MEET THE TEAM
Kelly Beard Foden – Director
Project Manager & Safeguarding Lead
Kelly is an artist who loves painting and likes to find beauty in the everyday. She also spent a number of years working as a Graphic Designer before taking some time out to start a family. She plays the violin and is in the folk trio ‘High Tide’. She loves all sorts of music and has an eclectic taste. Throughout her life, Kelly has always enjoyed drawing, painting, crafting, playing and listening to music.
She has experience of delivering projects for the community in the North East, both as managing director of Create & Connect CIC and as a member of a local community group, where from 2021-2023, she helped deliver the START festival, a grassroots arts festival which took place during the school summer holidays in venues across South Tyneside. These festivals included subsidised creative workshops, creative fundays, a spoken word event, youth-group projects, art exhibitions and makers markets .
She founded Create & Connect CIC, as she is wanted to continue to deliver projects for the community and enable more people across the region to enjoy creative experiences.
Create & Connect CIC collaborate with others to deliver projects that enable people in the region to get stuck into activities, like making music together or getting crafty. The organisation also delivers exciting and vibrant cultural events such as creative fundays, The Ocean Road Mela and live music at our Big River Makers Markets.
Siobhan Stanley – Director
Music & Theatre Project Co-ordinator
Siobhan has worked in the arts, entertainment and culture sector for the best part of two decades. She has a wealth of experience on and off stage working in numerous roles for well-known local arts and culture venues such as The Glasshouse ICM, Theatre Royal Newcastle and North East Museums. Siobhan works as a freelance actor and singer performing locally and has toured in plays around the UK. Siobhan joined the Create & Connect team back in February 2025 and has enjoyed working on numerous projects; notably The Seaside Market/Amphitheatre events and Weekly Music Jamming sessions.
“It’s really encouraging to see some of our funding going towards projects which support young, local musicians and singers. Paid performance opportunities simply didn’t exist when I was their age, or if they did they were hard to come by for a working-class kid (like me) living in the North East. We hope to inspire young creatives and help guide and nourish that creativity. We aim to show participants the value of their craft and highlight that it’s absolutely possible to get a professional footing in this highly competitive industry”.
Siobhan is looking forward to the year ahead with Create & Connect CIC, helping to deliver a fresh programme jam packed full of new creative ideas and exciting projects….watch this space!
Dave Routledge – Director
Big RIver Makers Market lead
Dave is a seasoned crafter and artist – creating his own seaside themed work using driftwood, beach finds and other upcycled materials. He trades under the name of North East Coastal Arts and his work can be seen at northeastcoastalarts.com In addition to trading online, you’ll also see Dave selling his unique handcrafted sculptures at a number of local craft fairs and makers markets.
His role in Create and Connect is to take the lead in promoting the work of local creatives. Giving them opportunities to put their work in front of a paying audience by running the Big River Makers Market at venues throughout South Tyneside – chiefly at the regular Seaside Market on the promenade on the seafront. Queries should be addressed to: thebigrivermakersmarket@gmail.com. You’ll also find news of future makers events on our Big River Makers Market Facebook Page. In addition to the markets, Dave also supports other projects that provide opportunities for local makers.