Meet the Team
Leadership Team
Matt Harper-Hardcastle - CEO and Artistic Director
Hello: Matt is an award-winning theatre director, writer and facilitator. Having worked for regional theatres, universities, national campaigns and local charities, Matt founded NDB1 in 2013 to create a home for all those who shared in his passion for theatre, community and co-production.
My Role: It seriously is the best job in the world! I lead on the development of our artistic vision, collaborating with creatives and communities to understand how our work needs to be shaped by and for them. In realising what is possible I get to dream big, but also keep my feet firmly on the ground by looking after our budgets, fundraising, policy, staffing and resources.
What NDB1 means to me: Next Door But One means everything to me. It ticks all the boxes for me personally and professionally - create exciting theatre: check. Work with people who inspire me every day: check. Feel of use to my local community: check. I have learned so much about theatre, business and who I am as a person because of Next Door But One, its work and its people!
Jane Williamson - Company Manager
Hello: Jane has worked as a Stage Manager for over 15 years in regional theatre across Yorkshire and further afield. She specialises in providing rehearsal room support to actors and creatives and has worked across a range of projects from touring theatre to large scale community shows.
My Role: I’m the Company Manager at NDB1 and so do a glorious mix of everything from scheduling projects to prop shopping. I help ensure that our performances and projects are planned and executed smoothly and our team, participants and audiences have everything they need to have a great experience with NDB1. I also get to stage manage our shows and work in rehearsal rooms with the team, which is always one of my favourite things to do!
What NDB1 means to me: For me, NDB1 gives me the opportunity to help make work that enriches and uplifts everyone: the audiences who see it, the participants who take part and the team who make it. It’s a very special space where I feel welcomed to share my thoughts and encouraged to use my skills to make work that I feel proud of.
Kate Veysey - Associate Director
Hello: Kate is an experienced director, highly-skilled workshop facilitator, and lecturer. Prior to Next Door But One, she was the Youth Theatre Director of York Theatre Royal for 13 years. Kate is also the Artistic Director of Out of Character theatre company, and continues to create and tour work nationally, with companies such as Clean Break and BugLight Theatre.
My Role: I direct a number of the company's productions, including She Was Walking Home, a testimonial piece from women in York about their experiences of walking home, and Life-Changing, a series of short films raising awareness of FASD . I also lead on the expansion of our Professional Development strand; investing in local talent and supporting artist's career goals.
What NDB1 means to me: Working with NDB1 gives me the opportunity to bring all of myself and my skills and experience to projects. The mission and ethos of the company focuses on being accessible and nurturing, and this means that I have the encouragement and support to be brave with the projects I lead, holding space for the teams to do the same. I am inspired by the team at NDB1 who are all amazing people and artists, and feel fortunate to work with them to make theatre.
Emma Liversidge-Smith - Creative Inclusion Lead
Hello: Emma is a trained drama facilitator, actor and programme manager with a passion for using creativity to connect people and enrich their life experiences. She specialises in working with communities, helping individuals express themselves through drama and creative exploration. Alongside her community work, she also delivers high-quality CPDL to teachers and educators across Yorkshire, supporting creative practice in education.
My Role: I’m so happy and excited to be the Creative Inclusion Lead at NDB1 – I get to facilitate joy and call it work! My role allows me to design and deliver meaningful drama and creative sessions for people who may not always find it easy to access the arts; helping them realise that creativity truly belongs to everyone. I love seeing people express themselves, build confidence and experience positive change through the sessions we create together.
What NDB1 means to me: To me, Next Door But One is a place of understanding – both inside and outside the company. It’s about meeting people’s needs, connecting professionals with communities and celebrating creativity in all its forms. I love working with such a diverse range of people, hearing their stories and making something beautiful together.
Associate Artists
James Lewis-Knight - Associate
I get to bring my fullest self to any work I do with NDB1; not only do they allow that but they actively encourage it. It’s such a wonderful team to be a part of and it brings me so much joy being able to call myself an Associate Artist for one of York’s finest theatre companies!
Ceridwen Smith - Associate
As a freelance actor, NDB1 is by far the friendliest company I have ever worked for! It is such an honour to be an Associate and to be part of this exciting, creative and dynamic group of people, who inspire me on a day to day basis. I hope I bring a willingness to play and to share stories with our audiences and participants.
Emily Chattle - Associate
I know that every work day at Next Door But One is going to be a wholesome and fulfilling experience. I can confidently say that they are one of the most supportive and kind companies to work with, and the communities we connect with at work are all phenomenal. Being an Associate for this wonderful company is such an honour!
El Stannage - Associate
Next Door But One is the place where I bring my passion and creativity, where all my experience and skills can be part of the mix that makes powerful performances that tell important stories, where we work to celebrate and nurture everyone's talents and make wonderful theatre and creative moments together.
