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The board
Circomedia is the trading name of the Academy for Contemporary Circus and Physical Theatre. All Board members are trustees of the charity, number 1056852, and directors of the limited company, registration 2928738. All are appointed as individuals and not as representatives of any other organisation. Their jobs are listed for information only.
We are currently recruiting new board members! Find out more here
Andy Hay – Co-Chair of the Board
Andy originally trained as a drama teacher before becoming an actor for Theatre-In-Education companies and later joining Oldham Coliseum Theatre’s ensemble. After two years at the Coliseum and with several TV and radio credits under his belt he joined Manchester’s Contact Theatre ensemble as an actor, musician, and director. There followed nearly 20 years as an Associate Director of Nottingham Playhouse, Artistic Director of Bolton Octagon Theatre and Artistic Director of Bristol Old Vic. Andy has been a television director since 2000 working on shows including Waking The Dead, The Musketeers, Dickensian, Lucky Man and more recently The Last Kingdom and All Creatures Great and Small.
I was Artistic Director of Bristol Old Vic when the always inventive and bold circus company Fool Time metamorphosed into the ever adventurous and groundbreaking Circomedia. The passion, sheer determination, commitment and fierce energy of its co-founders was breathtaking – it was hard not to be swept up by it. The legacy of their vision and the reverberations of their founding spirit is still manifest in Portland Square and the Kingswood Studios sites of Circomedia. In the short time I’ve been a trustee it’s very clear the Board, Executive Officers and staff are always ready to support and nurture the brilliant talents which walk through our portals every day.
Melissa Manuel
Melissa has almost 20 years experience working in higher education and three decades as a performer in a variety of disciplines, most prominently as a professional aerialist and circus artist. Melissa studied at various performing arts schools in Canada, including Ecole Nationale du Cirque (ENC), along with other well-known organizations in the UK, US, and China. She opened the first pole and aerial studio in Qatar in 2013 and a pole and aerial studio in Saudi Arabia in 2019, leaving behind a thriving pole studio. She now co-owns an aerial studio in Canada and teaches and performs worldwide.
As a leader in higher education, Melissa takes initiative to devise and deliver academic infrastructure that meets today’s need and sets the foundation for future initiatives. As an active board member of multiple associations, she is well‐equipped to develop a robust infrastructure focused on best practice, data-informed decision making, and innovative future readiness. Melissa is also enrolled in her doctorate degree where her research areas pertain to organizational behavior and culture, leadership, and higher education management where she has been able to translate my own research interests into tangible outcomes for organizations.
“I am honoured and absolutely thrilled to join the Circomedia board. Working with Circomedia represents the intersection of my work in circus and in higher education, and I am excited for the opportunity to contribute to Circomedia’ s growth and success. I have passion for building communities and I deeply value institutions that support human artistic capacity, academic excellence, and providing safe environments for individuals from all backgrounds and needs. I look forward to the opportunity to collaborate with my colleagues and support Circomedia’ s incredible journey.”
Mark Panay
Mark Panay is a seasoned entrepreneur, investor, and innovator with over three decades of experience in pioneering digital platforms and fostering community-focused initiatives. As the co-founder of Simpleweb, Mark has been instrumental in launching over 100 projects, many of which prioritise ethical technology and social impact.
Rubba Stephenson
Rubba is a distinguished practitioner of Traditional African Dance with over 47 years’ experience, during which he has been at the forefront of the development of the art form across the UK. Having co-founded two highly acclaimed dance companies, Ekome Arts and Adzido pan African Dance Ensemble, Rubba now leads his own freelance company Afidance and is passionate about promoting health, wellbeing and cultural education through traditional African dance and drumming.
I am honoured to have been invited to be part of Circomedia as I am from the immediate community of St Paul’s where they are based. I am excited to be part of the important work that this organisation is providing for aspiring circus and theatre performers. Through my involvement with Circomedia I am driven to enlist more students from the local community that do not normally get the opportunity to make a career from circus skills and theatre.
Afidance
Laura Tanner – Co-Chair of the Board
Laura Tanner is a Performer, NHS Arts & Music Project Manager and Educator. A classical musician by trade, with over 20 years’ experience as a creative educator, from Early Years to Conservatoire level. Laura has a keen interest in inclusive practice, the provision of high quality employment opportunities for creatives, and performer health and wellbeing.
Serving on a board is a new challenge for me. It is hugely exciting to be part of a cultural organisation where education, from youth circus through to Masters level, is placed front and centre. We are so fortunate to have Circomedia in Bristol. I feel extremely privileged to be able to support the provision of cutting edge circus and physical theatre in the city I call home.
