About us

HATCH works with people to empower their creative journey so that they are more connected to, and proud of, themselves, each other, and their place.

We work in partnership and dialogue with communities on all projects, understanding that people are the experts in their own lives and experiences. As far as is possible and appropriate for each project, we work with people to develop the project from the ground up, so that they can take ownership of it into the future.

It is important to us that all our projects:

  • Develop relationships with partners who align with our ethos and values
  • Enhance our own learning and experiences.
  • Include elements of creativity and joy.
  • Include time to ‘hang out’ with communities, listen, and build relationships of trust.
  • Meet people where they are, rather than expect them to come to us.
  • Don’t assume that we are the experts.
  • Put care at the heart of everything we do.
  • Aren’t afraid to take risks and fail.

We won’t always get all of this right, but if we work reflectively and are not afraid to fail, we can be open and honest about it, own the failure, and learn from all our experiences.

HATCH is Directors Nat Walton, Alison McIntyre and Emma Manners, working regularly with freelancers. Nat and Alison have been working together since 2016 to devise and develop arts engagement programmes. HATCH was founded by them in 2018 with a shared ethos around developing projects, with Emma joining the team in 2020 to work on WOVEN and becoming a Director in 2026.

OUR CORE PROJECTS

WOVEN is a celebration of innovation in textiles across Kirklees was commissioned by Kirklees Council in 2019 and began with talking to cultural and community organisations, industry representatives, the University of Huddersfield, independent artists and makers, and the council. The festival is now a biennial event, with a year long programme of activity around it, and includes regular consultation events that are open to all, keeping the planning process open and transparent and giving people control over the ways they can get involved.

Art Doctors is a collective of artists and facilitators who think art and creativity can be good for you and create public interventions in response to this ethos. They playfully break down barriers to participation in the arts and explore the positive role of creativity in all our lives. Activities have developed from dialogue with other artists, healthcare professionals, academics, social prescribers, and students, and have been delivered in community centres, at street festivals, in art galleries and museums, on the radio, and in films.

We also work with partners – museums and galleries, councils, colleges, arts and community organisations, artists – to support delivery of their projects in a consultancy or project management role.

See more about our PROJECTS