Our Community Panel

The Creative Community Panel is a group of dedicated local artists, community leaders and creative industry professionals, who help to ensure the activity we deliver is dynamic, relevant, inclusive, and involves the widest possible range to make our events and exhibitions accessible to everyone in the community.

There will be up to 10 members on the panel which meets twice a year. We make every effort to engage panel members from the diverse backgrounds we seek to represent in the Sir Charles Irving Community Art Gallery. These include D/deaf, neurodivergent or disabled, from Black and minority ethnic backgrounds, lower socio-economic backgrounds, or who identify as LGBTQIA+. Panel members:

  • Support The Wilson to select studio artists and review proposals for exhibitions in the Sir Charles Irving Community Art Gallery
  • Provide expert community input and act as a resource to The Wilson and staff on our community programmes
  • Propose and support activities, initiatives and events that benefit and advance The Wilson’s community activities

Download the information pack  

Download the Terms of Participation

Meet our current panel members

Tom Ware

Tom is a TV producer and immersive content creator living in Cheltenham. Having worked for the BBC and as an independent producer for over 30 years, Tom was Director of Performance and Production at the University of South Wales in Cardiff before retiring in 2023. As well as continuing to make documentaries, Tom is passionate about broadening participation in the Arts, especially film, and the opportunities that it provides for all communities to tell their own stories.

Dinesh has a 20 year plus career as a Graphic/Web Designer and an active interest in Music. He has a understanding of different artforms and media. As well as the importance of cultural integration within communities and societies for them to thrive. He was an artist in residence at The Wilson as part of the ‘We are Creators’ programme in 2023.

Sarah is a sight-impaired mixed-media artist living in Cheltenham. Her artwork is often inspired by the colours, shapes and patterns found in nature. She was an artist in residence at the Wilson in 2023 as part of the We are Creators programme.

Improving access to the arts and cultural sector for disabled people, as practitioners, participants and audience is important to Sarah. Creativity in its many forms is an essential part of the human experience, and should be available to all.

Sarah is an active volunteer for a number of charities, and sits on trustee boards for Inclusion Gloustershire, a user-led, pan disability charity; and Unlimited, an arts commissioning body that commissions work by disabled artists in the UK and worldwide. She is also a member of the Gloucestershire Disability Arts Alliance.

Jess is a Cheltenham based arts producer, currently working for Strike A Light, an arts charity in Gloucester. She has worked in the Gloucestershire arts sector for the past 8 years and previously helped to run the Wilson Arts Collective.

Jess is passionate about supporting other local creatives and producing projects and events for those who have less opportunities to access the arts.

Raechel is a sustainability consultant with a background in sustainable finance and ESG. She is currently working on a number of climate related projects including with local charity Vision 21 on the Planet Cheltenham community climate hub, hosting the Climate Youth Group, Little Planet Cheltenham toddler group and doughnut economics learning journey with 10 Cheltenham residents.

Raechel is interested in the ways in which we can weave the climate crisis into everyday conversations and action, holding space for the emotions and ambitions that can produce. She is very passionate about youth action and facilitation, empowering and supporting young people. She hope to bring to The Wilson an awareness of people and planet interconnectedness and hopefully support for local and new artists.

Gemma studied Printed Textiles at Central Saint Martins before completing her MA in Mixed Media Textiles at the Royal College of Art graduating in 2014. Inspired by visual journeys, the world around her and how traditional techniques can be reinterpreted for future environments she works as a Colour, Material and Finish Specialist and has experience of designing for Product, Automotive, Footwear, Interiors and Retail Display.

Connecting with the local community and young/emerging talent is important to Gemma. She is passionate about craft and preserving / sharing the skills and techniques of makers that are found in rural locations.

Amanda has a background in art, design and photography. As well as being passionate about the arts, her working life has allowed her to enjoy supporting and advising people from many different backgrounds. She has lots of experience working with diverse communities and currently works as the Safeguarding, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Manager for a large housing provider in Cheltenham.

Amanda feels strongly that art can be used to bring communities together, helping people to have a voice and providing an opportunity to learn from each other’s stories and experiences. She wishes to contribute to the panel and bring an understanding of how art can help communities to thrive.