Meet the Artsmark team

Naomi Dent
Senior Manager, Artsmark

Naomi holds us all together, aiming to make sure Artsmark is the best it can be and is always looking for ways we can continue to develop and improve the programme. Naomi has worked with young people, for over 10 years in a variety of settings looking for creative ways to inspire learning and fulfilment. Whenever possible she enjoys visiting Artsmark schools and outside of work widening and developing her own artistic practice – predominantly in painting. 
 

Kathryn Welford
Senior Officer, Artsmark Development

Kathryn leads on our development work, managing projects and initiatives which inform how Artsmark can develop and improve to best serve our schools. This often involves research and targeted work, looking at how Artsmark can address inequity of access to arts and cultural education for children and young people and broadening the reach of Artsmark to more diverse schools and communities. Kathryn has worked within the cultural sector for over 25 years, leading learning teams within visual arts and heritage organisations and is a qualified primary school teacher.  

Heloise Davies
Senior Officer, Artsmark Operations

Heloise looks after the operational delivery of Artsmark, working with colleagues and Goldsmiths University to ensure that a school’s Artsmark journey is a smooth and positive experience. Heloise is an experienced Arts Council employee having previously worked in the Music and Music Education teams in the Midlands. She is deeply committed to equality of opportunity for all children and young people. Outside of work she is a School Governor. 

Carrie Holloway
Senior Communications Officer, Artsmark and CEN

Carrie looks after our website, social media channels, termly newsletters and all things comms and marketing for both Artsmark and the Cultural Education Network. Carrie enjoys finding new and exciting ways to raise Artsmark’s profile and share the brilliant work our schools do far and wide. With over 10 years communications experience across the education, arts and culture sector, she’s passionate about creating ambitious and accessible marketing and communications. 

Jenny Clarke
Communications Officer, Artsmark

Jenny also looks after our website, social media channels, newsletters and delivers our marketing campaigns. What she enjoys most about her role is being able to share the brilliant work of our Artsmark schools far and wide, inspiring others to join the programme. Jenny has over 20 years marketing experience, half of which has been in the cultural education sector and is our longest-serving member of the Artsmark team, having first worked on the programme back in 2012. 

Grace Bute
Officer, Artsmark Development

Grace supports on our development work, providing support with managing projects and initiatives which inform how Artsmark can develop and improve to best serve our schools. She also supports the day-today running of the Artsmark programme focusing on ways we can embed findings from our research and targeted work. Grace loves to get out and about visiting our schools to see first-hand the exciting and innovating work they do. Grace’s background is in theatre performance and socially engaged art practice. She is passionate about the power of creativity and it’s transformative impact it can have on the lives of children and young people. 

Jodie Maher, 
Officer, Artsmark

Jodie supports the day-to-day running of the Artsmark programme, providing support to schools on their Artsmark journeys and working with our team of expert assessors to maintain a fair and robust assessment process. She says: “The best part about this job is getting to read about all of the exceptional and exciting things happening in Artsmark schools when processing submissions”. Jodie’s background is in dance performance and teaching and she is passionate about the importance of equitable access to high quality arts and cultural education for all children and young people.

Pippa Wood
Officer, Artsmark

Pippa focuses on the day to day running of the Artsmark Award, providing information, advice and guidance to support schools on their Artsmark journey. Pippa enjoys helping schools to make the most of their Artsmark journey, so that it benefits the whole school and enables children and young people to have the opportunity to access art and creativity at their schools. Having worked as a librarian in education for over 20 years, Pippa works hard to support inclusive education, removing barriers to enable children and young people to achieve their potential.