Kelly Weston

I’m an artist based in Southampton, and I work freelance as a specialist in Artist Support, helping other creative people with their work. Drawing on my 20+ years experience as an animation director, creative business owner, university lecturer, and work with local and national arts organisations, I provide one-to-one advice and support with: finding opportunities and building networks planning a project or activity feedback on your work making an application for funding managing work-life balance I also run workshops, deliver training and host panel discussions events and crit groups, and I provide access support for funding applications. I’m happy to meet in-person or online. Feel free to get in touch if you’d like to know more.

I am a photographer passionate about social documentary, environmental portraiture, and visual sociology. I try to place ethics at the core of my practice, often working in socially engaged ways and via partner negotiation and collaboration. Previously I was a firefighter for 24 years, and then transitioned to event production, working globally with renowned clients like Duke Dumont, Wu-Tang Clan, Pusha T and many others. After leaving the touring life, I earned a BA and MFA in photography (with distinction) at the University for the Creative Arts and now here I am doing what I love.

My debut novel, The Normal State of Mind (Parthian, 2015) was long listed for the Mumbai Association of Moving Images (MAMI) Word to Screen Prize. Table Manners (Dahlia Books, 2018) won the Saboteur Award for Best Short Story Collection in 2019. My short stories have been featured on BBC Radio 4. I develop and deliver writing workshops for various art galleries and organisations around Hampshire and beyond. I teach creative writing at University of Winchester and am a trustee of The Winchester Poetry Festival. I’ve also developed ands teach a short story course for Professional Writing Academy. I’m co-founder of Write Beyond Borders, a transnational mentoring project writers from South Asia and its diaspora.