The Mr Holly rise to world domination began here...

I trained as a primary school teacher with a drama specialism and after several years doing bits of performing and teaching (whilst working in a very cool ticket shop) I started working as the Education & Outreach Officer at Trinity Arts Centre in Gainsborough, which included running the Youth Theatre. I then undertook a similar role for 2 arts centres run by the same local authority, South Kesteven District Council, in Grantham & Stamford. After that I did a stint as Lincolnshire’s Arts Education Co-ordinator, the first such role in the East Midlands and then in 2004 I went to run Lincoln Drill Hall, a refurbished arts venue that was just opening.

Lincoln Drill Hall opened in 2004 and was initially run by the City of Lincoln Council and I was the venue’s first Manager. In 2010 I helped oversee its transformation to an independent registered charity and became the Director. During this time the venue was staging around 400 events per year and became a key arts organisation in the city, county and the region and also became the lead member of a partnership of 5 county venues that together became one of Arts Council England’s only collaborative National Portfolio Organisations. These 5 venues along with 5 other county venues, together formed the successful network that was known as LOV, Lincolnshire One Venues, that went on to run a large and ambitious project for engaging young people, funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation & the Esmee Fairburn Foundation.

During my time at the Drill Hall I also worked for the Arts Council as an Artsmark Validator and a Safeguarding Advisor and in April 2013, at my request, my role at the Drill Hall changed to Creative Director, a part-time role, focusing on programming, participation and overall artistic direction. During the two years I undertook this role I was also able to begin undertaking some part-time freelance work and in Summer 2015 the success of this work led me to take the decision to leave the venue and pursue a fully freelance career.

Alongside my freelance producing work I was a proud trustee of Lincolnshire’s Zest Theatre for 8 years and from 2016 to 2022 I was an equally proud trustee of the stunning dance & digital media company Tom Dale Company . In 2021 I was delighted to join the Advisory Board of the brilliant MBD in Leicester.