Nishna MEHTA, Researcher

Caleb LEE, Reseacher

Nishna Mehta is a graduate of the MA Theatre for Young Audiences programme at Rose Bruford College of Theatre and Performance in the United Kingdom. She has been working with and for children and young people from various backgrounds and abilities in India, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Germany since 2012 in various creative and managerial roles. She is currently based out of Mumbai working towards applying her learnings in the Indian context. She has been a participant at the ASSITEJ ‘Next Generation’ Programme residencies at Augenblick Mal! in Berlin (2015) and On The Edge in Birmingham (2016). Currently, she is the Creative Consultant at the Gateway School of Mumbai, a school for children with disabilities and the Chairperson of the International Inclusive Arts Network (IIAN), a Professional Network of ASSITEJ International. In all of her roles, she aims to bring her local and international experiences together to experiment with and find a ‘glocal’ identity.

Caleb Lee is an academic, producer and critic working at the intersection of the arts and young people. He is currently a lecturer in Drama at the University of Exeter. He is co-artistic director of Five Stones Theatre – an international collective creating dance and theatre experiences for children that are ‘a little different’. His work cuts across the creative industries applied performances, and digital technologies, with interests in popular culture, creativity, social change, and young people’s health and wellbeing. With over a decade of leadership experience in the professional sector, Caleb continues to work with artists, policymakers, and cultural organisations globally to empower children through creative activities. He currently serves on the Advisory Council at Polka Theatre, as a visiting fellow for Zinc Venture Builder, and as an associate researcher of the International Inclusive Arts Network (IIAN) and Rose Bruford College’s TYA Centre. He is also a lead researcher and a member of the Asian TYA Network. Caleb uses #PoliticsofSmallChange to define his work – an approach that considers how micro-actions can inspire change and hopeful futures, one small step at a time.