Treasurer, Trustee

Iain Colquhoun works as an IT Consultant in International Finance working with clients

across the world. Currently based in the UK has given Iain time to join the Mayfield Festival

Chorus, a choir that performs concerts two to three times per year with music from the

classical repertoire. Iain works as a steward at several local artistic and cultural

organisations including the Tunbridge Wells International Music Competition, Hever Festival Theatre at Hever Castle and the Tunbridge Wells Puppetry Festival.

Trustee

Russell Dean is artistic director of mask and puppet company Strangeface. Recent work includes The Hit, funded by The Wellcome Trust and Eli and the Golem.

Other collaborations include Vamos Theatre (Dead Good, The Boy on the Roof), Trestle Theatre Company (Bitter Fruit, Blood and Roses, Adventures of the Stoneheads ,Tonight We Fly), making theThatcher puppet for Billy Elliot and masks for Channel 4, ITV, Scottish Opera and the RSC. Russell has designed a range of Strangeface mask sets, which sell internationally. His interest in human cognition led him to deliver the popular TEDx talk Puppets and Perception.

Local to Tunbridge Wells he has run many puppetry and mask workshops in schools as well as working on projects with West Kent Mind, Age UK and Demelza and Ellenor Hospices.

Trustee

Marina is a professional arts fundraiser with over twenty years experience raising funds for arts and cultural charities, and currently Deputy Development Director at English National Opera. She has also worked at the Royal Opera House, Lyric Hammersmith, Polka Theatre and the Orange Tree Theatre (where she is now a Trustee).

Trustee

Charlotte is a freelancer both within the theatre industry and as a corporate events producer. An actor-musician, she trained at Arts Ed and has performed on stages from the West End to the Sydney Opera House, as well as touring the UK. Charlotte was a puppeteer in the finale parade at the Queen’s 90th birthday ‘Patron’s Lunch’. Event clients have included UK Finance, Ofsted and Bates Wells LLP and she also regularly works for The Little Angel Theatre and Kings Place. Charlotte plays viola for the Whitehall Orchestra and the charity fundraising Amici Orchestra and is an associate artist for Certain Dark Things theatre company.

Chair

Bethan studied Acting and Community Theatre at East 15 Acting School, where she trained in arts participation and facilitation. Through her studies she was introduced to Puppetry, Commedia del Arte, and prop and puppet making, which has greatly shaped her practise and career.

Since graduation Bethan went on to train as a mask maker with Strangeface Theatre company. She has had a weird and wonderful career working as a mask and puppet maker, Actor, Youth Worker, Arts facilitator, PRU Educator, Youth Theatre Director, and Community Arts Producer.  Bethan has now been a Kent based community arts practitioner for nearly 15 years, with a specialty in youth work and making. She has extensive knowledge of the curriculum, local school system and community based arts practices, and is passionate about providing access to arts for our community.

Trustee

Wendy moved over from Melbourne, Australia eight years ago and settled in Kent with her family.  She studied at the University of Melbourne obtaining a Bachelor in Education in the Visual Arts, majoring in Textile Design and since then has held progressive positions working within the Australian fashion industry in garment and handbag production for iconic Australian Retail companies.

Since relocating to the UK, Wendy has worked in Administration Management for a high-end furniture company based within Tunbridge Wells. Her vision is to bring the community back into Tunbridge Wells through the Arts.

Co-Director

Alison has been Co-Director of Tunbridge Wells Puppetry Festival since Linda Lewis retired in 2020 and has loved seeing the enjoyment the festival brings to everyone involved. She can’t wait to put on another festival this year with Hayley.

Currently Alison is the PR Manager for The Festival Theatre at Hever Castle and Trinity Theatre and is a LAMDA and Speech Bubbles Drama practitioner.

Co-Director

Hayley is a passionate creative professional with over 25 years’ experience in the arts and culture. Over the past thirteen years she has worked as a freelance arts marketing and PR consultant, producer and programmer across the performing and visual arts and heritage sectors. Recent clients have included the Barbican, Young Vic, National Theatre, National Gallery, Chiswick House & Gardens and the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich. 

Hayley has worked on the Tunbridge Wells Puppetry Festival since the inaugural Festival in 2015 and is truly passionate about puppetry.