Jane has been Chief Executive and Artistic Director at Norden Farm Centre for the Arts for 12 years, a multi-form venue presenting live music, theatre, dance, comedy and film together with an extensive participatory programme, comprising classes, education and outreach work. The programme includes large scale projects and community festivals and prioritises working with disadvantaged and isolated groups.
Using the arts as a way of bringing people together, promoting social inclusion, understanding and community cohesion has always been central to Jane’s work. Whether as Producer of People Show, where projects included a commission for the Liverpool European Capital of Culture, a community performance in the Botanic gardens, or as Education Officer for The Cholmondeleys and The Featherstonehaughs, managing dance projects like Sportorama, working with 500 young people for the international Dance Umbrella festival, the positive role the arts can play in people’s lives, highlighted so brightly during lockdown, is something Jane feels passionately about.