Our Directors
This Place Speaks is guided by people who believe in the power of attention, creativity and connection to place.
Our directors bring complementary experience across participatory arts, education, sound, storytelling, marketing and community engagement.
Rob Dart
Founder and Director
Rob is an artist and creative facilitator working with sound, story and place. Through years of leading projects in schools, communities and natural spaces, he began to imagine an organisation rooted in attention, connection and creativity. From that idea, This Place Speaks was born.
His practice brings together listening, acoustic ecology, storytelling and participatory arts. He designs projects that invite people to slow down, notice more deeply and find creative ways to share their relationship with the places they inhabit.
Fiona Norbury
Director
Fiona is a Bury-based freelance marketer with more than 25 years of experience. Marketing was never the original plan: she studied theatre design and intended to become a sound designer, before a temporary role in a multi-retailer shopping centre changed everything. She quickly realised that working in marketing has much in common with working in theatre – it is simply a different stage.
Fiona became a director of This Place Speaks because she believes that access to the outdoors and the arts is an essential, if sometimes overlooked, part of everyday wellbeing – especially for young people who may struggle to find their voice in other environments. Working with Rob gives her the opportunity to combine her experience across marketing and the arts, helping to bring moments of mindful creativity to more people.
Our board is growing
This Place Speaks is developing its board to bring together a wider range of skills, experience and perspectives. Further director profiles will be added as appointments are confirmed.