Delivery Team

Core team


  • Founder and Director

    Laura is the founder of We Make Culture and manages the day-to-day running of the organisation.

    Previously, she has worked at Sunderland Culture as Artist Development and Creative Industries Producer and was the Young People’s Programme Manager at New Writing North, developing their work with young people. She has worked as a consultant at ARC Stockton, Pop Recs and TOWN and she is a trustee of Southwick Reach.

    In 2021 she won a Local Hero Award from Association of Independent Musicians and in 2024 was named as one of the Big Issue’s Top Positive Changemakers 2024.

    Contact: laura@wemakeculture.co.uk


  • Marketing and Impact Officer

    Nadedja is a Brazilian singer, songwriter and musician who moved to North-East England in 2017. She brings a wealth of experience to her new role as Project Coordinator for We Make Culture, with a background in design from the USA/Brazil and Artist Development in the UK, alongside managing her own solo career. As an solo artist, Nadedja has been championed by BBC 6Music and BBC lntroducing, and has recently landed a sync deal with her track ‘Unfold’ featuring on ITV’s Love Island. She headlined the first ‘From the Glasshouse’ concert at Sage Gateshead, supported acts such as Mica Paris and Rose Cousins, as well as festival appearances including Latitude and Dot to Dot.

    Get in touch with Nadedja with administration and marketing questions: nadedja@wemakeculture.co.uk

  • Youth Engagement Officer

    Rafael Bagott is a percussionist, singer, songwriter, and youth worker with a passion for advocacy for young people in music. Previously, he has worked with Skimstone Arts, supporting work with young people through performance opportunities at Ouseburn Festival and Unity Festival. He was involved in recording the album Hidden Worlds, a collaboration with the band Reality Boots and young people from organisations including Jack Drum Arts, TunedIn, The Sound Rooms, The Shieldfield Youth Programme, and old friends from Standing Upright. He also worked for The NewBridge Project, helping with the creation of the new youth music project Shieldfield Sounds. His shift from a career in marine biology to youth music has had a lot of twists and turns, but he is excited to see where it goes next. 

    Contact: rafael@wemakeuculture.co.uk


  • Producer and Programme Lead

    Eddie Scott is a songwriter, musician and artist development lead from Sunderland, he has garnered a reputation as somebody who is extremely passionate about making musical opportunities and career pathways accessible to all, prioritising work that supports young musicians in the North East of England. As a songwriter, Eddie has had his songs played on national TV & Radio, he has toured extensively, both nationally and throughout Europe as a musician, including performances at major festivals such as Glastonbury. His work leading on the Next Steps and Young Musicians Project programmes for We Make Culture has supported artists to write their first songs, release their debut singles, tour for the first time and sign their first deals; this experience has also led Eddie to dip his toe into artist management, where he continues to work independently as a mentor and consultant for emerging artists.

    Get in touch with Eddie with questions about YMP, Next Steps and Lambton Street: eddie@wemakeculture.co.uk


  • Project Producer

    David Brewis is a musician, songwriter and producer from Sunderland. Since 2005, David and his brother Peter have recorded and released over a dozen albums as Field Music, and toured across Europe and North America. At their studio in the city, they have worked on various records for artists including The Futureheads, Paul Smith, Rachel Unthank and Roxy Girls. David has also supported a number of talent development programmes and has provided mentoring and workshop support with organisations such as Brighter Sound, New Writing North and We Make Culture.

    Contact: david@wemakeculture.co.uk


  • Project Producer and Facilitator

    Beccy recently joined the We Make Culture team as Project Producer, after being a group facilitator for our Young Musicians Project for many years. She is a multi-instrumentalist singer/songwriter based in Sunderland with a BA (Hons) in Creative Practice. Beccy performs solo as 'This Little Bird' and also in synthpop duo ‘Chat’, having toured across the UK and Europe. At We Make Culture, she now mentors young people in writing/performing and assists in producing our community music projects.

    Get in touch with Beccy with questions about THRIVE Project and Hendon YMP: beccy@wemakeculture.co.uk

Music leaders


  • YMP Music Leader

    Natasha co-leads our Young Musicians Project, focusing on songwriting and lyrics, and has led the group since its very first session, five years ago. Once a signed singer-songwriter, Natasha supported The Futureheads, Alison Moyet, Jools Holland, Texas, Lucy Rose and many others. Her music was featured on BBC Radio 1, Radio 2 and 6Music. She is now an actor and director. Natasha is passionate about making the Young Songwriters Project a safe space for young people to explore their creativity without the restrictions of exams or marking schemes.


  • YMP Music Leader

    Elizabeth Liddle is a singer/songwriter from County Durham taking inspiration from the sound of the 70s and is also a member of Middlesbrough Funk outfit Moon Wax. She has played festivals alongside artists such as Jake Bugg & Stereophonics as well as supporting the likes of Lindisfarne and Craig Charles Funk and Soul show. Receiving regular radio airplay and praise from BBC Intro North East & Amazing Radio, Elizabeth has performed up and down the country. Alongside this she works as a community musician, delivering workshops in a variety of different settings for various companies such as Musinc, Integrating, Sunderland Music Hub, and now We Make Culture.


