Counterculture Partnership LLP is delighted to welcome Uzma Johal as a Partner. A highly-experienced CEO, Executive Creative Producer and Facilitator, Uzma co- founded Threshold Studios, one of the UK’s leading independent creative agencies fusing art and technology to invigorate public spaces in unexpected ways and the powerhouse behind Frequency International Festival of Digital Culture, which since 2011, has welcomed 95,000 visitors to the historic city of Lincoln, celebrating art, heritage and culture.
In 2017 Uzma was awarded an MBE for ‘Services to the Digital Economy’.
Looking forward to her new role, Uzma Johal commented:
“I am a passionate advocate for the transformative power of culture, media, technology and the arts in the pursuit of social change and I am excited to be joining Counterculture and being part of an organisation that has such an impressive track record of making a difference in the cultural sector and beyond.”
Counterculture Chair, John Newbigin, welcomed Uzma’s appointment as follows:
“In a fast-changing social, political and economic environment, Uzma’s unique blend of experience across the third, public, commercial and education sectors from Executive leadership to the development and delivery of Creative Programmes, gives her an insight and appreciation of the challenges faced by cultural organisations and creatives across the spectrum. She will be a huge asset to Counterculture and I am delighted to welcome her.”
Further information about Uzma Johal:
A second-generation immigrant, Uzma intrinsically understands the perspectives of challenge and inequality for marginalised communities which is a driving motivation throughout her career.
Uzma’s work includes the development of creative place-making strategies, strategic business and programme planning, organisational change, talent development and stakeholder engagement, with a focus on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.
Uzma’s experience extends to working with CEOs, Senior Management Teams and Boards in complex place-based partnership settings, with a range of public, third and private sector organisations, supporting the development of operating models to achieve organisational change for the modern world.
Whilst developing Threshold, Uzma has worked with a wide range of clients through her consultancy work, including Leeds 2023, Destination Lincolnshire, University of Leicester, University of Lincoln, Warp X Films, Attenborough Arts Centre and Northampton Libraries Service to name a few. She has also served on the Arts Council Regional Board and Area Council, consulted on policy frameworks for cultural strategies, as well as chairing and facilitating panels and speaker events such as REMIX London at Google HQ 2021.