18th April 2025
Welcome Emma - our new Community Arts Development Officer!
We're delighted to welcome Emma Thorpe as our new Community Arts Development Officer.
Over the past 20 years, Emma has spent much of her working life exploring stories, working across heritage, education and the arts.
She holds a BSC (hons) in Archaeology from Queen's University Belfast; an MSc in Archaeology from the University of Liverpool; a postgraduate Diploma in Museum Studies from the University of Leicester and a Diploma in Fine Jewellery from the London School of Jewellery.
With her academic and practical background, Emma brings a thoughtful and practical approach to public engagement and creative outreach. Alongside her arts and heritage work, Emma co-founded two artisan creative collectives/businesses including 'Hare & Hawthorn' in Coleraine, promoting work by local artists, makers and independent producers from across the region.
Emma also runs her own jewellery design business and is happiest when creativity and community come together- whether through a workshop, a conversation, or a quiet moment of making.
As Community Services Development Officer, Emma brings together experience, curiosity and a calm enthusiasm for helping others find their creative spark. She will be helping to steer and strengthen community arts practice in the borough and will be supporting community/voluntary groups develop creative arts practice, as well as nurturing creatives and creative collectives along with Desima, our Arts Service Development Manager.
Emma is currently doing an audit of all existent community arts practice in the borough, so if your group is delivering any arts activities for your communities, she'd love to hear from you. We're interested in hearing about what you're doing, who you're doing it for, where you deliver the activities and how you're funding them.
Needing a little bit of help steering or developing an arts project? Emma is here to help and keen to get out and about and meet with you.
Emma is part-time and you can contact her by email: Emma.Thorpe@causewaycoastandglens.gov.uk or by phoning Flowerfield Arts Centre on Tel: 028 70831400.
