Kate Hall

Creative Producer at Jumped Up Theatre

Kate has had a diverse career in theatre, founding Jumped Up Theatre in 1993 with fellow drama graduates, working for a number of organisations, from the Royal Shakespeare Company to Manchester Royal Exchange, in a range of roles from Assistant Director to Education Officer. Kate has also managed venues and delivered workshops in school, and was a founding member of Creative Peterborough.

From 2012-2015 she ran audience development projects in Peterborough as the Arts Programme Manager for Vivacity and from 2015-2017 was Project Director for Market Place, the Creative People & Places programme in Fenland and Forest Heath. 

Whether in the rehearsal room or in a meeting room, audiences are at the heart of her work.

Emily Steele-Dias

Participation Producer at Jumped Up Theatre

As Participation Producer at Jumped Up, Emily facilitates creative opportunities that put communities and young people at the heart of our work.  

She leads the New Creatives programme (include link), where 14–24 year-olds collaborate with professional artists to explore different art forms and create exciting projects that respond to the environment and the world around them. 

She also runs Jumped Up’s Dance programmes, which includes Shiamak Bollywood Dance, Cypher, Dance Included, and Community Dance Day - inviting people of all ages to get moving, discover new styles, and share in the fun of dance as part of a creative community. 

Emily would love to hear from young people keen to get creative, artists interested in co-creation and collaboration, and community partners who want to explore how creativity can spark change. 

Life outside of Jumped Up 

Emily has worked as a freelance artist, curator, and producer since 2018. She founded Cine-Sister CIC, an organisation that showcases and promotes films made by women filmmakers. She is also the Festival Director of the Gateway Film Festival, launched in 2019, which celebrates local history and community, often blending film with other art forms such as dance, music, and poetry to engage audiences across Peterborough.  In 2023, Gateway was selected as a Film Hub South East BFI Spotlight Location (2023–2026). 

Born and raised in Peterborough, she has previously held positions with 62 Gladstone Street, Art Pop Up & Red 7 Productions and is passionate about art and culture in the city.

Sarah Hunter

Event Producer at Jumped Up Theatre

Sarah began her career backstage at Peterborough’s Key Theatre before training at LAMDA and working as a freelance Stage Manager at venues across London and the UK, including the Bush Theatre, Lyric Hammersmith, and the West End with the original London company of Dirty Dancing. She later spent eight years as a Production Arts Lecturer and Course Coordinator at Peterborough Regional College, before returning to freelance event and stage management with local theatre companies and organisations. 

She joined Jumped Up after producing Smoke & Mirrors in 2023 and now supports the company by delivering events that connect local communities and schools through creative and educational experiences and productions. 

Sarah manages logistics for productions brought to the city by Jumped Up, ensuring events run smoothly with careful attention to safety, scheduling, and technical requirements. 

She is always keen to hear from Peterborough venues and community centres interested in hosting a Jumped-Up production, as well as companies with work suitable for young people, schools, and the wider community of the city. 

Mark Smedley - Chair

I have worked in and around theatre and the arts since I was 16, and am now the Director of Operations for Sadler's Wells in London. I’ve been lucky enough to have some amazing opportunities and support over the years and wanted to give something back; becoming a Trustee felt like a natural step towards that.

Jumped Up are a company who push boundaries and look to ensure everyone has access to culture regardless of how it needs to be delivered. That’s what caught my eye and the Peterborough connection (I grew up in the city and still have the majority of my family there) sealed the deal. I wanted to be a part of a conversation that could see real change in a part of the community I got to enjoy when I lived there; wanted to see exciting, varied, boundary pushing theatre and culture thriving in a city I love.

My role as a trustee allows me to spend some time helping Peterborough based culture grow, and that is because of the work Jumped Up create, facilitate and enable.

Siobán Whitney Low

A Creative Consultant and experienced Arts Fundraiser, I have spent over 30 years championing the arts for young people and for social change. My work includes senior leadership and board level roles in the arts and education, collaborating on arts strategy and governance, securing significant funding and raising profile.

I am also an accredited Relational Dynamic Coach and have supported board trustees to feel confident in governance and good governance structures. I am an Associate of The Reading Agency and was previously Executive Director at Museum of Colour. I have worked at Unicorn Theatre for Children and Wac Arts and chaired the Board of Theatre Peckham during the recruitment of their inspirational AD/CEO. I bring to Jumped Up Theatre a breadth of experience in advocacy, equity and inclusion, organisational change, stakeholder engagement and strategic planning.

Claire Ward

I am really excited to join as a trustee for Jumped Up Theatre and use my skills to compliment the board's existing expertise.

I have been fortunate to have worked in theatre marketing and sales for over fifteen years. I am passionate about audiences and providing people with access to arts in order to attend, engage, learn and have fun!

I have been looking to take up a trustee position for a while as I am keen to share my knowledge and experience with a cultural organisation that is local to me. Jumped Up is the perfect fit as I was inspired by the approach the organisation has to ensuring that cultural experiences are placed within the heart of a community. Removing so many perceived barriers is essential for continued engagement and participation and I very much wanted to play a strategic part in this delivery.