hello and welcome

My name is Fay. I produce work across the arts and facilitate conversations that drive change, enable creativity and bring joy. It is lovely to meet you.

about me

I am a creative producer and a facilitator. I bring a decade of experience within the arts and culture sector, with a background as a soprano, project manager and Creative Producer (Opera & Music-Theatre) for Britten Pears Arts, and most recently as an Inclusion Consultant in my role as Senior Delivery Lead for Tonic.

Examples of recent work: include facilitating conversations on inclusive casting for the Royal Opera House, giving strategic artistic support for the European Network of Opera Academies, producing shows for the Aldeburgh Festival and managing an R&D process for the Royal Opera House. As well as my inclusion expertise benefitting my creative life, it allows me to work as a changemaker for the sector. I aim to create positive change wherever I go with the ultimate goal of demystifying and increasing access to the arts.

I practise the art of connecting the dots between creative teams, creative vision, on point project management, a budget and a deadline. If this is what your project, show or programme needs, I'd be happy to hear from you!
My approach to facilitation is built on a foundation of care, communication and respect.
Whether managing change processes within cultural organisations, bringing groups together to cohere around a future plan, or chairing a panel discussion, there is joy to be found in the process.
Work on inclusion is embedded in all aspects of my practice. Building on my work as Senior Associate and former Senior Delivery Lead for Tonic, I can support you on any changemaking work surrounding inclusion: from devising and delivering training to the implementation of an EDI Strategy.

portfolio

Insurrection: A Work in Progress

A new opera in development with the Royal Opera House. Insurrection centres Barbadian folk song within our current structures, artforms and institutions as a tool for resistance and revolution.
Producer / Consultant Producer (2022 - current)
Senior Delivery Lead, Tonic

Read more about Tonic here. My role at Tonic spanned delivery of training and consultancy to the leadership of Tonic Changemakers (a programme for EDI Leads in organisations).
Clients included the Royal Opera House, European Network of Opera Academies, Opera North, The Citizen’s Theatre, Diverse City, Tina! The Tina Turner Musical amongst many others.
(Dec 2020 - July 2024)
75th Aldeburgh Festival: Curlew River

A stand-out cast celebrates the 60th anniversary of Britten’s Curlew River with this new staging in the magnificent setting of Blythburgh Church, the “cathedral of the marshes”.
Producer support (June 2024)
eavesdropping Forum 2024: Opera Today - Failure or Phoenix?

A roundtable with Anna Dennis, Samantha Fernando and Philip Venables as part of the eavesdropping forum themed: ‘Experiments in Failure’.
Panel Chair (April 2024)
International Women's Day 2024

THE DIVA AND THE HAG: AGEISM IN OPERA - a panel discussion. Hosted by the Royal Opera House and the Engender network I chaired a panel featuring Melanie Pappenheim, Nicky Clark and April Koyejo-Audiger discussing ageism in opera.
Panel Chair (March 2024)
Creative Producer Support

Across an 8-year relationship with the European Network of Opera Academies, my unique position allowed me to support them on the artistic strand of the application for the next round EU Commission for 2024 - 2028: Opera Towards Sustainability.
Creative Producer / Consultancy (Autumn 2023)
Beam: Everybody Can Stand In Their Own Light

A multi-media music theatre piece based on the life story of opera singer Nadine Benjamin, using performance to highlight the many ways that trauma affects a life.
Producer/EDI Specialist (2020 - 2021)
Creative Producer, Opera & Music-Theatre and Opera Advisor

In these roles, I held several projects through the challenge of the pandemic: Violet (Coult & Birch), Giant (Angliss & Fahie), Women at Point Zero (El-Turk & Hardy).
My previous roles within the organisation were Producer and Vocal Administrator for the Britten Pears Young Artist Programme.
(Autumn 2016 - Summer 2021)
Constellations of Grief: Mozart's Requiem Undone

New concert opera in development from Bushra El-Turk with LOD muziektheater and Manchester Camerata.
Consultant Producer (since July 2022)
Engender Festival 2023

Engender brunch: Art and Activism
Hosted conversation on this topic with lisa minerva luxx and Juliet Fraser to explore the nuance of combining changemaking work with art.
Panel chair & facilitator (July 2023)
Gobbolino the Witch's Cat

An opera built to strategically develop the family opera genre. Taking the beautiful timeless classic from Ursula Moray Williams to the stage. Gobbolino is the perfect project for anyone looking for audience development in this area. Currently seeking a presenting house!
Consultant Producer (current)