“Born in Beijing but growing up in the Lake District, I felt both a sense of uprootedness and developed a great appreciation for the benefits of living between contrasting environments and perspectives. Nature and the arts helped me to connect with my surroundings, my community, and to understand myself better. Arts education has been my passion ever since.

I believe that celebrating commonality and diversity together allows us to come to terms with our societies and ourselves. The work of Arts Bridge Charity meets a rising need for reconnection and wellbeing that has emerged from the difficulties of the Covid-19 pandemic. More than ever, arts projects can strengthen young people’s engagement with the world, encourage their sense of belonging, and nurture a positive, creative mindset that will help them to overcome any barriers they might face.”

Yuchen holds a BA in English Language and Literature from the University of Oxford, and a PGDip in Comparative Literature from King’s College London. She has worked on UK wide diversity and inclusion campaigns with startup InChorus Group, and international healthcare campaigns with Saatchi & Saatchi Wellness. 

Yuchen currently teaches English at the Royal Grammar School, Newcastle.

“Since the first UK lockdown in 2020, I have prioritised my workload to focus on supporting individual artists, especially those representing and working with communities most impacted by the negative effects of COVID-19. I have a passion for the outdoors and has spent much of my free time rediscovering my native Northumberland, forest bathing, wild camping and fishing. I am most alive when combining my love of nature with my passion and skills in developing successful creative projects.”

Amelia is a Relationship Manager at Arts Council England, managing a portfolio of public investments through a number of funding streams. Working strategically with partners including Local Authorities, cultural organisations, Universities and individual artists, she works to develop a sustainable, inclusive arts and culture offer for the North of England that inspires and delights audiences.

Working in the Combined Arts team means she has specialist knowledge of outdoor, site-specific multi-artform practice, as well as carnival, circus and art centres. She also has a broad knowledge of visual arts, music, theatre, dance and literature which all feed into the Combined Arts platform through festivals. She sits on the national Arts Council task groups for Philanthropy. Participatory Arts and Live Art which gives her specific sector knowledge in relation to developments in fundraising, diversity within the arts, the arts and health agenda and cutting-edge performance art practice.

Prior to ACE, Amelia was based in the UAE with the British Council, managing the Arts and Creative Economy offer in-country as well as across the Gulf. She was responsible for business development activities, programming, delivery as well as marketing and communications. She has also worked for University of the Arts and Northumbria University in international project management, delivering activities in Zambia, Finland and Hong Kong.

Amelia holds degrees from Newcastle University in Philosophical Studies (BA) and Business Innovation, Creativity and Enterprise Management (MSc), she has a PRINCE2 qualification and recently completed the Clore Leadership Programme and is a National Arts Fundraising School alumni. She enjoys mentoring start-up businesses as part of the Newcastle University RISE programme, she recently supported students to pitch on BBC’s Dragon’s Den, receiving 3 offers of investment.

“I care deeply about social justice, wellbeing, and inclusivity, and I’m driven by a commitment to improving the lives of individuals and communities. I’ve worked across education, health, and social care.

I hold a BA in English Literature and Language and an MSc in Psychology of Education. Both areas reflect my enduring interest in how people make meaning of their lives—particularly through family relationships, cultural identity, and health. These experiences form rich and varied narratives that can be powerfully explored through the arts, which I believe should feel accessible to everyone.

Travel is something I actively pursue and deeply value—for the perspective, connection, and renewal it brings. My appreciation of nature, restorative solitude, and creative exploration has only deepened in recent years, and I’m committed to prioritising these sources of nourishment. Connection has always been central to my life, and I’m more aware than ever of how vital positive relationships and new collaborations are to growth and wellbeing.

I’m currently training in systemic psychotherapy, further expanding my understanding of relational dynamics and therapeutic practice.

What I love about Arts Bridge Charity is its belief in the power of creativity to foster connection, amplify unheard voices, and build inclusive communities.”

Tarnia currently works for The Health Foundation, an independent charity focused on improved healthcare for all.

“In my early years education was a precious commodity that my hard working parents had to go without food for and eventually migrate for us to obtain. 

I arrived in England in the early seventies into an education utopia where I learnt English in special classes with the very creative Ms Strange, who taught us migrant children through games and play-acting and joy – it inspired the ten year old me to do the same and lit my fundamental belief that education is a human right and should be available to all.  From then on whether working as an actor, director, coach or theatre practitioner, my purpose has been to share what I have learnt and make it easy for others to access.  This is why I am proud to be part of Arts Bridge Charity and I applaud the vision of Amanda Bright, it’s founder, particularly now, during these challenging times, when we need to make sure that we can catch and inspire those young people that may be slipping through the education net, through no fault of their own.”

Yolanda is an Actor and theatre Practitioner. She was born in the province of Cadiz in the south of Spain and moved to England with her parents when she was ten.Yolanda is a graduate of The Drama Centre London and began her career in the role of Juliet, in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, at the Royal Theatre Northampton. 

Since then she has enjoyed a long career in Theatre, Television, Film and Radio.  Credits include: Gertrude in Hamlet– Teatro Español, Titania in Midsummer Night’s Dream – RSC, Mother in Six actors Looking For An Actor – Young Vic, Children Of Men, The Air Up There, Notting Hill, Top Boy, Any Human Heart, Pinochet in Suburbia, Ashes to Antarctica BBC4, Catherine of Aragon – Book Of The week BBC4She first joined the Globe in 1999 to play Adriana in ‘A Comedy Of Errors” and Bertha in ‘Augustine’s Oak’ and continued working in many productions, including The winter’s Tale (Hermione), Much Ado About Nothing (Beatrice) Richard The III (Queen Elizabeth) until 2005.

In 2003 she was asked to join the education department as a freelance Globe Education Practitioner and since then has had the privilege of working with and directing many students, teachers, actors and directors, as well as developing Globe Education portfolio of work, nationally and internationally. 

Yolanda works at many leading Drama schools including Royal Central School of Speech & Drama and The Guildford School of Acting as well as running drama workshops internationally.  Her main body of work is still in performance both in Spain and the UK.