WELCOME TO TAKE THE SPACE
A creative diversity agency
Contact
Take The Space is a creative diversity agency, bringing together policy, production and practice to co-create inclusive spaces with artists, organisations and communities.
Our work is all about creating an arts and heritage sector
that is more inclusive, vibrant, diverse and equal
We help organisations do things differently – to take them to a new space.
There’s three ways we can help make the move from policy to practice:
Strategic Consultancy
for arts and heritage organisations, mapping out the diversity agenda and addressing issues of accountability.
Production
investing in black and multi-ethnic talent and stories that are not normally heard.
Dialogue - Exchange - Thought Leadership
Making space for conversations around diversity and inclusivity – however difficult – between artists, organisations, communities and ourselves.
What We Do
Contact
Strategic Consultancy
contact
Consultancy - Programme Development - Strategy - Critical Friend
Strategic Facilitation & Planning
Work has included development of a network group for English Civic Museum Network including long-term strategic vision, delivery programme and sustainability plan. Business Plan development for Luton Creates, training packs for English Heritage, Independent Chair, Bradford Producing Hub.
Critical Friend
Work has included working as a Register of Support Services (ROSS) Consultant with National Lottery Heritage Fund since 2018 with a range of projects across the country and at different scales.
Programme Management
Multiple stakeholder programmes for example the design and delivery of a partnership between A New Direction, Create Jobs and London Legacy Development Agency supporting young people aged from 16-25yrs into paid apprenticeships, internships and entry-level jobs in the creative and cultural industries.
Arts & Heritage Producer
Contact
Take the Space works across the arts and heritage sector, providing producer-led services, working with artists and community-owned ideas and creativity to grow into fresh, engaging projects. Take the Space is committed to co-creating – telling stories that are not normally heard – and finding spaces that connect us with each other. Take the Space seeks out and invest in opportunities for diverse and intersectional talent to flourish – responding to the passion and ideas of artists and communities to make things happen.
Underpinning this is the Founding Director’s experience as one of the few Black producers working across arts and heritage in the UK.
Find out about some of the projects we have produced.
Our Work Includes
Artist Commissions
Talent Development Programmes
Strategic Partnerships
Engaging with Community
Programme Management
Diversity DialogueS
Contact
Take the Space works with clients to create appropriate conversations that bring together a range of different interested group – communities, stakeholders, artists, staff and funders.
This can take the form of salons, immersive conversations, conferences or events. To build mutually beneficial spaces, we collaborate with many different partners – from arts and heritage organisations, institutions, communities, academics and individual artists.
Find out about the different conversations we have started. [see case studies page]
Our Work Includes:
Roundtables
Salon Events
Panel Discussions
Conferences
Race Inclusion Consultancy
Contact
Take the Space support organisations in developing and implementing transformative diversity and inclusion strategies – making the move from policy to practice.
Our work is often at a moment of rupture when difficult issues need addressing. So we are discreet but also willing to challenge – to ensure accountability and make sure the change is real.
We can assist in many different ways – from working with senior management teams and boards, co-creating audience engagement strategies or helping organisations remain accountable around diversity goals.
Find out how we support organisations in becoming more diverse.
Our work includes:
Accountability sessions and critical friending
Audience engagement strategies
EDI and Anti-Racist strategy development
Inclusive Recruitment Support
Executive Leadership
contact
Interim and Programme Management - working across arts & heritage
Revoluton Arts
CEO & Creative Director Role. Transforming Revoluton Arts from a project to an award-winning, sustainable and regularly funded National Portfolio Organisation (NPO). Delivery of a 5-year business plan, multi-year investment, team leadership, Consortium and Board development. Working to respond to the multiple-diversity of Luton as part of the Creative People & Place-based Programme funded through Arts Council England.
Programme Management
Programme management of the Black Dance Archives national programme to develop the 1st ever national Black Dance Archive. Project partnership development with 30 depositors, 6 archive partners including Black Cultural Archives, V&A, 2 Universities and Library of Birmingham. Successful bid development for NLHF Round 1 and Round 2, produced the activity plan, digital strategy for archives and nationwide community engagement programme.
Jenny Williams BEM
Founding Director
contact
Jenny is a Founding Director of Take the Space an inclusive consultancy and creative production hub for Black and multiple ethnic talent to invent, play and discover new stories, new work and new perspective. Since its inception, Take the Space has created work across community, statutory and organisations within the arts and heritage sectors specifically with a focus on engagement, new audiences and inclusive approaches that break down real and perceived barriers to cultural activity particularly through the lens of race equity.
Prior to this Jenny held numerous senior positions in the cultural sector including CEO & Creative Director for Revoluton Arts; Head of Diversity & Cultural Diversity Officer for Arts Council England; and lead development roles for 2 Local Authorities.
Jenny is a Board Member of The Towner Eastbourne and Chairs the Diversity Task Group; partnership member South Downs National Parks Association; ROSS Consultant for National Lottery Heritage Fund and Board member for East Sussex Culture.Jenny was awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM) in the 2020 New Years Honours for services to culture and creativity.
Take the Space CIC 10536355 was set up to deliver specific programmes of participatory work in arts and heritage that focus on bringing communities together.
Creative Consultant
Race Inclusion Specialist
Executive & Interim Leadership
Arts & Heritage Producer
Producer - Case Studies
Contact
Working with Artist - Strategic Partnerships - Engaging with Community
Leading Change-Making Programmes
For example, worked with Brighton & Hove City Council and partners to co-create Exhale Grants Programme aiming to connect with folks and communities under-represented in grants awards. Currently serve as
Vice-Chair of the Anti-racist Collective, Brighton and Hove.
Working with Artists
TTS regularly commissions ground-breaking strategic programmes.
For example, Akila Richards’ REST Experience a town-wide response as part of Eastbourne Alive, the Turner Prize wraparound programme.
Producing For By and With Community
Producer of indoor and outdoor work, work in shops, schools, community spaces and online. Heritage and arts producing works including Windrush Programme, Eastbourne Alive, Cultural Heritage Network, arts & heritage.
Facilitated Dialogue - Case Studies
contact
25-years of Expertise - Extending Practice - Thought Leadership - Programmes and Policy
What Difference Does
Difference Make
TTS produced ‘What Difference Does Difference Make’, a programme of work inspired by Naseem Khan’s 40th anniversary of The Arts Britain Ignores report.
JustCulture Movement
A series of nationwide discussions with practitioners, producers and makers across the country committed to creating a fair and just cultural landscape.
Development of a 10-point manifesto to achieve a fair and just cultural future.
Strategic Race Inclusion
Strategic diversity development. Bringing unparalleled knowledge and expertise around diversity and culture, including
- Inclusive recruitment
- Co-production and collaborative practice
- Strategic development
- Policy review
- Facilitated dialogues
- Critical Friend