Rose Kent

Creative Director @Accessible Arts & Media

York, GB

I founded the Accessible Arts arm of the charity back in 1992 when I was a young community artist. The organisation grew out of an arts project I was running in the late 1980s for adults with learning disabilities. Little did I know at the time that I’d still be running that same charity 30 years on and that I’d still be as passionate about the work we do and the amazing people we work with. I really do have the best job!My experience spans the community arts, voluntary, education and commercial sectors and ranges from arts practitioner to consultant. This experience has been key to raising Accessible Arts and Media’s profile from two small fledgling community arts charities to the award-winning organisation it is today. Over the years my role’s included pioneering the wide range of inclusive, user-led, disability, youth and community programmes that AAM is so widely respected for, as well as running a community center and managing a recording studio and media production facility. I’m delighted and honoured to have been recognised as York’s inaugural Cultural Champion in the inaugural York Culture Awards in 2016. It’s also with great pride that under my watch AAM was shortlisted for a National Diversity Award in 2019. The awards are all about celebrating the achievements from grass-roots communities who tackle the issues in today’s society.I’m passionate and determined about using arts and culture to help people to become more engaged in their local community and for their voice to be heard. For me, it’s all about levelling the playing field and using creativity and culture in really fun and enjoyable ways, while not taking yourself too seriously!

College of Ripon & York St John

BA, Art & Music