Future Creative

The core team, along with the support team, Creative Practitioners, and Creative Agents, have the correct blend of specialist skills, project management skills, and business skills. This ensures that our clients will be delighted with the service we offer, from our initial dialogue through to completion of the programme or project.

Core Team

Esme Chilton – Creative Director and CEO

Esme is the founding director of Future Creative and is responsible for the vision, leadership and strategic development of the company.  She has a strong track record of strategic leadership within the education and cultural sectors in the South East, having worked closely with a number of key local authorities and strategic public sector organisations over the last 20 years.  Esme has a breadth of experience in the charity, third and public sectors and combines this with a strong entrepreneurial focus and that ensures the sustainability and strength of Future Creative as a social enterprise company. Esme believes passionately in the power of creative life and learning experiences for educational success, professional development and personal wellbeing.

Contact: esme.chilton@future-creative.org

Mercy Nabirye- Co Director and Director of Finance and Operations

Mercy provides Future Creative with sound financial and operational management. Mercy has over 16 years experience in administration and management, working in the public and private sectors both in the UK and Africa.

Mercy’s higher education, Certificate in Business Accounting, (CIMA)   and early career background in theatre and performing arts, serves her well in the creative industries and the financial  aspects of her role. Mercy also continues to get involved in theatre, music, TV, film and video productions globally.

Contact mercy.nabirye@future-creative.org

Claire Trevill- Busienss Development Manager

Claire was born and bred in Kent and has lived and worked in the county for most of her life, apart from time spent in New Zealand and America. Throughout her 25-year career, she has worked for a wide range of businesses and organisations in the public, private and not for profit sectors. As well as owning her own businesses, she has also worked for family firms and international organisations. Claire also achieved her ambition to be a journalist, writing a monthly column for an international magazine and other publications. Her early career was spent in retail store management, with responsibility for many diverse teams of people, many of whom were at the beginning of their careers, and was great experience.

After working as a regional sales manager, Claire then moved more into workforce development, helping and advising organisations with people development and employee relations. She then ran her own consultancy, advising and running training in a wide range of areas, from recruitment and selection, discipline and grievance, performance management, to leadership and change.

Claire is a very driven and enthusiastic person, who passionately believes that you only get out of people what you put in. She also feels that it is essential to support and develop people whatever their level – even experts need a good induction! Treating people as individuals, rather than adopting a ‘ sheep dip ‘ approach to learning and development is important to Claire, as well as being flexible and adaptable in how that is offered.

Contact claire.trevill@future-creative.org

Julie Larner- Engage Programme Manager and Creative Agent

Julie manages a range of Future Creative programmes working in partnership with a number of strategic organisations across the region, including Kent County Council, Arts Council England and Screen South. Her current projects include PULSE, SummerScreen, Create Compete Collaborate and Arts Award. Julie is passionate about promoting cultural diversity by initiating innovative programmes and influencing public education; and has done great deal of work over the past nine years in the diversity and Charity sectors.

Contact julie.larner@future-creative.org

Stephen Fenning- Arts Award Regional Development Co-ordinator and Explore Creative Programme Manager

Stephen manages Arts Award and is the Regional Development Co-ordinator for the South East- through Future Creative.  Stephen also manages the Explore Programme.

Stephen’s passionate for music and the creative industries led him to study Creative Music and Technology at University. After leaving university, Stephen managed several different social enterprise projects, funded by local government, helping young people between the ages of 8 to 24 years old. Enjoying this immensely, Stephen is now committed to helping young people reach their full potential through the Arts Award programme.

Contact stephen.fenning@future-creative.org

Bethanna Harris- Creative Consultant and Explore Programme Manager

Manages the Explore programme which is designed to engage children and young people in exploring and understanding their world and reaching their potential through creativity.

After achieving her teaching degree Beth managed a playgroup before working in both the nursery and reception classes at a maintained nursery setting. Beth then went on to work for Ofsted as an Inspector of Schools; and later managed a team of Regional Ofsted Inspectors. After a period as an Advisory Teacher she became a Senior Early Years Consultant working across the Early Years sector.

Beth has written articles on a regular basis for Nursery World magazine and been a keynote speaker at several of their conferences. She passionately believes that an understanding of early childhood development is fundamental to all work with children and young people.

