Cockpit Team
As a Customer First organisation our approach is friendly and professional. We supplement our knowledge and know-how with regular input from other leading specialists and industry figures and have worked with: Metropolitan Works, Crafts Council, Clarion Events, CreateKX, Innovation Central, Own It, ECCA and Modus Operandi, Tatty Devine, Nicole Bachmann, Kate Blee, Emma Bridgewater, Margo Selby, Ross Urwin (Liberty) and Dorothy Hogg to name but a few.
Chief Executive, Vanessa Swann FRSA, MInstF, PgCertBA
Vanessa was appointed Chief Executive of Cockpit Arts in 2002. Since then she has transformed the organisation from a managed workspace to a creative-business incubator, actively supporting and promoting designer-makers. She has considerable experience of working with, and for, designers and designer-makers and is a spokesperson and commentator on the sector. In 2011 she was awarded the Arts & Business Garrett Award for outstanding achievement in the encouragement of business support for the arts. She was previously the Deputy Director of the Design Museum and Director of the Commissioning Service at Contemporary Applied Arts. Prior to this she headed the RSA Art for Architecture scheme.
Head of Business Development, Ellen O’Hara
Ellen joined the Cockpit team in 2006 and has overall responsibility for Cockpit Arts’ business and professional development services. She has worked with over 300 designer-makers to grow their businesses. Ellen is an accredited business coach and holds a degree in Economics from the University of Birmingham and a postgraduate diploma in administrative management. She heads Cockpit Arts’ sector research projects and is a commentator on issues relating to designer-maker businesses. Ellen previously worked for The Princes Trust, Arts Council England and Andersen management consultancy.
Business Development Manager, Lucy Kyle
Lucy provides specialist training and one-to-one coaching in the areas of marketing, selling and business planning. Lucy is an accredited coach, adviser and trainer specialising in developing creative businesses and previously worked for 5 years at CIDA (Cultural Industries Development Agency) in East London. Lucy has a post graduate diploma in Marketing and previously held several senior marketing positions in the music and live events industry, both in the UK and Australia.
Business Information Manager, Emma Thatcher
Emma coordinates the Making It workshops and seminars as well as the one-to-one coaching sessions and toolkits. She also manages the Making It blog and e-newsletter for designer-makers. She is a designer-maker herself, with several years experience in organising arts events, projects, workshops and training. As an accredited Business Information Advisor she works closely with both the Cockpit Arts’ businesses and an extended designer-maker network to plan and deliver the programme.
Studio Manager at Cockpit Arts – Deptford, Beckie Kingman
Beckie is the friendly face of Cockpit Arts Deptford – managing the studios and office facilities and handling the application process. An experienced administrator, Beckie has worked in the private, public and voluntary sectors. She also works freelance for four UK charities and is a parent governor of a local school.
Studio Manager at Cockpit Arts – Holborn, Adrian Lee
Adrian is the friendly face of Cockpit Arts Holborn – managing the studios and office facilities and handling the application process. A practicing artist and the co-founder of successful contemporary art website Artvehicle, he has been in the business of facilities management for many years, running his own studio and overseeing two central London language schools.
Head of PR & Marketing, Josie Ballin
Josie works closely with Cockpit Arts’ designer-makers on devising high-profile PR campaigns and events that keep talent at Cockpit Arts in the spotlight. A design fanatic, she has a BA in Design Studies from Nottingham Trent University and an MA in Design Studies from Central Saint Martins. Josie joined the team at Cockpit in 2008 having worked in PR and Marketing with brands that include Agent Provocateur and Liberty and for creative organisations such as D&AD and Iniva.
Development Manager, Sally Dodson
Sally is responsible for a wide range of fundraising and earned income activities at Cockpit Arts including managing the Friends scheme, venue hire and tours. Sally trained as a jeweller at London Guildhall University and then worked at the Crafts Council for seven years followed by four years at The Goldsmiths’ Company where she coordinated the annual Goldsmiths’ Fair event. She is also currently the Administrator of the Heritage Crafts Association 2 days a week.