ABOUT

Photo: Sarah Dance

Sarah Dance is a strategic consultant for the culture and creative industries, with over 25 years’ experience in the creative sector. She has led a wide range of cultural organisations and set up her own consultancy in 2002.  She has also worked with many cultural organisations on business and capital development, creative production, organisational change development, and leadership mentoring.

In 2019, she developed the concept, raised the funds for and led England’s Creative Coast. ECC was an ambitious cultural and tourism project working along the south east coast of England. It was designed to create a new outdoor cultural experience for visitors (local, national and international) that connected art with landscape and local stories with global perspectives.

In addition to her consultancy work – she is Deputy Chair of South East Local Enterprise Partnership. The South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP) is one of 38 LEPs, established to provide the clear vision and strategic leadership to drive sustainable private sector-led growth and job creation in their area.

Sarah is the Chair of Creative Estuary. Creative Estuary is a significant partnership project which aims to transform 60 miles of the Thames Estuary across Essex and Kent into one of the most exciting cultural hubs in the world. Working alongside a range of partners this project delivers three main areas of activity – Cultural programme and content (including Estuary 2021 and a range of co-commissions), Place-making and spaces for production (including work with Ebbsfleet Development Corporation, influencing planning policy) and skills, training and employment (empowering more young people to access creative careers).

She is on the Civic University Network Advisory Group and UAL Advisory Group for their UKRI funded Modelling and supporting recovery of the UK’s experience economy. She is also a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.