Anna Rogers - Associate
NDB1 is just the most magical, inclusive and beautiful bubble of JOY to work in. It nurtures everyone involved - participants, audiences and beyond. It actively encourages creativity to bloom, as well as individualism to thrive, which is just the dream right? Getting to work with incredible artists and incredible humans across the board is just one of the many highlights for me. Loud, bright, proud and unapologetic rehearsal attire is also one of my fave perks of the job!
Bailey Dowler - Associate
I feel extremely grateful to be apart of this group of delightful and hard-working creatives. NDB1 are my favourite! Seldom do you get the opportunity to bring your full self into a space and enter an atmosphere that is unconditionally supportive, safe and an abundance of warmth. It always excites me to work for NDB1 as they are experts in storytelling, especially for unheard voices, all whilst putting accessibility and community collaborations at the heart of it all. Beautiful!
Mandy Newby - Associate
Being part of Next Door But One has been unique in my experience of working in theatre. Their commitment to bringing, relevant, accessible and participatory theatre experiences to audiences near, far and wide has captured my admiration. Their care for their team on every project is second to none. To be an Associate of NDB1 brings me so much pride and joy.
Miles Kinsley - Associate
It is always a joy walking into any NDB1-led space; the sense of play and fun they bring to every space means it never feels like work, and yet they repeatedly deliver some of the most important, impactful, and inspiring projects I've encountered. You always feel held and valued as a creative, and it's such an honour to be trusted as one of their associate artists.
Fiona Baistow - Associate
Being part of the Next Door But One team—alongside such exciting, supportive, and gloriously creative humans, and helping to tell the stories that need to be told—is a true delight. I am forever excited and wholeheartedly passionate about the powerful and important work they do. It’s a genuine honour and I am proud to be an associate artist with them. Next Door But One is a place where I can bring all of myself, personally and creatively - where authentic accessibility comes naturally. Collaborating with them always feels like a breath of fresh, giddy air!
ADVISORY GROUP
Nathan Walker
I’m Dr Nathan Walker, an artist and writer from West Cumbria. I make performance art, write poetry and lead the BA in Fine Art at York St John University. I’m interested in art in all its forms but especially art the engages with questions around bodies, queerness and language.
I believe in the transformational experience art offers, especially live performance, to have meaningful and lasting effects on our lives. NDB1 give audiences opportunities to reflect upon and understand our world in imaginative ways, and resist normative, ableist and patriarchal positions. I’m honoured to be a part the advisory board.
Suzi and Brian Furey
I'm a Personal Trainer (Suzi) based in the York area and Brian is part of a new cafe venture in Cycle Heaven, The Cyclist Cafe. Previously however, we owned and operated The Gillygate pub and it’s here where our involvement with NBD1 began. We were in a position to offer them a base and so together created a stage at the back of the pub and a shared office space.
Their heart, vision; inclusive and community based approach has always impressed us. We are honoured to be part of the Advisory group and offer an ear and a steer wherever we can.
Chris James
My name is Chris I work with young adults who are unpaid carers. I lead the Young Adult Carers Team at York Carers Centre.I have previously worked in arts and media campaign work, Alternative Education provision, welfare support and community development.
I believe in the power of participation in the arts to help people understand difficult experiences and to grow in skills, experience and self-efficacy. Next Door but One are a fantastic organisation, their people and their processes are special and we are lucky to have the opportunities they create for people. I am happy that I have the chance to add value to their mix in order that they can reach more people.
Emma Standley
I'm Emma - a Research Fellow in Child and Adolescent Mental Health at the University of York. My research interests are neurodiversity, family wellbeing, mental health, coproduction and how to best translate research into practice. I enjoy personal development and finding new ways to support and shine a light on others.
I am a long-time supporter of Next Door but One after seeing the immediate and incredible impacts that their work does for the young people at The Snappy Trust, and jumped at the opportunity to be on the Advisory Board. In my spare time, I enjoy reading, drinking coffee, eating chocolate and watching apocalypse films.
Srish Arjen
My name is Srish and I am a Human Geography and Environment PhD researcher at the University of York. My research focuses on taking a qualitative approach to identify the challenges posed by and opportunities for engagement with sustainable measures amongst disabled people in the UK. I also works as a Volunteer Development Officer for the charity Zarach and facilitate Climate Fresk workshops. My areas of interest and expertise are spread across climate justice, disability equality, children and young people, and social justice.
Having witnessed the fantastic work Next Door But One do, I am thrilled to be a part of the Advisory Group! Through the means of theatre, they create opportunities for a diverse range of communities to learn, grow and express themselves. This closely aligns with my values of championing inclusivity and making the world a better place. The Next Door But One team are an amazing and committed bunch who add immense value to the lives of those they work with!
We also work with a wider cohort of creatives through our Professional Development programme.
We are always ready to meet new people too, so make sure you say hello!