Leona at a DaDaFest Advisors meeting, photo by Brian Roberts
DaDaFest Advisors is a new group launching in 2020 and recruiting now – it is an advisory panel for young people aged 18-35 that will provide a home for lively debate on the future of disability art, be champions for progress and keep DaDaFest and the wider arts sector on their toes.
With applications to join the cohort currently open until 3 March, get to know team-member, Leona!
Leona joined the Young Leaders group in 2019 and has been part of the working group overseeing their evolution into DaDaFest Advisors. For Leona, it has been a transformative experience:
“I have learnt how to be a leader in the arts and have a voice.”
Because DaDaFest invests in the professional development of our advisors, Leona had the opportunity to undertake Digital Marketing work experience in a national charity as part of her membership. She told us she was able to take away real skills and valuable experience, that it meant a lot to her to be valued by the host organisation, treated as a trusted member of the team and given actual responsibility:
“I learnt so much on the job, much better than other placements I have had where you just follow people around. I did a placement at school but it wasn’t 100% what I wanted to do - it was great that at DaDaFest I got to do exactly what I was interested in.”
DaDaFest is also funding Leona to attend an intensive drawing course to develop her artistic practice. She is currently studying ICT at college and has found she enjoys the creative elements of the course the most. She is now hoping to move into animation:
“I would like to access higher education. I have a plan in place for the next few years and DaDaFest is helping me to get the right skills in place.”
On top of her individual development, Leona spoke about the benefits of being part of a team and collaborating with her fellow advisors through monthly meetings and other activities:
“We’re a fun, relaxed team but everybody is focussed. We have a lot of shared values and we respect each other. It’s been brilliant, I feel really motivated, I feel like we have influence.
As a DaDaFest Advisor, you can bring about the change that needs to be made.”
DaDaFest Advisors (left to right): Helen, Lewis, Leona, Bethany, Jordan
We had a great time chatting to Leona, and are always grateful for the DaDaFest Advisors’ insights.
Apply by 3 March, and maybe this could be you! Read more about the opportunity and criteria here: https://www.dadafest.co.uk/advisors
Contact us here to let us know you are interested:
https://forms.gle/Ex7sZodJNSVKFZ6s9
You can also contact us via phone or text on 07474 019 698 or by emailing artistdevelopment@dadafest.co.uk.