Paul has over 30 years experience producing and creating circus, theatre and performing arts. Having produced and directed outdoor, international, touring shows as well as working in film and television. With horses, theatre and circus near to his heart, Paul is delighted to be part of the team creating the first Totnes Festival of Arts and Culture.

As well as taking on the role of Festival Director, Paul will be directing NDP Circus’ ‘Finding Your Inner Gargoyle” show.

Paul specialises in combining disciplines to create Theatrical Circus, a blend of art forms combined to carry the thread of a narrative using different mediums and performance styles. Passionate about encouraging collaboration to tell a story and using a combination of techniques drawn from theatre, circus and a life on the road, Paul is adept at guiding and enabling experienced and inexperienced performers to ‘play their part.’

Maria is a British-Iranian Dancer, Choreographer and Producer, professionally trained in ballet, contemporary and Middle Eastern dance. A first-generation immigrant to the UK, she has performed and taught at shows, festivals and events across the UK and Europe. Maria is one of the directors of NDP Circus. NDP works with theatre, circus and dance and uses a participatory approach, combining site-specific workshops, residencies, and performances at heritage sites across the UK, Europe, and Middle East.

For the last 10 years, Maria has also worked in the non-profit sector as a researcher and evaluator, particularly with organisations working with vulnerable women and refugees and asylum seekers. Most recently, she was Programme Manager at The Fore. Maria holds an MA from SOAS in Middle Eastern Studies and speaks French, Spanish and Farsi.

Mariam looks after the digital communications and social media for Totnes Festival. She has a background working in marketing, social innovation, climate change research, youth mentoring and community outreach work. She completed an Msc in Anthropology, Environment and Development studies, and is passionate about ending land injustice and its intersections with social inequality. Born and raised in London, she is now a Totnes local and runs Totnes Community Herbal C.I.C, a garden-based community project that aims to make the knowledge of growing and using herbs for well-being accessible to all. She envisions a world in which rural spaces are more accessible to those from marginalised communities.

Claire Limberg is creative, community-minded, and organised – so organised, in fact, it’s been said that “if you feel like you are herding cats, you need Claire.”

No task is too great or deadline too tight. Supremely practical, thoughtful, and capable, Claire’s years of experience in event management mean that even the most ambitious of plans are delivered on time and to a high standard.

After training as an architect, Claire applied her natural flair for design into exhibition stand curation and photography. Her work has been published in the Saturday Times.

Passion for community is a theme that runs through Claire’s career – from her work in Devon and the South West as a consultant and designer for students at Dartington Art School and as a local school administrator, to her time working in the Royal Ballet Press Office while living in London.

When not working, Claire can be found explaining the attributes of spreadsheets to her children, walking her dogs and laughing loudly to rude podcasts in her car.

Netty Miles is a producer and production manager of outdoor arts, focusing on large scale socially-engaged projects and live events.
She has been involved in the festival and circus world for the last 20 years and has overseen the creation and delivery of many experiences including immersive theatre in site specific settings, multilayered stories with hidden technology and public engagement in the creation of artworks.

Alice Walters is a project and production manager within communities and the UK arts scene. Her work focuses on live music, theatre and community engagement and her passion for social solidarity is at the heart of every project she does.

She has been involved in a variety of projects ranging from large scale festivals, the grass roots live music scenes, tours and multi layers community produced projects around the UK. She recently graduated from a masters in how to design and shape her practice to use and promote community and circular principles within her industry which is something she continues to strive embed in all the work that she does.

When not working, Alice can be found enjoying London blues bars, playing her guitar or continuing the search for her London Narrow boat dream.

Lu Christie is a visual artist living in Totnes working in Multimedia.

She began her career in Film and Television as a Makeup artist working on music videos and television dramas. She was a BAFTA judge and a Makeup Chief and Lecturer in Theatrical and Media Makeup and Hair and Art.
She makes Prosthetics, Headdresses, Props, and Creatures and heads teams under TAT- Totnes Art Team.

Her great love is drawing and creating spaces for Communal Art, having led workshops in Museums, Galleries and schools, colleges, and festivals.

For Totnes Festival, Lu has settled on designing and providing a beautiful, quiet space for the smallest folk, breastfeeding mothers and for overwhelmed children.

“The Keep will be a calm, safe, peaceful place to visit. We will have simple rustic dreamcatcher making in the mornings ,and in the afternoons, reading from the elderly to the young offering a serene repose to balance the day”

Henry Everett is storyteller, writer, and artist based on Dartmoor.

Henry has always had a passion for telling stories, but met Story in the oral tradition in Totnes, at South Devon Storytellers.

For the Festival, Henry is curating a storytelling programme and space for all ages taking place at Birdwood house.

I make spectacular large scale puppets, structures and costumes for carnivals, festivals and high profile ceremonies.

Specialising in designing, making, mentoring and engagement for the UK and international outdoor performance sector since 1995.

I started my career by taking on unique opportunities to volunteer and shadow the best artists from across the globe, and with a lot of hard work and passion I reach my creative confidence and skillset today, which is ever hungry to keep expanding.

My work is all about play and sharing, because I believe we are all artists, capable of incredible things if we share our skills and work together to create a world of play and filled with magic.