Adrian Sinclair (Chapel FM)

Adrian Sinclair

Adrian has worked in East Leeds for community arts company Heads Together Productions since 1998, currently as Director of Chapel FM—the first-ever arts centre in this part of the city and home to community radio station East Leeds FM. Working in this part of the city, it is obvious that there is an increasing disconnect between working class young people and the thriving local, live music scene that Leeds promotes. Chapel FM has made a real difference, providing opportunities for local young people in and out of school; supporting local bands to develop; and offering live opportunities for local musicians through East Leeds FM broadcasts. In the last 12 months, 1424 musicians have played live at Chapel FM and their live streams have reached a combined total of 280,000 views.

Sayang (Equaliser)

Sayang is a DJ and producer who is part of the Leeds based DJ collective, Equaliser. Sayang uses music to explore gender, race, queerness & culture. They use their role within Equaliser to further explore these issues, bring them to a bigger platform and showcase this artistry in a white cis-male dominated industry. Having started DJing in October 2017, Sayang is already a regular guest to KMAH radio, they’ve closed for the infamous Love Muscle party, supported Juliana Huxtable at Dalston Superstore and co-produced with Viers/LK. Upcoming gigs include playing Brudenell Groove and The Tower Festival 2018. They are a patron of Love Muscle and Houseplay. In addition to Equaliser, Sayang works with the QTIPOC group 'Our Space' and contributes to editorial platforms focusing on QTIPOC stories.

Nathan Clark (Brudenell Social Club)

Leanne Buchan (Leeds City Council)

Leanne Buchan

Leanne works for the Leeds City Council Culture and Sport team, alongside running her own freelance cultural consultancy. She led the development of the Leeds Culture Strategy and the associated Delivery Plan for the city pioneering a co-produced, open-sourced approach. She is also the Leeds 2023 team lead for Marketing, Communications & Artistic Projects.

Having worked on major cultural programmes for projects including Tour de France Grand Départ 2014, Rugby World Cup 2015, and Unfold celebrating the Leeds visual art scene and welcoming British Art Show 8 to the city in 2015, her professional interests explore how culture can be used as a catalyst for change, engagement, and investment. Her experience takes in everything from strategic cultural development and managing European peer-learning projects to commissioning artists and events, and marketing and promotions for cultural programmes.

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Henna Angus (Paramount Music)

Henna Angus

Henna Angus is the founding director of Paramount Music; a platform offering opportunities, access to resources and access to the industry for unsigned artists and communicator to industry organisations consulting on how to develop and access unsigned talent. 

Tom Smith (MAP Charity)

Tom Smith

Tom Smith is the co-founder and project director of MAP Charity. He started the charity with Charlie Stobbart and Kat Soutar in 2008, who at the time were all in their early 20s. With a background in music production and social work, Tom wanted to explore ways in which arts and education could interact to create positive social change.

Tom is also an audio engineer and DJ, and has spent years hand building and fine tuning what is now regarded as one of the finest high fidelity club systems in the country, the Cosmic Slop Soundsystem, now used by resident and international DJs in-house to raise funds for MAP Charity.

Tom’s varied interests range from hydroponics and permaculture to carpentry and print-making; he passionately applies his skills to the charity’s programmes, continually providing new inspiration and opportunities for young people.

Jemma Freese

Jemma Freese

Jemma Freese is a keyboardist, vocalist, poet and composer involved in several projects; J Frisco; freese trio; JOULE & DOMI. These include a variety of genres such as; genre-fluid improv; triphop/grunge; glitch/sad-dance and dark electronic pop. She writes poetry about mental health issues inspired by her own life, lives around her and her favourite authors such as Bret Easton Ellis, Chuck Bukowski and Irvine Welsh, which is the basis of the lyrics she writes.

Jemma has been selected at Jazz North’s Introducing Artist 2017 with J Frisco, and as part of these different projects has been on KMAH radio, Chapel FM, BBC Introducing West Yorkshire, NTS radio, and performed at Sounds Like THIS festival, Lancaster Jazz Festival, Marsden Jazz festival, Vortex Jazz Club, The Basement (York). She is soon to perform at Gateshead International Jazz Festival, Rough Trade Records (Bristol) and a week-long tour in Holland performing at venues, radio’s and DJ-ing.