The Practising Well Conversation Series with Nicola Naismith

Daniel Regan is a photographic artist exploring complex emotional experiences, focusing on the transformational impact of arts on mental health, building on his own lived experience. He shoots commissions and personal works, delivers socially engaged projects and provides consultancy in arts & health. Daniel is Founder and Executive Director of the Arts & Health Hub, a non-profit organisation supporting artists that work in the arts and health sector. His particular interest and focus is on practitioner support for artists with lived experience of mental health difficulties. Previously Daniel worked as the Director of an arts and health charity in the NHS.

Chris Stenton is Executive Director of People Dancing, the development organisation and membership body for community and participatory dance. He leads on strategy, development, and partnerships for People Dancing and brings 30 years' experience of working with dancers, teaching artists, community practitioners, and arts organisations to this role.

Chris led the UK-wide programme for Big Dance 2012, part of the London 2012 Festival and is a regular contributor to publications and events in the UK and internationally. He has served on various Boards, including East London Dance and Creative Lives and is currently Chair of Dancefest, the community dance organisation for Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

Arji Manuelpillai is a poet, performer and creative facilitator with over 15 years experience of working with some of the country's most vulnerable children, young people and adults. Arji’s trauma informed approach has led to him working with people from all backgrounds in everywhere from prisons to schools and colleges. Over the last ten years Arji has specialised in facilitating workshops with refugee and asylum seeker groups. This has led to him working internationally in refugee camps, immigration removal centres as well as within schools and youth clubs raising awareness about the challenges facing migrants into the UK. Arji pioneered the podcast series ‘Working with Migrant’s’ funded by the Finnish Institute looking at good practice across the world.

Arji works with a trauma enforced approach drawing on extensive training and research, working in a multi-disciplinary style to use his expertise and knowledge in poetry, storytelling, music production, visual art and drama. He believes wholeheartedly in the power of art to bring positive change in society.