Artistic Director and CEO

Jo is the founder and Artistic Director of Lyra, creating and developing the company’s highly successful model of working.  Originally trained as a director at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, she has worked in theatre, dance and design, with a focus on performing arts for children and teenagers. 

Jo created Pigeon, Hush and Rebecca’s Midnight for Lyra and has worked with Irish dance-theatre company Junk Ensemble as co-creator (Bird with Boy), designer (Sometimes we break, Tate Britain commission) and director (The Rain Party).  

Jo has directed for Kopergietery (Belgium) and Catherine Wheels (Scotland) and was a Fresh Tracks Europe choreographer in 2013 (Vienna).  Jo is the recipient of a Winston Churchill Fellowship and a Dewar Arts Award. ​

Engagement Artist

Natalia is responsible for coordinating the engagement of our participants across a range of activity within Lyra’s programme, delivering workshops as well as facilitating collaborations between participants and visiting artists. 
 
Natalia is a dance artist working predominantly in video dance, interdisciplinary performance and participation. She has worked in participation for over 10 years as a practitioner, facilitator and producer, designing and delivering community and professional projects. She co-directed Diverse Dance an inclusive dance company in London from 2013-2017, presenting work at Siobhan Davies Dance Studios, Big Dance Bus, Southbank Centre and Lost Theatre. Natalia has worked with multiple organisations across the UK including East London Dance, English National Ballet School, Step Into Dance, Roundhouse, YDance and Pavilion Dance South West as well as councils, grass-roots organisations and charities. Natalia's video dance productions have been awarded at and screened at festivals worldwide and installed at venues throughout the UK. In 2016 she received a Lisa Ullmann Traveling Scholarship.

Engagement Producer

Anna’s role at Lyra is to lead and oversee the smooth running of Lyra’s projects, engagement programme and creative events.
 
Anna studied Drama, Applied Theatre and Education at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (2012), and subsequently went on to train in Physical Theatre at St Mary’s University College (2013). Since graduating, Anna has worked as a practitioner, project coordinator and producer in a range of arts and engagement contexts, particularly focusing on projects with children, young people and communities. She has worked with a number of organisations including Catherine Wheels Theatre Company, Children’s Parliament, Edinburgh International Book Festival, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh, Aberdeen Performing Arts, Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, Kulturmanagement Solingen (Germany) and the National Theatre of Scotland. 

Lyra are currently working with a brilliant extended team!

James Preston (Interim General Manager)

Caitlin Mulgrew (Facilitator)

Jo Sharp (Facilitator)

Matt Elliott (Technical & IT)