Kate Hall

Creative Producer at Jumped Up Theatre

Kate has had a diverse career in theatre, founding Jumped Up Theatre in 1993 with fellow drama graduates, working for a number of organisations, from the Royal Shakespeare Company to Manchester Royal Exchange, in a range of roles from Assistant Director to Education Officer. Kate has also managed venues and delivered workshops in school, and was a founding member of Creative Peterborough.

From 2012-2015 she ran audience development projects in Peterborough as the Arts Programme Manager for Vivacity and from 2015-2017 was Project Director for Market Place, the Creative People & Places programme in Fenland and Forest Heath. 

Whether in the rehearsal room or in a meeting room, audiences are at the heart of her work.

Emily Steele-Dias

Participation Producer at Jumped Up Theatre

Emily has worked as a freelance artist, curator, and producer since 2018. Emily is an internationally screened filmmaker and her work primarily focuses on local communities, heritage and unheard stories.

Emily founded the organisation Cine-Sister in 2017 which showcases and promotes films with women filmmakers. She is also the festival director of the Gateway Film Festival which launched in 2019 aims to celebrate local history, community, often mixing film with other art forms such as dance, music and poetry engaging a range of people across Peterborough, Wisbech and Ely. In 2023, Gateway Film Festival was selected as the Film Hub South East BFI Spotlight Location 2023-2026.

Born and raised in Peterborough, she has previously held positions with 62 Gladstone Street, Art Pop Up & Red 7 Productions and is passionate about art and culture in the city.

Tim Keogh

Marketing Officer at Jumped Up Theatre

Tim was born and raised in Peterborough and is a eager advocate of how access to the arts can revitalise and empower individuals and communities alike.

He trained at East 15 Acting School and has worked as a freelance actor in short films, touring pantomimes, immersive events, and voiceover projects - to name a few. Tim has taken on many creative and people-facing roles - from bartender to customer service provider, with stints as a content writer, team leader and copywriter - and now brings his passion for communication to Jumped Up Theatre as Marketing Officer.

Sarah Hunter

Event Producer at Jumped Up Theatre

Sarah has worked backstage from the age of 16, mostly at Peterborough's own Key Theatre. She worked as a freelance Stage Manager at venues including London's Bush Theatre, Lyric Theatre in Hammersmith, and even the West End with the original London company for Dirty Dancing. Sarah went on to work as a Production Arts Lecturer and Course Coordinator at Peterborough Regional College for eight years before working as a freelance Production Manager for local theatre companies in Peterborough.

Sarah joins Jumped Up after working with us to deliver the excellent Smoke & Mirrors event in November 2023.

Abi James-Miller

My name is Abi, I am an Access Coordinator with Runner and Researcher experience, passionate about breaking down access barriers and improving representation in the arts. I have a background working in fact-ent, news, current affairs, digital, fashion, advertising - and access and inclusion, which is a particularly keen interest of mine.

I lived in Peterborough for over ten years.

As an Agent for Change and a disabled person myself, I hope to support Jumped Up Theatre with its inclusive local offer, embedding and prioritising integrated access and curating work which actively includes disabled and non-disabled audiences—making disability a dominant, creative, exciting and political presence with an effortless inclusive feel for deaf, disabled, neurodivergent and autistic people and beyond.

Hana Sayeed

Hana Sayeed, also known as Malika Speaks, is a Spoken Word artist, crowned Peterborough Poet Laureate 2019-2022. She uses her platform to empower people and build bridges across communities.

Malika is passionate about using the power of communication and creativity in helping individuals heal within themselves and create connections with others, centring her work around self-expression and empathy. Her work includes consultancy, research, performance, and workshop facilitation.

Malika has performed and appeared on TV and radio shows internationally, including: BBC Look East, BBC Radio Cambridgeshire, Inspire FM, Salaam Radio and New Jersey Women’s Club, USA.

See more of Hana’s work with Jumped Up here.

Mark Smedley - Chair

I have worked in and around theatre and the arts since I was 16, and am now the Operations Director of Woolwich Works in London. I’ve been lucky enough to have some amazing opportunities and support over the years and wanted to give something back; becoming a Trustee felt like a natural step towards that.

Jumped Up are a company who push boundaries and look to ensure everyone has access to culture regardless of how it needs to be delivered. That’s what caught my eye and the Peterborough connection (I grew up in the city and still have the majority of my family there) sealed the deal. I wanted to be a part of a conversation that could see real change in a part of the community I got to enjoy when I lived there; wanted to see exciting, varied, boundary pushing theatre and culture thriving in a city I love.

I spend my 9-to-5 overseeing the operations of a fantastic cultural hub, but my role as a trustee allows me to spend some time helping Peterborough based culture grow, and that is because of the work Jumped Up create, facilitate and enable.

We already have a fantastic set of people who bring different skills and expertise to the table, but there is always room for more. Come and support Jumped Up as it shares arts with the city and beyond.

Jennifer Huygen

I became a Trustee at Jumped Up because I was drawn to their inclusive and accessible way of working with and in communities; Jumped Up produces art and culture where the people are, whether that's in a theatre, town hall, community centre, on the streets, or now due the pandemic, online. Having a background in cultural policy on a national level, I wanted to get more involved with an arts/cultural organisation "on the ground" and one that works closely with their community.

Jumped Up is well-known in Peterborough and it's exciting to be part of it's growth, taking a leading role in the development of arts and culture in the city. But being a Trustee brings more than that. You learn so much about what it takes to create an exciting and memorable cultural experience, and about engaging our diverse communities.

You share the pride and joy of the organisation when it receives praise from participants. And you share the hard work and flexible attitude of adapting to an ever changing environment. One moment you're discussing the proposal for a new and exciting project, the next you're ensuring the organisation is resilient and can weather a pandemic.

Being a Trustee is a unique experience. Come join us and find out yourself.

Claire Ward

I am really excited to join as a trustee for Jumped Up Theatre and use my skills to compliment the board's existing expertise.

I have been fortunate to have worked in theatre marketing and sales for over fifteen years. I am passionate about audiences and providing people with access to arts in order to attend, engage, learn and have fun!

I have been looking to take up a trustee position for a while as I am keen to share my knowledge and experience with a cultural organisation that is local to me. Jumped Up is the perfect fit as I was inspired by the approach the organisation has to ensuring that cultural experiences are placed within the heart of a community. Removing so many perceived barriers is essential for continued engagement and participation and I very much wanted to play a strategic part in this delivery.