PRESS RELEASE
EMCCAN appoints a new Chief Executive
EMCCAN (East Midlands Caribbean Carnival Arts Network) is pleased to announce the appointment of Donna Briscoe-Greene as their new Chief Executive from September 2022.
Derby based manager, artist and social entrepreneur, Donna has worked with EMCCAN for many years in various roles which have had a strategic impact on the Carnival In their Education programme, National Carnival Tour, Regional Costume Competition and fundraising initiatives.
Quote from Donna Briscoe-Greene
I am both honoured and excited to be taking on the CEO Role for EMCCAN, thank you all for this opportunity. I believe Carnival is an important part of my Cultural Heritage and wanted to learn and do more for the Community we work and live amongst. I hear the community voice where Carnival is concerned and my hope is to achieve the EMCCAN vision whilst we continue to bring the Community with us. After all, “Life is a Carnival”.
EMCCAN’s Chair Richard Renwick MBE said:
“We are delighted to have recruited Donna Briscoe-Greene as the new CEO of EMCCAN. She has a real passion for carnival arts and how it impacts the communities we work with. Which is in essence what EMCCAN is all about.
She also has relevant skills, and will bring new ideas to the development of EMCCAN”.
EMCCAN’s outgoing Chief Executive Donna Fox said:
“It will be an absolute pleasure to hand over the baton to Donna Briscoe-Greene, who has undertaken various roles within EMCCAN, and who’s strategic leadership within the region will benefit the organisation, providing stability and ambition for the future of the four carnivals. I look forward to supporting the transition period.”
The panel and Board members feel she will bring a balance of ambition, caution and business accumen to the role in a post-pandemic future. Positioning the organisation strategically, to build on past achievements, and development, of the four East Midlands Carnivals and the overarching partnership.
EMCCAN – East Midlands Caribbean Carnival Arts Network
Emccan is the umbrella organisation that delivers four Caribbean carnivals in Derby, Leicester, Nottingham and Northampton and also an annual regional costume competition. It was set up in 2010 and has gained a good reputation for both delivering and marketing the carnivals and costume show – the latter a source of some envy to London’s mas enthusiasts.
The succesful candidate is expected to have a passion and commitment to carnival arts and substantial experience in an arts leadership position to “inspire, lead and nurture carnival arts in the East Midlands [and] forge new links and launch new initiatives for the East Midlands’s Carnival sector in this post-pandemic world”.
Donna Briscoe-Greene’s background:
Donna is Award winner of the 2019 Black Achievers Award for Culture, Media and the Arts. Creative Director and Landlady of Pub Theatre The Maypole Cafe Bar and Theatre www.themaypolebarandtheatre.co.uk has a BA in Performing Arts and qualifications from LAMDA. She founded EMBAA CIC (East Midlands Black Arts Associated) in 2018, which supports the development and decolonisation of the local Arts scene and was head hunted/nominated to join Derby CAN (Derby Creative Arts Network) and DCEP (Derby Cultural Education Partnership) as a Consortium Partner. As Creative Director for EMBAA, Donna offers training and coaching for artists, developing programmes for Grassroots productions to increase local Black Audiences and the Global Majority. As a professional singer she has been a studio artist, warm up for Aswad, Omar and performed for Amnesty International, International Womens Day, the Windrush Celebrations, Carnival, The Carnival Queen show and was handpicked to perform for the Jamaican High Commissioner on his visit to Derby. Donna has been a nominee for the National Diversity Award for Positive Role Model for Race, Religion & Faith.
And most recently been nominated for the National (Open) Women’s Awards, in the category of Outstanding Woman in Art, Media & Music of the Year 2022.