  • Project Musician

    Carol Bowden is a musician, performer and educator with a BA (Hons) Degree in Dance, currently studying for a Master's in Community Music Research at York St John University. She is a member of the International Centre of Community Music (ICCM) and a Director of Sound Sense. Carol has been a community musician for over 15 years, working closely with organisations such as Sage Gateshead, The Great North Children's Hospital, North East Autism Society, Children North East and many others.


  • Lambton Street DJ Club Facilitator

    DJ Jamal G is a multi genre DJ/Producer from the North East of England who emerged onto the music scene in 2014. Specialising in RnB, Hip Hop & House, DJ Jamal G instantly started gaining recognition for his works due to his high energy open format DJ sets. It wasn’t long before Jamal rapidly started gaining residency’s in some of the most prestige clubs in Newcastle, such as, ‘Tup Tup’, ‘Jalou’ and ‘Digital’ to name a few.

    Boasting notable production credits from Dappy, Ay Em’ & Noizy’s collaborative “Expensive Touch” to Zones’ “One Mic Freestyle” on GRM Daily; DJ Jamal G has accumulated an impressive 7 million streams on his production.

    He brings a wealth of experience to his role at We Make Culture, leading the Lambton Street DJ Club Project.


  • YMP Music Leader

    Marty is a musician, recording artist and songwriter from Sunderland. He is also a fully qualified Teacher (PGCE) with an MA in English Language & Linguistics, and more recently an Honorary Doctorate from Sunderland University for services to Music and Education in the City of Sunderland. Marty has worked all across the UK, Europe and the USA playing shows, writing & recording songs heard on the likes of BBC 6 Music, Radio 1, Radio 2, and Netflix. Marty loves nothing more than creating and collaborating with like-minded writers, singers and music makers, helping the region's young creatives to achieve their potential.


  • YMP Music Leader

    Robyn is a vocalist with a decade of background in writing, performing and recording music in different bands over the years. After graduating university with a BA Honours in Music, she’s focussed on playing as much as possible as part of bands bigfatbig and PICNIC; these two bands polarise one another in genre but both have succeeded in their own ways. Numerous national radio plays, tours, releases and shows later, Robyn is now excited to play a part in developing the next generation of talent, by transferring this industry experience to young people in the region she is so passionate about.


  • Project Musician

    Ashleigh is a Community Musician and Vocalist from Sunderland. She co-leads our Front Street Songs project, YMP Peer to Peer Project and Thrive project, as well as various other project based activities. Ashleigh has been a Community Musician for many years after studying and graduating from the BA (Hons) Community Music degree at Sage Gateshead. She has also completed a Masters in The Teaching Musicians with London’s Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance.


  • Project Musician

    Bridie Jackson is a composer, performer and creative facilitator, regularly working with organisations such as Jack Drum Arts, New Writing North, Curious Arts and We Make Culture. Whether leading a mixed ability choir of 70+ singers, facilitating creative workshops or teaching songwriting in schools, she aims to bring an ethos of inclusivity, joy and collaboration to her creative projects. As a performer, Bridie is best known from the folk band Bridie Jackson and The Arbour, who received national recognition after winning the 2013 Glastonbury Emerging Talent Contest. She now performs regularly with the Newcastle based duo, Brick.


  • YMP Music Leader

    Holly is a musician, songwriter and music producer with worldwide airplay and support from BBC6 Music, Amazing Radio, BBC Introducing, as well as an impressive touring career, including a 2018 UK tour and a 2019 Canadian tour. Alongside her solo career, Holly is a music producer and mixing engineer, working in a freelance capacity out of Production Room in Newcastle, and her own home studio. Holly is passionate about breaking down the barriers to songwriting and music production, especially for marginalised groups, working as a lead facilitator for the Young Musicians Project at We Make Culture.


  • YMP Music Leader

    Lesley Roley is a singer, songwriter and guitarist based in Gateshead. Since training as a community musician at The Glasshouse, she's been making music with various groups of different ages and abilities. As well as performing her own music, Lesley loves being witness to people's growth and seeing how much of an impact music can have on so many aspects of a person's life. 


  • Project Musician

    Paige Temperley is a musician from the North East of England. She's a performer, writer and music facilitator with a Degree in (BA Hons) Community Music. Paige has worked alongside a number of amazing organisations including We Make Culture, Sage Gateshead, Brighter Sounds & Sunderland Music Hub to deliver various music projects across the North East.


