Meet The Team

These are the Arts in Libraries people who create and deliver the hundreds of events we deliver each year. 

Cath Shea
Arts Development Manager

Cath is the Arts Development Manager at St Helens Borough Council. She supported St Helens Library Service to establish itself as an NPO and continues to lead its development. She works with partners across the borough and the wider region to develop and expand the arts in St Helens - most recently, in 2023, to deliver St Helens Borough of Culture. Cath believes in the power of creativity to improve the lives of individuals, communities and the wider society, and is passionate about developing more opportunities for people to flourish through arts and creativity in St Helens borough.

Andrew Cave
Senior Arts In Libraries Officer

Andy is the Senior Arts in Libraries Officer. He has a long and extensive career in delivering both community investment and business development projects, and is back working in the arts in St Helens borough after a 30 year gap. He manages the Arts in Libraries Team, works behind the scenes on ensuring the team has all the right tools to deliver the programmes, and also loves helping out on the team's events. In his spare time Andy enjoys getting to gigs and galleries with his teenage children.

Rebecca Ainsworth
Creative Lives Officer

Rebecca supports and delivers our Creative Lives strand, working with voluntary arts and the community. 

She has worked in the arts since 2016; her passion is making the space for people to share their creative skills and ideas. She has worked with 3 National Portfolio Organisations and has been with St Helens Arts in Libraries since 2023. She is also an audio/visual artist and is particularly interested in collaborative working.

Kevin Dyer
Creative Writing Workshop Lead

Kevin runs writing sessions for students of all ages in schools, and for adult groups in our libraries - as well as hosting and supporting many of the other projects put on by Arts in Libraries. In his writing sessions he most interested in developing people's creativity, and encouraging them to have big ideas rather than fuss about commas and full stops. He is the artistic lead on the StoryBook Project.

He is also a freelance theatre director, writer and dramaturg.

Alison Patterson
Arts In Libraries Access & Audience Development Officer

Alison is the logistics centre of all Arts in Libraries' work. She is the expert on marketing, audience development, and arts administration. If you contact the team, she will receive your email and either get back to you, or pass it on to the most useful person.

Alison's background is in the creative sector, specifically in Fine Art and Sculpture Sales. Photography and printmaking are particular interests, and she is passionate about promoting arts within community spaces. She is the co-founder of Cheshire Print Fair, and is currently doing an MA in Art Management, Policy, and Practice at The University of Manchester.