Head:On:Conversations
Head:On:Conversations is an artist-led, advocacy-driven think-tank and platform dedicated to urgent reflection, truth-telling and action.
Launched in 2019 in partnership with The Place and One Dance UK, it brings together arts professionals to confront mental health, emotional wellbeing and systemic challenges in the dance and cultural sector.
Its mission is to disrupt the status quo, challenge oppressive systems and drive meaningful change.
Rooted in co-creation and shared leadership, Head:On:Conversations builds alliances across communities, sectors and lived experiences to imagine, design and lead transformative change together. Artists are invited to lead dialogue, shape curation and step into spaces which foster ongoing, healthy engagement between artists and organisations. By promoting reflective practice, strengthening communication and keeping artists at the centre, the platform supports networking, growth and the creation of opportunities that matter.
Listen to the Head:On:Conversations video below to hear the dialogue in action.
Expanding the Conversation
Head:On:Conversations has evolved into new formats which continue to centre artists’ voices and experiences:
Head:On:Café
Created during COVID-19 lockdowns, Head:On:Café is an online space for artists to connect, share experiences, and reduce isolation. Each session features a guest artist who shares their practice and story, opening space for reflection, conversation and visibility.
Head:On:Inside
Head:On:Inside is a film series co-created with videographer Rosie Powell and invited artists.
Each artist is guided through prompts and choices, producing films they own and feel proud to share. The films explore identity, visibility, and the intersections of mental health and lived experience, offering intimate, powerful expressions which celebrate difference and act as quiet acts of defiance.
Head:On Audio Described Films
Global Reach
Since its launch, Head:On:Conversations has been presented internationally, including:
Safeguarding the Mental Health of Artists in a Creative Process at IADMS and One Dance UK conferences
Panels such as LGBTQI+ Encounters (Yorkshire Dance) and Safety in Dance (Moving Body Arts)
Featured on platforms like Stance on Dance and podcasts including ResDance, Dance Dialogues, Lead & Create and Dance Futures’ Dancing with Discomfort.
Head:On:Conversations is a space for action, listening, reflection and opportunity where artists lead, dialogue thrives and transformative change begins.
Contact me if you’re interested in bringing Head:On:Conversations to your event or booking me as a panel speaker.