The education faculty at The Garage has a wealth of experience from school and college teaching, managing performance projects, to lecturing at Higher Education. All of our staff have gained crucial experience within the industry and we use these real world skills to enhance our delivery. The team are highly energetic and work tirelessly to support and nurture the talent of our students to achieve their goals. We offer an inclusive approach to learning and treat each student as an individual within the overall cohort or team group.

As a professional performing arts organisation we are proud to offer something different to the normal education progression routes. we embed all our teaching and student development into the professional performing arts industry as well as offering extra benefits that traditional colleges and universities cannot provide.

ADAM TAYLOR (HE/HIM)

HEAD OF CENTRE

Adam has had a long relationship with the organisation, having attended drama courses at The Garage as a young person before joining the Trust in 2008 as Technical Manager after graduating from UEA with a BA(Hons) in Drama.

He later moved onto City College Norwich as Course Lead for Production Arts and achieved a Masters in Creative Producing at Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. Adam secured a reputation for supporting students to further their training or employment with a 100% progression rate from his courses.

In 2012 Adam returned to The Garage as Production and Operations Manager. He has been an integral part of the senior leadership team and in driving the organisation forward.

CARRIE MANSFIELD (SHE/HER)

QUALITY ASSURANCE LEAD

Carrie is The Garage Trust‘s Executive Producer. She is the centre’s Quality Nominee and chairs the assessment board for the HNC Programme. Carrie has been working in the Creative industry for 25 years. She originally trained in Theatre and Arts Management at Dartington College of Arts and has worked as a director, performer, writer and project manager. Carrie is a qualified teacher, experienced in writing and delivering education programmes and is currently part of the Executive Team. Her role includes development and strategic work for The Garage Trust.

DANIELLE GARDNER (SHE/HER)

EDUCATION MANAGER

Danielle has worked at The Garage since September 2018 as a Performing Arts Tutor and Producer in a part-time role, alongside a Head of Dance position in a local school. In January 2022, Danielle took on a full-time position at The Garage and The Workshop, (The Garage‘s sister venue in Kings Lynn), before becoming Accredited Courses Leader in August 2022. Danielle also teaches GCSE Dance.

Danielle is a dance specialist with a BA (Hons) Dance Degree from The University of Chichester, and is a qualified teacher with a PGCE in Secondary Dance, also from The University of Chichester. She teaches a range of classes on both The Garage’s and The Workshop’s class programme, with a keen passion for tap dance. Through her role as Producer and Tutor at The Garage, Danielle has harnessed a wide range of connections in both education and producing in Norfolk. Danielle is passionate about The Garage and education and is looking forward to both growing and developing the education programme.

LEIGH TREDGER

LECTURER – PERFORMING ARTS (ACTING SPECIALISM)

Leigh began her training at the University of KwaZulu Natal (South Africa) as an actress, dancer and director. She joined Phenduka Dance Theatre, training in African (Zulu) contemporary dance and choreography.

In 2005, she moved to London and started working extensively within the ambit of physical and devised theatre, new writing, as well as directing traditional realist plays. During this time, she worked with The Old Vic, Stonecrabs Theatre, Battersea Arts Centre, and Polka Theatre.

In 2012, Leigh completed an MA in Performance Making at Goldsmiths University, achieving a distinction. Her practice-based research focused on scenography, site–specific performance and devised theatre.

Since graduating, Leigh taught on the BA (Hons) Acting for Stage and Screen at Regent’s University, where she taught acting, movement and directed the third-year final productions.

JOSEPH CONNOLLY

LECTURER – PERFORMING ARTS (DRAMA SPECIALIST)

Joseph has worked as an actor, writer, director and facilitator in London, regionally around the UK and internationally. He is a resident artist at the Norwich Arts Centre and an ensemble member at The Writers Theatre Directors Theatre in South Bermondsey. Joseph also enjoys working with emerging artists as a co-ordinator for Young Norfolk Arts and on the board of Trustees at the Angles Theatre, Wisbech.

Joseph has been with The Garage for a year as a part of the inclusion team and is thrilled to be working alongside the education team to share his knowledge and experience with the next generation of creatives.