As Highly Sprung looks ahead to an exciting future, we are absolutely delighted to welcome Amanda Campbell as the new Chair of our Board of Trustees. We sat down to catch up with Amanda, hear more about her work and her visions for the charity. She follows on from the brilliant Claire Singleton. Having been a founding trustee for Highly Sprung and chair for the last 3 years, Claire is still a valued member of our board.
HS: Hi Amanda! Let’s start by getting to know your work. Could you tell us about your career so far?
AC: I’ve spent most of 25+ years working in marketing, communications & sustainability roles for large consumer facing organisations, often working on complex yet transformational projects. Today I am fortunate to be able to use that experience as a coach, mentor, communications and sustainability consultant. I describe what I do as helping people and organisations see things more clearly, realise the art of the possible and unleash their in built (and sometimes unrealised) creativity to achieve their goals.
HS: What inspires your work?
AC: Potential. The power of creativity to solve problems and effect change. And creating a more sustainable and fairer world.
HS: What do you hope to achieve during your time as Chair? And what made you apply?
AC: Every young person should have the right to experience in a personal way the transformative effect that the arts can have. For lots of reasons that’s not the case. I applied because I know the transformative effect that Highly Sprung’s beautiful work has for the young people who experience it – often into adulthood. And my hope is that over the next few years we can expand our reach so that many more young people can have that experience
HS: Before becoming Chair, you were already a valued member of our board of trustees. Do you have any memorable moments from your time with Sprung so far?
AC: Being on the Board I have always been struck by how we are always moving forward – even in tough times. On example is the way that the team adapted both our methodology and delivery when the pandemic hit to make sure we could still run Sprung workshops, support schools through developing Ready, Box Set Go, and create public performance that was powerful and safe.
HS: Look ahead to 5 or 10 years in the future. What direction do you hope Highly Sprung will take moving forward?
AC: That’s a bit difficult to answer right now as the Trustees and management team are right in the middle of a visioning exercise for the next stage of our story. What I do know is that we will continue to place children and young people at the heart of Highly Sprung, creating brave and beautiful work to enable as many people as possible to experience the transformative effects of creativity and the arts.
HS: Finally one more bonus question. Do you have a favourite performance or piece of art?
AC: One of my favourite performances is Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Nutcracker. A family Christmas tradition now and as joyful as the first time I saw it in 1990.
Thank you Amanda! We can’t wait to realise our exciting plans for 2023. Want to know more? Read here about our touring productions, our schools workshops, or Sprung Youth.
Born in the Midlands, Amanda Campbell has held a number of senior communications and marketing leadership roles across a variety of sectors, including retail and property, most recently as Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Director at intu Properties Plc. She is now a Corporate Affairs & Sustainability Advisor, an Executive Coach and an Associate at Sustainability West Midlands.