About us

Arlo Carter (he/him), 28

Young Producer, Film

"Signal Festival is a vital opportunity to transform and create relationships between young people and art. Personally, my experience with art came to me a little later than others when I joined a local youth group. It was a gateway to my artistic journey and one I wish could still be around. With budget cuts, lack of funding in schools for the arts and pressures on organisations to survive, Signal Festival is a lifeline to call out to all organisations and young people to get rid of any barriers between communities and art, celebrate Swindon's incredible artists and encourage Swindon to become a place we are proud of. 

I’m most looking forward to the development and wider reaches of the festival as it grows over the next few years. I’m excited to be a part of a team that is going to be the spark for young people’s artistic journeys."

 

Where do you live?: Penhill, Swindon

How long have you lived in Swindon?: 28 years

Education in Swindon: Sevenfields Primary, Warneford Secondary School, New College Swindon

Interests/ artforms: Film, Theatre, Acting, Fine Arts & Diving 

Erin Fletcher (she/her), 21

Young Producer, Theatre, Music

"Signal Festival Swindon is important to me because everyone deserves to be able to explore the arts and themselves through art. Young people in Swindon deserve to live in a place that believes in them and celebrates their brilliance. Swindon is home to so many incredible artists who deserve to be celebrated and all artists should feel confident and secure in calling Swindon home, knowing that it has a place for them.

I’m looking forward to seeing the connections that people make and the buzz of exciting things happening in Swindon."

Where do you live?: Old Town, Swindon

How long have you lived in Swindon?: 21 years

Education in Swindon: King William Street Primary School, Commonweal School

Interests/ artforms: Poetry, Playwriting, Music, Theatre

Morgan Thomas (she/her), 28

Young Producer, Dance

"Signal is important because it marks the beginning of a new chapter for Swindon. Bringing all the local companies together and highlighting all the opportunities that are present in Swindon feels like a fresh start for local young creatives. Signal puts the emphasis on young people in a way that gives them authority and agency to ask for exactly what they need and are owed from local & national organisations.

I’m looking forward to seeing the after-effects of Signal, particularly which companies it interests, which young people it inspires, and what actions they take."

Where do you live?: Royal Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire

Interests/ artforms: Film-making, Directing, Screen-Acting, Script Writing, Poetry, Contemporary Performance, DIY Production

Clarissa Boyce-Johnson (she/her), 23

Young Producer, Visual Arts

"Signal Festival is important because young artists need the opportunity to showcase their talents, and individuals who are wanting to pursue a career in art can be guided in the right direction. There’s also the need to show everyone exactly what Swindon has to offer because a worrying amount of people (particularly young people) are unaware of what is happening in the local art scene and are of the belief that you need to leave town in order to explore the arts. Signal Festival was created to prove those assumptions wrong.

I’m looking forward to seeing what Swindon has to offer; both from local individuals and art companies. I am particularly excited to see what our local musicians are like."

 

Where do you live? Moredon, Swindon

How long have you lived in Swindon? 18 years

Education in Swindon: Haydon Wick Primary, Nova Hreod Academy, New College Swindon

Interests/artforms: Painting, Drawing, Sketching, Crafts, Music, Gaming

 

George Sargent (he/they), 20

Young Producer, Music

"Signal is important to me because having the opportunity to develop your artistic practice from an early age is fundamentally essential. Signal being a platform to champion and facilitate young creatives, much like Prime did for me, will only result in a positive impact on their worlds and shows that it is possible to be an artist in the modern day. 

In a time where apathy is so prevalently documented amongst people in this town, it is more important than ever to have something that stands in opposition of it; that for me is Signal."

 

Where do you live?: Wanborough, Swindon

How long have you lived in Swindon?: 21 years

 Education in Swindon: Ferndale Primary school, Wanborough Primary school, Ridgeway School and Sixth form college.

Interests/ artforms: Music technology, Filmmaking, Theatre

Riley Mathers (they/them), 27

Young Producer, Visual Arts, Words

"Signal Festival is important because in Swindon it is so difficult to know where you can go as an artist or someone who is interested in art. There are so many things out there and yet unless you’re in the know, you don’t know about this. Something like Signal Festival will be able to showcase all the brilliant art things that are already here and showcase new talent that is ready to bloom. I look forward to seeing what new ideas spring up and watching new artists come forward, inspired about what they see."

 

Where do you live?: Cricklade, Swindon

How long have you lived in Swindon?: 10 years

Interests/ artforms: Creative Writing, Costuming, Visual Arts