At the beginning of 2026, we were delighted to welcome four new Early Career Creative Placements to Wells Cathedral as part of the Vicars’ Close Project.
These talented creatives will work across the project, engaging in activities, attending board meetings, and receiving mentorship from our team. They will also contribute to shaping our future creative programming, helping ensure that the voices of young people are represented throughout the process. We’re thrilled to be working with them!
Hello! I’m Mattie. I have a background in archaeology and a strong interest in community-led heritage that centres around connection, care, and a diversity of voices. Over the past five years, I’ve been developing this focus through hands-on involvement in community projects in both Manchester and Devon. While my academic background deepened my love for historic places, it also made me question how heritage can become more inclusive, relevant, and creatively shaped by the people who live around it, rather than feeling inaccessible or outdated.
For the past three years, I’ve been involved in a community market garden in Manchester, where I’ve experienced first-hand the power of shared spaces in bringing people together. Through gardening, cooking, music, and art, I’ve seen how barriers can be broken down and strong, supportive communities can grow. I’ve helped coordinate volunteers, listened closely to community needs, and supported creative projects that prioritised collaboration, sustainability, and belonging.
Hi, I’m Weronika, a sustainable textile practitioner and essayist. My practice explores social change through material processes, physical space, and facilitation, with a particular focus on how creative methods can catalyse connection, care, and collective engagement.
Working across textiles, writing, and participatory approaches, I am interested in how making can act as a tool for dialogue and how spaces, both physical and imagined, shape the way communities interact with one another. Sustainability sits at the core of my work, not only in material choices but also in how projects are structured, shared, and experienced.
As part of the Vicars Close project, I am looking forward to exploring how heritage spaces can be activated by young people as sites of creativity, connectivity, and community-building. I am especially interested in how historic environments can be reimagined as living, inclusive spaces that respond to contemporary social needs.
I graduated in 2025 from University of South Wales with a First-Class Honours BA degree in Photography. I’m passionate about visually communicating stories and supporting arts and heritage projects which make space for creativity and connection. Since graduating I have worked as a freelancer in a number of roles including graphic designer, photographer and assistant curator.
Through my photographic practice, I explore accounts of historical and contemporary misogyny in medicine and technology. My recent project, a photobook on the history of medical misogyny, won the Photoworks Youth Open Call and has been exhibited across the UK.
Working as a neurodiverse artist allows me to understand both the strengths and barriers it can come with. Inclusivity is always at the forefront of my practice and something I hope to bring to the placement. I am excited to have the opportunity to delve into the inner-workings of historic sites in this placement and explore the hidden stories of the tenants of Vicars’ Close across the centuries.
Hi, I’m Teagan, a comedy and drama teacher with a background in performance, directing, and creative education. I hold a BA in Acting and an MA in Drama, and I’m passionate about making theatre playful, accessible, and meaningful for people of all ages. Alongside teaching, I’ve directed productions and led heritage-based workshops for children, where I love combining storytelling, performance, and local history to spark curiosity and confidence.
My professional interests sit at the intersection of comedy, drama, and community engagement. I’m particularly interested in how creative practice can encourage self-expression, collaboration, and a sense of belonging. Whether I’m working in a classroom, rehearsal room, or workshop setting, I’m most motivated by seeing participants grow in confidence and discover their own creative voices.
I’m really excited about the ECC placement because of the opportunity to work collaboratively as part of a creative team across a range of artistic practices and creative experiences. I’m keen to learn, grow, and challenge myself in a supportive professional environment, while also getting to know the Wells community more deeply. I’m especially looking forward to developing my practice, learning from others, and contributing my skills to inspiring cross-disciplinary projects.