  • Project Musician

    Liz Corney is a musician, songwriter and facilitator delivering projects and commissions with New Writing North, Equal Arts and We Make Culture. Her work includes composing music for WhippetUp CIC and their touring puppet shows, and the Care Home Choir; the songs for which were performed by the Northern Sinfonia Chorus. She has written music with prisoners from HMP Frankland and devised and lead Generators WeCreate songwriting program, among various other projects. As a performer Liz sings with The Cornshed Sisters, who have supported Elbow and The Proclaimers, and played keys for Field Music on their tours in the UK, Europe and the US as well as major UK festivals. She is currently looking forward to releasing her solo project and DJing at more silent discos on the beach! 

Assistant music leaders and Peer leaders

  • Peer Leader - YMP Collective

    Paige Smith first joined the Young Musicians Project after a week long workshop called ‘Gig in a week’, where she wrote her first ever song. At 15, she joined YMP, where she went on to write and teach herself guitar. Paige hopes to continue to work in the arts in various ways using her knowledge and experience of songwriting, gigging and performing. She is very excited to return as a Peer Leader for the YMP collective.


  • Peer Leader - YMP Collective

    Ami McGuinness first joined the Young Musicians Project at 13, where she discovered a love for songwriting and community music that inspired her to teach herself piano and guitar. She has recently graduated from the University of Edinburgh with a First-Class degree in Music, completing two years of community music placements with young people and adults in the local area. Passionate about arts accessibility, Ami hopes to pursue a long-term career in community arts initiatives. She is excited to return to We Make Culture as one of the Peer Leaders for the YMP Collective.


  • Peer Leader - YMP Collective

    Sophie Jackson has been attending the Young Musicians Project for the past two years, she is a multi-instrumentalist and drums in the band Claudia. Sophie is currently studying for her BA in Music Performance at Sunderland College and she’s excited to join the We Make Culture team as the first YMP Assistant Music Leader and one of the Peer Leaders for the YMP Collective. 


  • Peer Leader - Lambton Street Singing Club

    Scarlett (Esme) Cullen is a creative from Sunderland with a background in music performance and songwriting. She first got involved with YMP at 16, and later joined the Peer to Peer Programme, where she discovered a real passion for supporting others and helping create safe, welcoming spaces for young people to learn and grow. She performs as both a solo artist and as part of The Last Time, and has played venues including The Glasshouse and The Fire Station. Music has always been a big part of her life, and she’s deeply connected to Sunderland’s creative scene. Alongside performing, Scarlett is interested in how music and culture can bring people together and give space for honest expression, especially for young people finding their voice.

  • Peer Leader - Lambton Street Young Musicians Project

    Caleb Adams is a long standing member of the Young Musicians Project. He is a singer/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist who performs solo and as part of various bands. Caleb received the 2024 Sunderland Young Achievers Award for Arts and Culture. He is really excited to be part of the WMC team!


  • Peer Leader - Hendon Young Musicians Project

    Meet Josh Sinclair, an aspiring singer-songwriter and music producer from South Shields, currently pursuing a BA (Hons) in Music Production. Josh’s musical journey began at 16 when he joined the Young Musicians Project during the COVID pandemic. Instantly, he found a second home in YMP, a supportive community that allowed him to hone his skills, teach, and perform alongside incredible musicians. Now, as a Peer Leader with YMP and other We Make Culture community music projects, Josh aims to give back to the community that shaped him and encourage new members to join the family. Josh is a multi-instrumentalist with a particular love for the drums, however his greatest passion lies in teaching. Josh finds joy in helping others progress through their dedication and passion. 

Associates

  • Next Steps Community Consultant

    Helen Walkinshaw is a music industry professional and creator, with over 15 years of experience, working across event coordination, business strategy, and creative development. She has held key roles at cultural institutions like The Glasshouse Centre for Music and Generator North East, and is a Trustee of Gosforth Civic Theatre. Helen is passionate about inclusivity, accessibility and community engagement, leading projects that connect creatives and support emerging talent. Helen is currently an artist in residence at The New Bridge Project, an active touring musician, occasional DJ and DIY promoter. As a Co-Founder of Index in 2024, she continues to advocate for positive change in the North East Music Community through research, advocacy and consultancy.

  • Peer Leaders Consultant

    Eve is a facilitator on the Peer Leaders programme, working with the YMP Collective, which brings together young people over the age of 18 who want to continue making music in any capacity. We Make Culture has been apart of Eve's music facilitation career since the very beginning, trusting her to deliver her first songwriting workshop when she was 18. She has continued to work with We Make Culture as a mentor on their Next Steps programme, as well as offering research and development support focussed on pathways for music progression in the North East of England. Away from We Make Culture, Eve is a songwriter and artist, represented by Extra Mile Music and touring internationally. She has written and performed all over the world, from Europe to Australasia to the USA, writing for her own artist project, other artists, and bespoke film, TV, and theatre-based commissions. Eve has also held key roles as Community Music Lead with Tinderbox Collective in Scotland, and as Partnerships & Development Manager for Eastside Educational Trust in London. She continues to advocate for musician and songwriter rights across research, fundraising and consultancy.