Glasgow Connected Arts Network CIC improves health, wellbeing and future prospects within the city by supporting a strong, capable and confident participatory arts sector.
Glasgow Connected Arts Network CiC is invested in encouraging and maintaining public engagement, awareness and understanding of Participatory Arts in Glasgow. We facilitate skills and resource sharing, and the exchange of ideas, offering our Members and the wider community access to invaluable training, partnership and networking opportunities.
With a Membership growing weekly; we encourage collaboration and connection between artists and communities across Glasgow, and support projects which seek to reach and engage new audiences. We aim to increase participation and learning in arts projects, to promote and advance the economic, social and cultural development of Glasgow, and reflect the diverse communities within it.
DIVERSE REPRESENTATION
We support work which celebrates and recognises our differences and promotes equality and inclusion; with the aim to increase access to the arts for marginalised communities. We support and encourage projects which specifically involves work with groups including but not limited to: Refugees & Asylum Seekers, the LBGT+ community, young people, women’s groups, the elderly, and those with ill health or disabilities.
REACH
We support work which extends the reach of Artists and Organisations to communities which do not have adequate access to the arts. This may be due to isolation, geography, socio-economic status and other barriers. The projects and members we support must have a focus on participation, sharing learning with others. By working together as a creative community we will develop guidelines, share learning and reach communities where there is low provision of creative activity.
CONNECT
We seek to bring people together to promote and develop Participatory Arts. We will actively support Artists and Organisations to work with each other and communities through partnership initiatives. Work which have a clear plan to share learning and information are particularly encouraged.
Our regular Connect networking events and Training Programme offer opportunities for practitioners and organisations to meet with each other, share ideas and to find ways of working together to benefit communities across Glasgow.
Our Team
Graham McLaren
Interim Executive Director
Graham McLaren is a theatre maker and cultural leader. As well as leading theatre companies of different sizes, he has produced, directed and designed over seventy productions across four continents, ranging from totally improvised and devised shows to classical plays. Between 2011 and 2016 he was Associate Director for the newly established, National Theatre of Scotland. In 2021, he completed his tenure, successfully transforming the programming model and structure of the Abbey Theatre, Dublin in his role as joint CEO of Ireland’s National Theatre.
Jade Sturrock
Membership & Communications Coordinator
Jade joined Glasgow CAN since 2019 and is responsible for coordinating the membership programme and Glasgow CAN communications. She is a Glasgow based arts professional with over 5 years experience working with creative & community organisations. Jade has a particular interest in Arts development, promoting arts accessibility and supporting the creative community by connecting people with creative experiences.
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Cat Gilmore
Youth Arts Coordinator
Cat joined Glasgow CAN in 2020 and runs the Young Emerging Artists Programme (YEAP) which incorporates The Bold Collective, GCAN’s Youth Arts strand. Cat previously worked as a Producer & Project Manager across Scotland with National Arts Companies, Arts & Literature festivals, and theatres for over 10 years. Cat is passionate about amplifying the voices of young people, championing the cross-over between creative delivery & mental well-being.
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Our Board
Alison Sommerville
Chair
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Jane Gordon
Jane has worked in the arts and charity sectors in Glasgow for nearly three decades as an executive director, producer and more recently in non-executive roles with Children’s Classic Concerts, Relationships Scotland Glasgow, the Bearsden Festival Association and GCAN, supporting artists, practitioners and organisations to promote creativity and wellbeing.
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Greer Pester
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Rachel Aisling Smith
Rachel’s performing arts career spans over two decades as a performer, choreographer, director, producer, lecturer and participatory arts practitioner. In recent years she was Director of Strategy at Aerial Edge, Glasgow’s Circus School and Artistic Director of Toonspeak from 2015-2018. Rachel has been a Director of Glasgow Connected Arts Network since its inception.
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Darshan Kundi
I work in Finance and Accounting and have over 20 years experience in this area, having worked across a range of industries. I have been involved with GCAN since Oct 2020.
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