Meet your EVAN team
Welcome to the EVAN directors and freelance team. EVAN is run as a CIC Community interest Company with our primary focus being to ‘promote and help artists develop’. We employ freelance staff on rates starting at the living wage up to £18 per hour and occasionally our directors are paid at £18 per hour for their time spent on projects or in general governance.
We conduct bi-annual surveys of our members to gather feedback and are always open to members contacting any of the directors, either to tell us what you like about EVAN or to ask us questions or to suggest areas for improvement.
Directors
Simon Whalley
Director
Simon is passionate about equality and being creative, having worked as a
Community Worker for 12 years and enjoyed creativity all his life. He
founded EVAN in 2016 to create a supportive network of artists locally
who had more say in what they can do, and to organise their own
inclusive events and projects. Simon has worked part-time as a Nature
Photographer since 2011. He co-owns the Wilder Clay Gallery in Penrith.
He is happiest in wild places watching nature or at a creative event
locally.
Tom Corda-Stanley
Director
Tom has been immersed in the Cumbrian music scene for over 25 years, specifically the Penrith grassroots scene. He has worked tirelessly to
create and sustain a viable scene for audience and band alike. He has
worked in all aspects of music; musician, sound technician, promoter and
consultant. As a director of EVAN he see the need to include music
within the scope of the broader arts group and is encouraging musicians
to see themselves as artists.
Sarah Reid
Director
Based in Penrith, Sarah is the manager and curator of the EVAN Gallery, where she is dedicated to promoting and supporting local artists. Passionate about fostering creativity, she works to create an inspiring space for artists to exhibit and connect through their work.
In addition to her curatorial role, Sarah is an artist herself, known for her atmospheric pastel paintings inspired by the coast. Working both on location and in her studio within the EVAN Gallery, she captures the subtle moods of light, landscape, and emotion in her work.
Daniel Skyle
Director
Daniel Skyle is a published author, journalist and poet; he also brings with him expertise in business, government policy analysis and public health, and he is at home coordinating larger projects both at national and international levels.
He has always engaged in charities as volunteer, team leader and charity founder. As a writer, he enjoys working with painters and sculptors to gain inspiration for his writing from their work and have his writing inspire theirs, with the spark of creativity jumping and creating bridges for both.
You can find some of his writing on his blog on Medium: https://medium.com/@danielskyle and on Instagram @skylewriting.
He is currently finishing his next book, a novel.
Team of Creatives
Martin Reid
Freelance Creative
Martin has been a graphic designer for over 30 years. Passionate about connecting art enthusiasts Martin is the EVAN membership coordinator and one of the gallery managers, and as a guiding force behind EVAN's professional image, he is dedicated to ensuring the organisation's public presence reflects innovation and integrity.
In my artwork I embrace experimentation. My creations are often multi-media and dive into the gritty beauty of industrial landscapes and the sea's raw essence.
Polly Marix Evans
Freelance Creative
Polly Marix Evans is a Fine Art Printmaker with over 30 years experience. She joined EVAN in 2019 and has been compiling the updates and newsletters for the group since 2020. Although Polly works mainly from her home studio, she recognises the importance of a gallery and studio space such as EVAN as a vital hub for creatives to meet and showcase their work.
Caroline Lamb
Social Media Co-ordinator
Caroline is EVAN's social media coordinator and an award-winning
playwright. Raised in Grange-over-Sands and later Sedbergh, Caroline
also runs theatre company Dangerous To Know and works for BBC Children
in Need. She is intensely passionate about the promotion of all forms of
art and cares deeply about access to creative activities - for anyone
and everyone. She is proud to be associated with such a wonderful
network that reflects these values!
Margaret Shaw
Volunteer
Margaret volunteers in the EVAN team, using her technology administration and
financial skills to help with Gallery administration and other admin as it comes along.
Having worked creatively in training design, on moving to Cumbria she found the
area inspiring. This focused her creative side into pursuing her artwork and
photography seriously. She combines her training and artistic skills to help support anyone new to art or wanting to take the steps in selling artwork.