Timothy Ellis. Director

Timothy Ellis didn’t really fit in at school – he spent most of his maths lessons in the sound proofed music rooms. His parents made him join cubs and then the choir, and he rebelled against both – although looking back he knows his time spent touring and performing with a collegiate choir was actually a good grounding in music. His first public performance was playing the spinet at the age of 12. As soon as possible, Ellis sold the trumpet to buy a bass guitar and moved away from formally taught music and towards experimental collaboration – eventually founding the seminal multi media group, Jackdaw with Crowbar, in 1980. The group were pioneers in the field of audio visual performance embarking on numerous European tours, recordings and radio sessions.

Having spent over ten years teaching music, media and sound in schools and colleges Ellis became disillusioned with the education system, and sought something new and exciting. He set about challenging the status quo through the creation of user led community media studios around Warwickshire. This led to the original idea to create Hybrid Arts, a new species of education provider in the cultural industries.

In 2007 Ellis’s achievements were recognised by the Royal Society of the Arts (RSA). Ellis was invited to become a Fellow of the organisation, which works towards removing the barriers to social progress. The insight and expertise of the Fellows play a crucial role in both the development and application of new thinking. Fellows are invited for their achievements and contribution to the arts and society.

Stella Carr. Director

Practice

Following a Foundation in Art at Liverpool Polytechnic and Graphic Design and Illustration BA at Kingston Polytechnic, in the early 1980’s. Carr worked with clients like Spitting Image, Willy Wear, Swatch, Marks & Spencer, The British Museum, Common Ground and the Ecology Gallery. Carr’s artistic practice has included graphic, textile, exhibition design and landscape sculpture – this took her on a three-month secondment in Brazil funded by The Royal Botanic Gardens Kew in 1989, commissioned to work as an artist alongside anthropologists and botanists. Awarded a fellowship from The Zibby Garrnett Foundation, Lincon University in 2000, Carr studied the interface between art and horticulture at Jardins de Métis and international Festival Of Art in the Garden. Carr’s practice has been recognised in publications, commissions and exhibitions. Carrs current work is focused on drawing audiences to read contemporary landscapes in ecological, socio-political and horticultural terms.

Education

Carr taught in higher education and arts development between 1984-2002. It is through this practice that she became aware that young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, often with a wider life experience than their peers, were a minority in mainstream arts education – yet if they did progress to further and higher education they frequently had a creative edge on their peers. Through these observations Carr co-founded Hybrid Arts in 2003.

Gemma Corden. Writer & Researcher

After completing a BA in English, Corden dabbled in freelance writing for a variety of cultural organisations, including Channel 4’s IDEASFactory, before finding Hybrid Arts – where she has been Writing & Researching (and nobly keeping post-it notes in fashion) for four inspirational years. In her spare time, Corden writes short fiction (and foists it upon patient loved ones). Her mission is…well, she hasn’t quite got that far yet.

And the rest

Likes to do things in lists, considers herself an exemplary tea drinker, spends most of her life on buses, hordes cheap jewellery and has a somewhat sordid love of Berol pens.

Favourite boy hero

Tintin – the perky quiff, the impeccable manners – just what you need in a crisis.

James Braddell. Board Member

James Braddell is an accomplished musician and filmmaker, known as Funki Porcini. He spent ten years in Italy making music for film and television. In 1994 he returned to the UK, signing to independent record label, Ninja Tune, and setting up his own studio in Warwickshire. He has  recently  been working on diverse projects encompassing music, film and animation, and has collaborated with  writer/director Tony Grisoni on two film scores; Syncing and The Pizza Miracle.

Mandy Elliot. Board Member

Mandy Elliot has followed a career in environmental science and community development. Through leading community arts projects with British Waterways, Elliot has developed models of best practice in engaging and empowering excluded young people through creative and constructive activity. She brings an understanding of grass roots led community development to Hybrid Arts.