Who We Are
Amanda Bass
Associate of Open Access Arts
Director of Music, Drama and Wellbeing
Originally achieving a BSc (Hons) in Psychology and MSc in Neuroscience, Amanda then went on to take BA (Hons) in Drama and English Literature. She has combined her skills and passions to bring the healing power of drama into healthcare.
Working in care homes Amanda has developed programmes to promote wellbeing and help residents with dementia enjoy their remaining memories through music and movement. Additionally, Amanda has worked with acute mental health patients, creating activities that celebrate their unique creativity. She has also taken on the role as specialist mental health mentor at London Universities, supporting students with different additional needs to achieve their degree on a one-to-one basis.
Continuing on an Educational theme, Amanda has taught English in Sudan and as an additional language in the UK to children and adults.
She has worked as Education Coordinator at the National Autistic Society Learner Support Service for adults with autism, and in the same role at St. Mungo's Recovery College for adults with a background of homelessness, substance use, mental and physical health issues and isolation. Her expertise lies in engaging people through imaginative activities and projects that contribute towards academic progression.
Amanda's stage work includes collaboration with the Critical Stage Company and Only Connnect, where she creates touring theatre-in-education programmes.
Jeanette Rourke
Founder of Open Access Arts
Director of Drama, Film and Wellbeing
Jeanette is the founder of Open Access Arts and heads up the creative collaboration in Partnership with Ron Bambridge - Me and Thee Films
For over twenty years, Jeanette has been promoting wellbeing and social inclusion in the arts. She is a multi-award winning, writer, director, actor and filmmaker. Find out more here.
Jeanette trained with RADA and the Institute of Performing Arts in Paris and Berlin. More information here: IMDB/Spotlight.
She is a qualified drugs worker, member of FADAP and has the PTTLS+ teaching qualification from Cambridge University.
In 2013 Jeanette set up and now runs the Wellbeing Day at St Mungo’s, accessed by over fifty service users each week. Creative projects include drama workshops and an annual play, (developed and directed by Jeanette), which has been performed in a professional theatre for the past three years.
Additionally, Jeanette set up and facilitates the hugely successful Raging Calm Productions Workshops - six weeks of daily workshops with those accessing recovery services within St Mungo’s. A film of this work can be found here.
For the past five years Jeanette has collaborated with Playing ON Theatre Company, developing the new play Hearing Things, written by Writer’s Guild award winner Philip Osment. This drama explores the dilemmas of psychiatry from the points of view of patients, relatives and staff. The play was developed over five years and is based on extensive research in locked wards of some of the top UK mental health care facilities Watch highlights of the play here.
Victoria Latham Kelly
Associate of Open Access Arts
Director of Movement, Drama and Wellbeing
Victoria is an actor born in Lancashire with a base in London and the North West. She studied at Drama Studio London winning an honours award for her high achievements upon graduating.
She was then given a scholarship from RADA and The Actors Centre to train in Paris, Berlin and London with leading practitioners with European Act.
Experienced in stage and screen work, her credits include work for the BBC in Doctors A&E, Burn it, the films Wounded, The Last Superhero, Trash, His Wake and, in theatre,
A State Affair, Road, and Burnt up Love.
The characters she has played have enabled her to work closely with those that have been socially excluded, substance users and vulnerable young people.
Additionally, Victoria's work with director David Tucker and Che Walker on Scorched Earth led her to join the team of Raging Calm, helping to introduce socially excluded member of society to the arts.
Ron Bambridge & Jeanette Rourke - Me and Thee Films
Amanda Bass, Jeanette Rourke, Victoria Latham Kelly & the flamingo