About us
We work directly in the community, for the community, and believe that everyone, particularly children and young people should have access to the arts. The charity is run by Siou Hannam who has a wealth of experience in participatory arts and wants to bring that to the people of Newhaven.
Meet The Team
Siou Hannam
Artistic Director
Siou is a Drama therapist, Youth Coach and teacher of theatre practice. She originally trained as a dancer then went on to work as a Lecturer in Performing Arts for many years. Probably she is best known in the field of Outdoor Arts, performing and touring small and large scale shows both in the U.K. and world- wide.
Her career began with Emergency Exit Arts working on community arts projects in London. She remained a company member for 30 years,
Siou has since collaborated with artists of diverse backgrounds & art forms. She has directed many arts projects in a variety of settings, from a Storytelling Residency in a prison, to collaborating on a site- specific installation on a beach (commissioned by Brighton Festival).
In 2021 Siou founded Haven Young Creatives together with Bex Milner to give young people in Newhaven an opportunity to access the arts and to share her knowledge.
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Sian Rodd
Drama Tutor
Sian is a Theatre Practitioner and Stage Manager. She trained in Musical Theatre at the University of Chichester and has over ten years’ experience in theatre education and community arts.
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Her career began as a Teaching Assistant in fine arts before going on to work with organisations including Chichester Festival Theatre, Theatre Royal Winchester, Nutshell Theatre, Haven Young Creatives and Micheldever Variety Group as a performing arts practitioner. She has led and supported a wide range of youth and community projects, from summer workshops and drama groups to one-to-one singing lessons and most recently supporting facilitation of theatre sessions for young asylum seekers.
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Alongside facilitation, Sian has developed a career in stage management. Her credits include Shrek the Musical, Spring Awakening, Carrie the Musical, MTM Agent Showcase, Country on the Coast and SHAM Rocks, as well as youth-led and community productions.
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Sian has experience supporting young people and adults with additional needs and is committed to making the arts inclusive and accessible. She continues to expand her practice across teaching, facilitation and stage management, combining creativity with a dedication to community engagement.
Drama Tutor
Sian Rodd
Dave Barnstorm
General Manager
Dave is an experienced producer, change manager, relationship manager, administrator, events and project coordinator having worked in the corporate consultancy and charity sectors, with a history as an organisational lead in the theatrical and arts industry.
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Alongside working for Haven Young Creatives - A Different Light, he is employed as the General Manager and Producer of ThirdSpace Theatre CIC, one of HYC's partner organisations in Brighton.
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Before moving to Brighton, he was a theatre director trained at the King’s Head Theatre on the Resident Directors’ Scheme and is an Olivier-nominated associate director for King’s Head’s La Boheme at Trafalgar Studios in 2016. He has won awards and received critical acclaim for his directing work including The Soul of Wittgenstein and The Yellow Wallpaper and ran his own theatre company, Another Soup for over 7 years.