Contact bethanna.harris@future-creative.org

Rob Dembrey- Creative Consultant and Inspire Programme Manager

Rob manages the Inspire programme which concentrates on Creative Professional Development for practitioners, teachers or anyone with an interest in creative learning.

Rob studied Modern History with Economics at Manchester University and then gained a Montessori Diploma in Children’s Education and Development. He also has a Post-Graduate Certificate of Education in Child Development through the Open University. Rob is qualified to teach adults in the lifelong learning sector, regularly lecturing on the Masters programme in Education at Kingston University.     

Rob’s professional background is rooted in Early Years education. He has over 12 years experience of being a Deputy Head, Head-teacher at a Nursery school in West London and managing his own nursery.  He has been a Consultant for the last two years working across the sector with local authorities, primary schools, childminders, private nurseries, early years professionals, crèche workers and daycare provisions. Rob is passionate about early years education and building a firm foundation for children’s future learning and development.

Contact rob.dembrey@future-creative.org

Jess Bartindale - Creative Programme Manager for the Creative Partnerships Change Schools Programme

Jess manages the Creative Partnerships Change Schools Programme, ensuring that Future Creative provides adequate support to schools to facilitate implementation of whole school change. The focus being that these schools become sustainable, creative learning environments.    

Jess attended the University of Derby, gaining a degree in Tourism and Business. This degree led her into the cultural sector, since then she has had a variety of roles which have enabled Jess to manage key stakeholders within the Creative Partnerships Programme.  

Jess has a particular interest in encouraging long-term positive change in the projects that she manages.  She believes in empowering both adults and young people to lead their own learning, whatever their level of ability. This approach encourages a natural love of learning which in turn, she believes, raises peoples’ aspirations and quality of life.

Contact jess.bartindale@future-creative.org

Christina Papaspyrou-Creative Programme Manager for the Creative Partnerships Enquiry Schools Programme

Christina manages the Creative Partnerships Enquiry Schools Programme. Within this role Christina ensures that Future Creative provide the necessary support for schools to explore how creative teaching can enhance their practice within a specific year-long focus.

Christina has always been passionate about the theatre, and has a first class degree in Drama and English. After graduating she spent fifteen years working in professional theatre, mainly in stage management and automation operation (which included flying the acrobats at the Millennium Dome). During her time with the Royal Shakespeare Company she became involved with the Education Department, and found working on projects with young people refreshing and inspiring.

Christina joined Future Creative after having her son, and now he is at school feels she has an even higher stake in working to encourage a creative education for everyone.

Contact christina.papaspyrou@future-creative.org

Christie Plumb- Marketing and Communications Officer

Christie is responsible for all internal and external marketing for Future Creative and its programmes.

Christie has recently received a First-Class Honours Degree in Marketing and Advertising and joined Future Creative as part of the government initiative: Business First. While at University, Christie worked in the management team of a local toy store receiving training on child development and the importance of learning in shaping the future of the individual. She regularly headed charity events for children on behalf of the store with hugely successful ‘Fairy and Pirate’ and ‘summer fun’ days. 

Christie is passionate about improving the chances of disaffected young people and adults. Her current role enables her to utilize her Marketing skills to promote Future Creative to the wider community, assisting more individuals, and fulfilling her dedication to the disaffected.

Contact christie.plumb@future-creative.org

Hannah Ellerby- Creative Partnerships Co-ordinator

Hannah joined Creative Partnerships Kent as Team Assistant in 2007. She became Team Coordinator for Future Creative in April 2008, and went on to become Creative Partnerships Coordinator in November 2009.  

Hannah was drawn to the creative industry by her enthusiasm for music; she plays violin in a band Los Salvadores, and has played extensively across the country, supporting bands including The Beat and the Proclaimers.  Her passion for the Creative Partnerships programme stems from the enjoyment she gets from this; she understands the huge impact creativity can have on life and wellbeing.

Contact hannah.ellerby@future-creative.org

Ruth Barnard- Programme Support Assistant for Inspire Programme

Ruth supports the Inspire programme, notably, ensuring that projects are effectively co-ordinated and delivered on-time. Ruth is also part of the Venue development team –currently in the process of re-designing and marketing our new office building for hire to community artists, the corporate sector and members of the public.

Before undertaking her Business Degree Ruth spent a year working on various children’s activity programmes in the local community. During this time she spent a month working with under-privileged children in Bulgaria.

Contact ruth.barnard@future-creative.org