Lee Affen is a multi-instrumentalist composer, music producer and sound designer from Manchester now based in Sheffield. His passion for music and collaboration has led him to work in bands, write for singers and compose for theatre, dance and film. Lee is also a company member of The Bare Project and an Associate artist with Imagine If Theatre.

"As a working-class, mixed race person I have faced many challenges on my route into the Arts. I want to break down those barriers so that the door is fully open to the wealth of creative talent out there. Sound Design is an amazing job and I would love for it to be an option for others. We need to hear a variety of voices in the room. This is the drum I’ll be banging over the next 12 months in my role as Associate Artist with Box of Tricks.”

Lucy Carter is a light artist and multi-award winning lighting designer, working across many creative mediums. Her extensive work for Theatre, Ballet, Dance, Musical Theatre and Opera has led her to work with some of the top Directors, Choreographers and creative teams around the world, to produce unique, eclectic and critically acclaimed lighting designs.

“I am excited to join Box of Tricks as an associate artist to contribute to the development of a new and exciting associate creative artist programme for the future. Helping emerging creatives find new pathways into the industry and give access to more artists. I am also looking forward to developing my lighting practise during this associateship, working with Box of Tricks' strong links with writers and with the other associate artists to interrogate how design and especially light can portray a story without the use of text.”

Jennifer Jackson is a Latinx British/Bolivian movement director, theatre-maker & actor. Her creative practice encompasses theatre & devising, contemporary dance, Bolivian folk dance, new writing, movement & the transformative aspects of sport. Her work explores women’s bodies in performance, her relationship with the UK, and the duality of living between races & cultures.  

 “I am keen to spend time developing the relationship between writer, director and movement director within new writing processes. I am also keen to build a stronger network amongst movement artists in the North West, and to find ways to allow for the growth and development of practice. I want to interrogate how ‘careers’ are  built and nurtured, and how we can support each other to be able to sustain a career in these difficult times.”

Alice Longson is a Freelance Stage & Production Manager. Previous credits include: The Last Quiz Night on Earth by Alison Carr (Box of Tricks, UK tour), I Wanna Be Yours by Zia Ahmed (Paines Plough, UK tour), Catching Comets by Piers Black (Ransack Productions, Edinburgh Fringe), Best Girl by Christine Mackie (Best Girl Productions).

 “I am really looking forward to joining the Box of Tricks team again, working with a new group of creatives to help develop and diversify stage and production managers and build a tool kit to help develop early career and value their worth."

Katie Scott is an award-winning Designer based in the North West. She trained at The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts and upon graduating was the inaugural recipient of the Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse Prize for Theatre Design. Since graduating, Katie has gone on to work across the UK designing a range of productions with a particular interest in new writing and productions for young audiences.

“I am delighted to be an associate for Box of Tricks . I intend to use this year to continue to work with local theatres and artists to raise the profile of North West based practitioners and build symbiotic, nurturing relationships with our theatres to encourage sustainable, accessible employment and careers outside of London.”

The Genesis Foundation’s main focus is on partnerships with leading arts organisations and on training programmes that equip emerging artists for life as a creative professional.

The Genesis Foundation has announced 41 grants for arts projects run by creative freelancers throughout the UK. The grants have been allocated from the £1m Genesis Kickstart Fund, rolled out on the Foundation’s 20^th anniversary with the aim of enabling outstanding freelance talent to produce future-facing arts projects.

genesisfoundation.org.uk