We connect communities through vibrant, innovative art and culture.
Founded in 2018, and officially a CIC in 2020, we make art accessible to everyone and support the artistic practice and expression of people of the global majority, with a focus on refugee and migrant communities.
We are committed to working with everyone, regardless of their background. Our focus is on Greater Manchester and the North West of England. As of 2023, we are an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation.
We are committed to working with everyone, regardless of their background. Our focus is on Greater Manchester and the North West of England. As of 2023, we are an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation.
Our values
We work with all art forms. Our work is rooted in community: we create space for people to share their experiences, stories, and culture, if they wish to.
We strive to create an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued, whilst recognising that discrimination can manifest in various forms, including: gender, race, class, disability, etc. We work across and beyond the boundaries of language.
We strive to create an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued, whilst recognising that discrimination can manifest in various forms, including: gender, race, class, disability, etc. We work across and beyond the boundaries of language.
Meet the team
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
CORE TEAM
Fereshteh Mozaffari, Artistic Director & CEOFereshteh is a writer, theatre maker, and the founder and Artistic Director of Sheba Arts. With a background in political journalism in Iran, she started a new life in the UK as an artist and cultural activist. Her short stories and plays have been published in Persian and English. She has made three solo shows and directed two participatory theatre productions.
"Sharing my story onstage changed my life. There are millions of stories that need to be told. By sharing our narratives, we will become the facilitators of change." |
Nuria López de la Oliva, Executive ProducerNuria is originally from Spain and has lived in Manchester for the past decade. She holds an MA in Contemporary Curating from the Manchester School of Art, and a Sociology Degree from Complutense University of Madrid. Nuria is an advocate for human rights, diversity and equity and believes arts and culture are powerful tools for social change.
"As a migrant myself, I faced many barriers in the UK cultural sector. That is why, when I was asked to join Sheba Arts in 2019, I didn't doubt it for a second. I knew an organisation like us was needed to represent refugee migrant creatives and communities in Greater Manchester". Nuria is the founder of the artist film programme MIRA Film Nights, which showcases the work of underrepresented artists in the region. She has also worked with many local organisations and cultural venues such as HOME, the Portico Library, the Lowry, Asia Triennial Manchester, ArtReach and Paradise Works. She has taken part in international curatorial residencies and curated exhibitions in Spain and Portugal. |
Lauren Aitken, Admin & Coordinator
Lauren (she/they) is a queer woman based in Manchester but originally from Nottingham. She studied modern foreign languages at university, specialising in 'postcolonial' Algerian and Mozambican literature and surrealism, and spent a year at the Universite des Antilles where she studied creole and Caribbean history.
They are also a dancer currently focusing on vogueing, and Afro-Brazilian and carnival dance, and studied a year-long carnival arts dance course with Global Grooves. She has extensive experience as a stage manager and producer in grassroots and community theatre.
They are also a dancer currently focusing on vogueing, and Afro-Brazilian and carnival dance, and studied a year-long carnival arts dance course with Global Grooves. She has extensive experience as a stage manager and producer in grassroots and community theatre.
Emma Dudley, Finance Manager Jasmine Gardner, Project Coordinator for the Haideh & Nejad project
Emma (they/them) was born and raised in Lancashire. They studied Accounting & Finance at the University of Chester, where they met their wife. They are a proud adoptive parent to two brothers, and is passionate about advocating for members of the LGBTQ+ Community. Emma has a varied work experience, and has worked in finance in various industries, such as Retail and Broadcasting.
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Jasmine (she/her) joins us as Creative & Digital Coordinator of our Heritage Lottery Funded 'Haideh and Nejad' project, which will work with Iranian and Kurdish communities to explore the legacy of the founders of the Iranian National Ballet. Having been born in China and adopted into a white family from Essex, UK, from a very young age, exploration of cultural identity has been an ongoing subject in both her artistic and academic studies. In her art practice, she pairs her BA in Fine Art and Art History and MA By Research with contemporary sociological issues to create an interdisciplinary body of work which adopts traditional Chinese craft and art forms. She applies her research degree and lived experience when engaging and working with local artists through her Greater Manchester-based arts information hub, HappeningInMCR, to create a genuine inclusive space for creatives alike.
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VOLUNTEERS & TRAINEES
Milana Bout, Marketing AssistantMilana grew up in a family of musicians so it was inevitable that from a young age, she became interested in music and started to learn how to play the flute. Also, she is interested in creative activities like making origami and cards, dance and art. Advocating for mental health is another important aspect of her life as she knows from personal experience, the difficulty of leading a normal life while experiencing mental health problems. That is why she wants to study Psychology at University but she is experiencing some barriers like not being able to get a student loan because of her status.
Yet, she actively works on overcoming this barrier and also helping other young people in a similar situation. Currently, she finds joy in volunteering for different organisations and trying new tasks and responsibilities. Amir Khojeini, Trainee AccountantAmir is a motivated AAT Level 3 Student in Accounting, with a strong foundation in accounting principles and practical experience in utilising software like Sage 50 and QuickBooks.
He has been a trainee at Sheba Arts since November 2023 and he is eager to apply his academic knowledge in a professional environment and gain experience as an accountant. |
PROJECT STAFF & FREELANCE TEAM
Maryam AlsaeidMaryam is a poet, performance artist, facilitator and pharmacist. She was one of the artists who received a commission from Sheba Arts to create a spoken word video for our festival (available on our YouTube channel). She was a member of our co-training programme offered to 8 artists and community activists from Greater Manchester. The programme designed to enhance knowledge and skills on project management, digital skills, live streaming on social media, web design and other area of community work. Maryam was invited to join our freelance team.
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Beena NouriBeena is a visual artist and designer who is passionate about representing and highlighting the plight of refugee people through her art. She recently graduated with a Masters in Architecture from MMU where she was focusing on the design of refugee housing and the relocation of refugees within the UK. In 2019, she received a commission to create a painting for our Celebrating Diversity Festival. She then took part in our co-training programme and became a valuable member of Sheba Arts. In 2023, Beena was Lead Artist for our Creating Place project with the Turnpike Gallery, Leigh.
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Amang MardokhyAmang is a visual artist, photographer and filmmaker based in Stockport. He was born in Kurdistan where he trained as an artist. He graduated with a BA in Fine Arts from Manchester Metropolitan University in 2012 and was awarded the Ken Billany prize for his outstanding work. Find more of Amang's work here .
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ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE
Naomi Kalu
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Naomi Kalu is Sheba Arts' Talent Development Artist for 2023 - 2024. We've had the privilege of collaborating with Naomi for a number of years now. Naomi is a twenty year-old National Champion boxer and singer who plays the guitar, piano, and drums. She has composed original tracks for various Sheba Festivals , and performed with the Hamza Ensemble at Sheba Fest 22. You can read Naomi's full biography and get to know more about her on her Talent Development Page.
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