who we are
Magic Acorns encounters the world with children, learns what children can do from children, and learns what art can do by listening to children.
We create aesthetic work, which is made for – and with – children under five.
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We forge connections and grow communities through the creation of inclusive, enriching and compassionate spaces, for children, parents, artists and educators.
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We foster collaboration between arts and cultural organisations, artists and educators.
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We support participation, developing skills through training, experimentation, exploration and reflection.
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We keep research at the heart of practice and develop deep thinking through theoretical approaches.
meet the TEAM
Charlotte Arculus
An artist, educator & a animateur. Through music, movement and materials, Charlotte generates artistic practices and pedagogies of improvisation that pay great attention to young children and their transversal, multi-modal thinking. This requires working with what is emerging at any particular time and moment. Charlotte is currently a doctoral scholar at Manchester Metropolitan University.
Charlotte Arculus
Sophie Fox
Sophie is an early years artist blending exploratory creative play, music, performance and visual arts. She seeks to engage very young children and families as creative collaborators through playful co-creation. Sophie has recently completed a research masters in early childhood music and arts education.
Sophie Fox
Lyndall Rosewarne
Lyndall was previously Regional Officer for Youth Music in the East of England, Lyndall has fundraising experience and has written strategies for a wide range of arts organisations.
Lyndall Rosewarne
Joy Haynes
As a former director of Norwich Puppet Theatre,
Joy has considerable experience of running a small arts organisation and is an artist in early years with expertise in puppetry and theatre.
Joy Haynes
Jessica Pitt
Dr Jessica Pitt, now lecturer in music education at the Royal College of Music, once held the position of music worker at Great Yarmouth Sure Start Children's Centre. She brings a background in research and practice and is able to articulate the value of day to day ongoing work-particularly in music.
Jessica Pitt
Katherine Zeserson is a musician, writer, coach, strategic advisor, facilitator and trainer. She works at the intersections between creative process, social transformation, leadership culture, personal development and impact.
She has a varied free-lance portfolio, is the co-founder and chair of Sing Up Ltd and co-director of Harmony Associates. She holds a BA in Philosophy/Psychology, an MA in Creative Writing and is an RD1st (UK) trained coach.
Katherine Zeserson
ASSOCIATE ARTISTS
Abby Page
Abby is a dance artist, choreographer, performer and Director of In Cahoots Dance. Her early years dance and music practice gives space to explore, create and improvise through imagery, movement and musical play.
Abby is passionate about inclusivity and collaboration, and she delights in encouraging artistic partnerships between dancers of all ages.
Abby was a performer in Magic Adventure, one of the lead artists on In-Between Spaces, Near and Far and SALTmusic, and is part of the
Germination project.
Abby Page
Lewis Wickwar
Lewis is an artist and educator working with a range of screen based media. He uses playful, non-formal approaches to working with video, virtual reality and other digital mediums - seeking to remove technical barriers and encourage experimentation and creative expression.
Lewis created film pieces for
In-Between Spaces, Germination and
Baby SoundGarden
Lewis Wickwar
Roma Patel
Roma Patel is an artist and scenographer. Her work and research focus on the points of intersection between scenography and interactive sensing technologies.
She is an associate artist at the Mixed Reality Lab, University of Nottingham, and has designed and exhibited work in the UK and Europe since 2000. Her stage design for the site-specific production of the Tempest is held in V&A Theatre Museum’s permanent collections.Further to her PhD in interactive design for Theatre for Early Years, she co-founded ‘Makers of Imaginary Worlds’ that explores mixed reality spaces to create sensory playful installations for young audiences. Roma was one of the lead artists on Near and Far.
Roma Patel
Mary Lovett
Mary’s musical journey has been an exploration of composition and song, ensemble and collaboration.
Mary is an established community musician and choir leader and she has worked on a wide variety of Youth Music and ACE funded projects as a composer, facilitator, and performer.
Her latest work is in binaural sound design for film and installation work.
Mary was a performer in Magic Adventure, lead artist on SALTmusic and is part of the Germination project.
Mary Lovett
Oliver Payne
Oliver Payne is an artist, sound designer and musician interested in improvisation.
He creates sound and music for installation, film and broadcast.
As an installation artist Oliver is focussed on discovering the unheard and unusual through kinetic sculptures, improvised performance and sound-based mark making.
Oliver was one of the lead artists on
In-Between Spaces.
Oliver Payne
Natalie Willis
Natalie is a vocalist, performer, and early years music leader, with over 11 years experience of working creatively with young children and their families. Whilst working with the music team at the trailblazer Priory Children's Centre she completed her Post Graduate Diploma in Early Years Music Education with CREC (Centre of Research and Education in Early Childhood).
Natalie has also been a performer in ‘Magic Adventure’ and is proud to have contributed to the research and developments of the show.
Natalie is part of our
Germination project.
Natalie Willis
"Our most valued partners in creativity are children"