Say hello to the team
Get to know Arts Insight’s dedicated team of professionals, all with expertise across a number of artistic fields but united in our passion to make a difference in the lives of young people. To find out more about the work we do, get involved or make a donation contact us on 01926 634758 or admin@arts-insight.com.
Kimisha Lewis
Freelance Performing Arts Director
Kimisha started her journey with Arts Insight when she was just 18. Since then she has graduated with a BA (Hons) in acting at the Rose Bruford School of Performing Arts and successfully secured professional acting work in theatres internationally and across the UK. Acting credits include Strictly Arts Theatre’s award-winning show ‘Freeman’, Pilot Theatre’s ‘Noughts and Crosses’ Lady Macbeth in Guildford Shakespeare company’s ‘Macbeth’ and ‘Last Dream’ for The National Theatre Scotland. Kimisha has directed young people in touring productions, West End shows and in international performances. Kimisha has an incredible ability to make drama accessible to all children and gives them the security and space to create pieces of theatre that they are proud of.
Kevin Martin
Freelance Brand and Marketing Director
Designer and Artworker with over 20 years’ experience in the creative industry, with the last 13 working within the communications sector. For the past 12 years Kevin has been responsible for managing a fully-integrated design and content studio working with some of the UK’s biggest brands. Kevin has worked with Arts Insight for the last six years lending his creative and design expertise. He believes that we all have a responsibility to share our knowledge to do good and also spends his time working with the Palace for Life Foundation (Crystal Palace Football Club charity arm), Mark Lay Foundation and Queen Eleanor Cycle Ride to help advertise and market their workshops, events and fundraising ideas. Kevin also offers his services within the workshops to share his expertise with the children working in the marketing departments.
Ross Power
Freelance Musical Director
Ross Power is an award-winning film/TV composer, musical director and sound designer. He is best known for his music for various TV series (Jack Whitehall, Billy Connolly, Paul Abbott, Micky Flanagan, Matt Lucas, Jim Cartwright, Sarah Parish, BBC, ITV, C4, Sky, Netflix), as well as an award-winning selection of independent films and documentaries (collaborating with internationally recognised orchestras Royal Philharmonic Orchestra & Philharmonia) and TV commercials for brands global brands(Carling, Virgin Trains, Jaguar Land Rover, Nestlé, Grolsch, Iceland, Mazda & Volvo). In addition to his studio work, Ross insists on getting out into schools and communities, spreading his love of music and well-being wherever he can.
Gary Forbes
Freelance filmmaker
Gary is an award-winning filmmaker and video editor with more than 25 years’ experience. He has worked with the Spice Girls, Girls Aloud, Alesha Dixon, Adam F and Def Jam Records. Gary shares his wealth of film making knowledge with the children he works with and helps them to capture and edit footage and stills. When working for Arts Insight all the footage is used in the mullti-media productions and in marketing material that the charity shares online.
Laura Berridge
Founder and Artistic Director
Laura graduated from East 15 Acting School in 2002. Whilst working as a professional actress, she established two theatre companies, one specialising in producing original performances for children’s audiences. The other teaching primary school children performing arts. Over a period of nearly 10 years these organisations directly benefited 1000’s of children. Her work eventually brought her to the West Midlands where she single-handedly ran the entire education department of an established music charity. During this time her worked reached out to tens of thousands of children across the UK. Her wealth of experience in the fields of theatre and education led her to establish Arts Insight in 2010.
Dan Moriyama
Freelance Musical Director
Dan is a pianist and keyboard player, singer, composer, and music educator. As a classical pianist, Dan specialises in accompanying singers, instrumentalists, and choirs including National Youth Choirs of Great Britain and London Youth Choir. As a performer, Dan has worked on major TV shows; theatre inc. West End; and with dancers including Strictly professionals, and the contemporary Siobhan Davies Dance Company. He also sings; plays bass guitar; and composes, arranges and produces music. He plays soul/rock/blues/jazz piano, keyboards and Hammond organ, including touring internationally with Tennessee singer, Earl Thomas, and performing with various pop artists including the late Donna Summer and members of Madness.
Fergal O’Mahony 1983 – 2014
Musical Director and Composer
Arts Insight would not be where it is today without Fergal. Not only was he an inspirational role model to every single child he met. His musical genius enabled us to reach out and engage even the most challenging cases. With Fergal as a wingman you felt invincible. He was so kind, funny, trustworthy, reliable and inspiring.
Fergal always made every child feel at ease with his effortlessly laid back manner. He mesmerised them with his piano playing, made them laugh, got them on side and pushed them to be the best they could be.
Arts Insight are eternally indebted to him for all of his amazing compositions which we proudly use to this day. His music always has such an impact at every school we take it to and we are honoured and blessed to be able to share his music for years to come.
Board of Trustees
We're led by a dedicated, experienced and voluntary board of trustees. They oversee the activity of the charity to guide our decision-making on strategic issues and hold us to account for our leadership.
Selected for their expertise and energy, our trustees all give their time for free.
James Adam
Chair
Helen Black
Trustee
Michael Macvie
Trustee
Patrons & Ambassadors
Experienced professionals from numerous fields, our patrons & ambassadors support the mission of Arts Insight to keep the arts alive in schools. Offering their name, platform and experience to raise awareness of this work and ensure the charity can continue to benefit the largest numbers of children across the UK.
If you would like to find out more about becoming a patron we would love to hear from you. Please email our artistic director: laura.berridge@arts-insight.com.
Katie Posner
Patron
We have known Katie for a long time, and are delighted that she officially became a patron on the 1st September 2019. Katie is the newly appointed joint artistic director of Paines Plough, was previously associate director for Pilot Theatre and has worked extensively for York Theatre Royal.
“I have always admired the work that Laura (Artistic Director of Arts Insight) does with children and I am delighted to be joining the charity as a patron. The work they do is absolutely essential in teaching skills that young people can use beyond the classroom and throughout their lives.