Farewell from Kerry and welcome to our new Trustees… | LEVEL Centre

I joined LEVEL in 2021 and what an experience it’s been. LEVEL is a wonderful and unique organisation, and the past four years have been transformative, both for the charity and for me personally as a leader.

I wanted to let you all know in this additional monthly newsletter that I am moving onto pastures new. LEVEL is a very special place and it’s been a great honour to be part of it’s history as Executive & Artistic Director for the past four years. It’s the most wonderful organisation and community, packing a punch with a brilliant small but mighty team. I could not have asked for more.

I hope that our late founder Peter Shelton would be proud of the growth and evolution of the organisation today. In 2022 we reviewed our charitable objectives and now work across all ages, the wider Derbyshire community and beyond. Whilst learning disabled communities remain the beating heart of LEVEL, developing our work with disabled creatives and young people who are autistic and/or neurodivergent has been an important and significant addition.

Some of my personal highlights include:

• Raising over £1.2 million in grants from a wide range of funders including Arts Council England
• The guarantee that LEVEL remains a National Portfolio Organisation until 2027
• Securing an Arts Council England Capital Investment grant to make much needed building improvements and upgrades, helping LEVEL to continue delivering a wide range of projects and programmes, future proofing the organisation in a sustainable way
• The 2022 Muddy Stilettos Award Winner of Best Art Space across Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire
• Establishing an artist residency scheme to support disabled creatives or artists who consider access in their practice to develop their creativity. This has led to many more collaborations including working with Henry Driver on environmental themed work, Corinne – an artist who has difficulty leaving the home – on Daisyland, and hosting Neon Caverns by disabled artist Alex Billingham
• Establishing GLISTEN Fest – a programme and annual sensory festival for audiences with Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities
• Developing our offer for children and young people which has transformed so many lives, building a community of support, hope and a safe place to be. Our Youth Collective programme was nominated for the 2023 Fantastic for Families Audience Impact & Innovation Award
• Establishing the LEVEL Biodiverse Sensory Garden, a space for the whole community to enjoy, reaching new people and groups and offering an outdoor space for creativity, gardening and wellbeing
• Supporting visual artist Bella Milroy in the production of Further Afield, an online conversation series about disability and art in rural spaces, and the production of Sick Gaze, a beautiful photographic series on aluminium – part of LEVEL’s own collection. Sick Gaze is available for loan to venues and organisations
• Brilliant partnerships with a wide range of organisations from Chatsworth House, Bakewell Old House Museum to Nottingham Trent University. The list goes on and on.

There are so many things I could mention. None of this would have been possible without my amazing staff team and support form the Board, thank you for everything. You are the best.

I’m confident that I leave LEVEL in a strong position to move forward and grow. This autumn, three new Trustees will be welcomed to the Board. Scroll down to find out more about them.

LEVEL is a charity and it cannot exist without securing funding and donations. I wish LEVEL every success for its future both artistically and financially. I will miss it dearly. Every region in the UK needs a LEVEL Centre! Art really does transform lives. Wouldn’t it be great if organisations like LEVEL existed all around the country as a welcoming, flexible, supportive, creative, curious, inclusive, brave space where you can be yourself. I hope my wish comes true.

Thanks for reading this far. Please keep supporting and attending LEVEL, because without you there is no LEVEL – community is at the core of every charity. It’s a real gem in the Derbyshire countryside putting access, inclusivity and creativity front and centre.

With all good wishes,

Kerry Andrews

Outgoing Executive & Artistic Director

We are delighted to welcome three new board members to the LEVEL board to support our governance, leadership and organisation thrive. Trustees offer their time and expertise in a volunteer capacity. We look forward to welcoming our new Trustees and getting to know them.

Alex is the Director of Anjali Dance Company and a non-executive director for ZoieLogic. She was previously Head of Participation at FABRIC, DanceXchange, and Birmingham International Dance Festival.

In 2021, Alex graduated from the University of Wolverhampton with an MBA with Distinction, MA in Senior Leaders Apprenticeship (Arts and Culture), and a CMI Level 7 Chartered Manager Qualification in Strategic Management and Leadership.

As Senior Producing Lead (on behalf of FABRIC) for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, Alex led the £1.3 million inclusive dance project, Critical Mass.

After a 28 year career working in secondary schools, teaching Physics and leading schools as a deputy headteacher and then headteacher, Ian is now a full-time student at the University of Sheffield. He is currently working towards a PhD researching the use of data in relation to school performance.

Formerly Ian was Headteacher of a school specialising in Visual Arts. This meant that he saw first-hand the transformative potential of arts and culture in people’s lives.

Ian say “I am delighted to join the board of the LEVEL centre and look forward  to contributing positively to its future.”