and Dark, and others.
Patrick is driven by a desire to help build a cultural landscape that better represents all parts of our society, and that includes new types of experiences and storytelling that we don’t often see in the arts or media.
Tilley Milburn
Tilley Milburn is a unique performance and visual artist. Their work incorporates a variety of art forms including acting, directing, singing/songwriting, compering/interviewing, poetry/spoken word, puppetry, design/illustration and comedy/improv. They also facilitate workshops and curate immersive experiences and spaces. They often perform with their best friend, Del, a patchwork piggie.
Puffing and Wooling, which they co-host with Del, is a space that explores rest, relaxation, reflection and enables people to be present and fully themselves. People can explore mindfulness/meditation, song sharing, stories, arts/crafts and more, in a fully improvised space, open to everyone.
Tilly and Jonny
Co-Artistic Directors, Head Over Wheels
Head Over Wheels is a duo of multidisciplinary artists, primarily focusing on creating circus work. As a disabled led duo, we are dedicated to challenging misconceptions around disability, and breaking the stereotypes of what a ‘circus body’ should look or move like.
Co-artistic directors Tilly and Jonny met in 2017. Tilly coming from a background of dance and circus and Jonny from drumming and walking on his hands, they merged their prior artistic experience to create exciting innovative aerial work. They have gone on to perform their doubles trapeze act on various prestigious stages, including Glastonbury Festival, National Circus Festival of Ireland, Bristol Old Vic. In 2023 they formed Head Over Wheels- and went on to make their debut aerial theatre show Anchored in Air which has toured nationally and internationally.
Tim Wheeler
Senior Project Manager, All In
Tim Wheeler is the Senior Project Manager for All In. All In is the new UK and Ireland access scheme designed to improve accessibility in creativity and culture for deaf, disabled, and neurodivergent people. It is being developed in partnership with Arts Council England, Arts Council Ireland, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Arts Council of Wales, and Creative Scotland.
Before joining All In, Tim was a freelance consultant working with clients including The British Council, Clore Leadership and Leeds Playhouse. He was also senior lecturer at University of Worcester and Theatre Fellow at University of Leeds, with research interests in disability related arts and cultural practice. Tim was founder, and for 26 years, Artistic Director and joint CEO of award-winning Mind the Gap theatre company.
Tom Ryalls
Founder, BAP!
Tom is a strategist with a speciality of with disabled-led cultural organisations to ensure disabled people have the agency to shape our national culture. Tom has previously been a Head of Development, an Executive Director, and an “Arts Fundraising and Philanthropy Fellow” with Cause4. They are now the chair of Graeae, a trustee of Unlimited, a member of the London Area Council of ACE and the Deputy Chair of the Disability Advisory Group.
Tom was in the top 10 of the Disability Power 100 in 2024 in the “Performing Arts, Television and radio” category, and is also beginning his time as a 25/26 Clore Fellow. In 2021 he consolidated this experience when he founded BAP! – a company dedicated to nurturing the development and growth of ambitious cultural organisations.
As a writer Tom brings together pop aesthetics and accessible technology. He developed a series of shows beginning with Education, Education, Karaoke which removed the need for a performer to have a neurotypical short-term memory. His show Can You See Into a Black Hole? exploring the experience of growing up with epilepsy, has informed how young people receive an epilepsy diagnosis across the country.
