Meet the Team
The Tonic Arts team are an experienced group of arts and health professionals with an extensive knowledge in their specialist areas.
Get in touch with any queries at [email protected]
Susan Grant
Tonic Arts Manager
Susan is an arts producer and visual artist with a particular interest in collaborative and participatory practice, arts and wellbeing and public art in all forms. She has over 20 years of experience of managing arts projects in partnership with Peacock Visual Arts, Grampian Hospital Arts Trust, Triangle Arts Trust, Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop, the University of Tasmania and the Royal Scottish Academy.
Contact Susan: [email protected]
The thing I love the most about running our wonderfully diverse programme is seeing the way in which the arts – in all its forms – enliven people in healthcare settings. They speak to our sense of humanity, whatever our background or state of health, and remind us that we’re so much more than a patient.
Len McCaffer
Tonic Arts Manager
Len joined the team in autumn 2021 . He has worked as an actor, writer and producer for over 25 years, as well as West Lothian Council Arts Officer with a specific remit of Wellbeing. He has a MA in film production from Edinburgh Napier University and has recently completed a PhD at the University of West of Scotland.
Contact Len: [email protected]
Jane Greenacre
Head of Programmes
Jane joined NHS Lothian Charity in late 2022. Jane has over 20 years’ experience supporting disadvantaged communities and people facing health inequalities, developing and leading projects in both the Third and Statutory Sectors. Prior to joining the Charity, she supported NHS Lothian as Head of Volunteering.
Outside work Jane enjoys cinema, theatre and galleries despite not having a creative bone in her body.
Email: [email protected]
Diane Ellis
Communications and Marketing Manager
Diane is passionate about storytelling and how it can inspire and engage. Working across all areas of the Charity, she plays an important role in connecting with our supporters and stakeholders, and showcasing the positive impact of our work on patient and staff experience and outcomes.
Get in touch: [email protected]
It’s incredibly rewarding to see how our work positively impacts people’s lives.
Hans K Clausen
Exhibitions Manager
Following careers in social work and healthcare counselling, Hans studied at Leith School of Art and Edinburgh College of Art. Hans has exhibited nationally and internationally, working from his studio at Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop, and has built a reputation for collaborative and participatory practice through a series of residencies and commissions, frequently within healthcare settings. Alongside his work for Tonic Arts Hans is currently Community Artist at St Columba’s Hospice, commissioned artist with Artlink Central and Teaching Fellow at University of Edinburgh’s Centre for Open Learning.
Contact Hans: [email protected]
It is an absolute privilege to manage and curate the hospitals exhibition programme. To curate artworks traditionally means ‘to take care of them’ as well as considering their presentation, context and connections. I believe wholeheartedly that art can transform our surroundings and lift our spirits. By creatively taking care of our hospitals environments I hope we contribute to the care and well-being of patients and staff, and build healthier, happier hospital communities.
Becky Brazil
Arts & Greenspace Project Manager (Royal Edinburgh Hospital)
Becky Brazil is an award-winning filmmaker. As well as making documentaries for the BBC, she has worked on many arts & community projects. She is committed to her work at the REH and strongly believes that developing a collaborative, participatory and therapeutic environment is vital for improved health & wellbeing.
Contact Becky: [email protected]
Based at Edinburgh’s main mental health site, working with a very talented patient, staff, third sector and volunteer community, I’m passionate about using art, design and green activities to create the best possible hospital environment for getting well.
Becky Brazil, Royal Edinburgh Hospital Arts & Greenspace Manager
Iain Cartwright
Arts and Greenspace Project Manager (East)
Iain is an experienced arts manager with long experience across the cultural sector including working for artist-led, community arts organisations; for museums and heritage organisations including the V&A and for local authorities – in arts development and public art roles. This included periods running projects in Northern Ireland, Amsterdam and France. Iain also worked as a consultant for several years on capital projects for arts and heritage organisation, running architectural design competitions and producing business plans for clients. Prior to joining NHS Lothian Charity Iain was the Executive Director of the British Ceramics Biennial for over eleven years. Iain has an MSc in Sustainable Architecture and particular interests in environment, place and bio-diversity. Iain lives in Edinburgh and is a keen amateur gardener, volunteering at Duddingston community garden.
Email Iain: [email protected]
This is my perfect job as it combines both the arts and green spaces.
Laura Bennison
Arts & Greenspace Project Manager (West)
Laura has a background in gallery and museum education as well as mental health support work so Tonic Arts combines two of her passions bringing creativity into healthcare settings.
Laura has over 14 years of experience in community engagement and audience development work in the museum, gallery and heritage sector devising inclusive, participatory arts programmes and accessible learning resources that broaden access to culture to as wide a range of users as possible.
Laura cares strongly about co-production and representation in the arts. She was worked for City of Edinburgh Museums and Galleries, National Museums Scotland, Scottish Association of Mental Health and Maternal Mental Health Alliance
From personal experience she understands the value of art , greenspace, nature and creativity to aid recovery, amplify hospital users voices, build understanding of each other and make health care environments a much more enriching place to be.
Contact Laura: [email protected]
Arabella Harvey
Capital Enhancement Curator
With an academic background in painting, art history and art theory, Arabella has a special interest in cultural management and arts engagement in rural areas and care settings. Recent curatorial projects include the intriguing “Museum for the North” at Timespan in Helmsdale, Sutherland and the delivery of an holistic arts strategy at the newly-built East Lothian Community Hospital in Haddington. Arabella also implemented the arts strategy in the new Haematology Centre at the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh.