Creative Connections 2024

Creative Connections 2024

Join us, industry experts, alumni and current students at our Creative Connections event in November.

From film producers and animators to journalists, photographers and games programmers, the event will give an insight into the huge range of opportunities available to study and find employment as a Creative.

Nandita is a BAFTA-winning director / writer whose short films have captivated audiences at over 50 international film festivals, garnering accolades at the LA Shorts Fest and San Francisco Film Festival, as well as a spot on the Oscars longlist. She has developed and directed projects for TV, digital, books, theatre, and commercials and worked with the BBC, Nickelodeon, Moonbug, Cartoon Network and the Story Museum.

Josh Elwell is a Bristol-based puppeteer and maker who works extensively in theatre, TV and film. He has worked for companies including the National Theatre of Scotland, the Tricycle Theatre, Norwich Puppet Theatre and in the West End. As a puppeteer, his work can be seen on CBBC, Netflix and Disney in productions such as Dark Crystal, Strange Hill High, and Dr Who. He was one of the 2 lead puppeteers on the cult C4 BAFTA-winning show, Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared.

Joanna Hepworth is an animation director at Bristol’s A Productions Studio and has worked on JoJo & Gran Gran and the recent 2d Sesame Street animated series.

Oliver Morris is a self-taught musician and has been with UK Music since 2015. He sits on the Musicians’ Union’s education committee, as well as the advisory board for Live Music Exchange, the steering group for Make Music Day UK, the advisory group for London Music Fund’s Amplify London Programme and is a member of Anthem, which was set up to deliver the Welsh Government’s new Music Endowment Fund for Wales.

Matthew Walker joined Auroch Digital on a full-time basis in 2020 in a dual-role following 9 years as a freelancer, and within 2 years had established himself at the head of sizable projects with respectable audio demand, leading Auroch’s audio dept. His work as an audio designer and soundtrack artist have been nominated for ‘Game Dev Heroes’ best in sound award at Develop: Brighton, with his ‘Mars Horizon’ soundtrack becoming a Steam best seller on the Top Sellers and Trending chart for 3 weeks in late 2020.

Lynette Dakin is the Executive Director of Strike A Light having joined the organisation in April 2023. Lynette graduated in 2014 with a English and Theatre degree from the University of Birmingham and went into an internship at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre. She worked there for over 5 years, moving through roles to the Lead Producer. She went on to work as a Theatre Manager at the Redgrave Theatre and a Relationship Manager at the Arts Council before securing her role with Strike A Light.

Emma-Jane is the Co founder and Artistic Director of Strike A Light and arts charity & NPO based in Gloucester now in its 11th year. Following her MA at Central School of Speech And Drama she focused her energy on Education and Programming in particular dance. Simultaneously working for Malvern Theatres and ACE Dance And Music, she strove to push the boundaries of what organisation could achieve thinking outside of the box. A move to Theatre Bristol as Dance Producer instilled an ethos of generosity, sharing and artists centred approaches to work. Her time at Strike A Light has been empowering. Working in a female-led organisation allowed a growth in confidence and collaborative approach that not all organisations can enable.

This event is open to school / college groups and individual student bookings.

To book, email [email protected]

Travel support is available to support your visit to us.

The full timetable is as follows: