Mixit is all about people. Meet our Alumni, our Youth Leaders and the support team that have made Mixit what it is today.
Youth leaders
Mixit has a dynamic Youth Leadership programme. This programme offers motivated individuals an opportunity to step up into roles where they face new challenges and opportunities to grow their skills.
Youth Leaders take on organisational and planning responsibilities, gain experience of creative facilitation skills, manage the digital media aspects of the project, have the opportunity and support to initiate events and projects that inspire them. The youth leaders are an integral and dynamic team within Mixit and work hard together to make a difference.
Faizan Loun
Youth Leader
Faizan started coming to Mixit in 2019, and was appointed as a Youth Leader in 2020. He is excited about learning new things, working with the Mixit team and to having fun with his fellow Youth Leaders. He says " When i come here, whatever is intense or unhappy, I let it all out. Everyone enjoys what they are doing and we are all friends at Mixit. ...
Oumaima Ahmat Abdallah
Youth Leader
Oumaima has been coming to Mixit for 5 years, and is the third in her family to become a Mixit Youth Leader. She is in year 12 at Mangere College and loves learning new languages, fashion design and watching Kdramas. After school Oumaima wants to become a fashion designer and actress because she really enjoys exploring her creative side, and wants ...
Sajal Taneja
Youth Leader
Sajal started coming to Mixit in 2019, and was appointed as a junior Youth Leader in early 2020. He loves coming to Mixit to socialise and build his creative skills. “I come here for enjoyment, at the end of every Saturday I feel like I should come next week, it’s the best place for anyone to enjoy, do, create and increase creativity.”
Team
Operations Leader
Could this be you?
Our Operations Leader is a friendly individual with excellent communication skills, lots of IT savvy and a self starter. They’re a team player, organised and keen to contribute to both the running of our Core Programme and the excellent dynamics of our Engine Room. We’ve not found them yet, but we know they are nearby and can’t wait to introduce t...
Wendy Preston MNZM
Creative Producer/Director
Wendy has over 30 years of professional involvement as a choreographer, director, tutor, performer and artistic producer/manager. She has worked extensively with young people on performance projects throughout her career, focusing on cross-cultural and inter-disciplinary creative interaction. Wendy has collaborated with leading practitioners across...
Munashe Tapfuya
Outreach Activator
Munashe joined Mixit as a participant before going on to become a Youth Leader, and later a member of the inaugural Alumni Squad. She has a degree in Performing Arts and continues to pick up performance opportunities – predominantly on screen. She’s also currently undertaking part time Post Graduate studies in Social and Community Leadership. As ou...
Board members
Mark Easterbrook
Trustee - Acting Chair
Mark works as a Writer and Creative Director in the advertising and design industry, as well as volunteering his time for arts and charity organisations. As a creative thinker, he aims to join the dots between ideas and people to help build Mixit’s connections and tell our story. As a Mixit trustee, he brings a calm, optimistic approach to what we ...
Mike Becroft
Trustee
Michael is an Art Director in film and been part of the NZ film industry since the early 1980s. Closely associated with Mixit since it was established in 2006, he was the inaugural Chair of the Board. He retains a seat at the board table providing a steady voice of reason, a wise overview and ensures the project remains true to its core purpose, al...
Susan Davis
Trustee
Susan has a background teaching and engaging with visual arts and poetry initiatives. As a trustee she brings a set of skills that connects the space between Board and Management and flows through to direct mentoring of the Mixit participants. Susan hosts our annual Youth Leaders retreats on her rural property in Northland and is a deeply committed...
Alumni squad
Mixit Youth Leaders graduate into our Alumni team. The team actively engage on many levels – as Ambassadors, on the Board, mentoring youth, performing for external events, creating music (check out our videos) and participating in continued training to creatively lead and manage outreach opportunities.
Meg Sydenham
Alumni squad
Meg worked with Mixit for the first time on the 2019 summer project JUMP CUT as a creative coach. She is from an acting background, and recently graduated from Toi Whakaari. Her range of teaching experience is diverse: putting on plays with primary school drama classes, working with kids right through to adults as an acting coach for short films, t...
Batanai Mashingaidze
Alumni squad
Batanai is an emerging professional artist who has worked in a range of roles since graduating from Toi Whakaari as an actor. She has been employed as a performer in theatre, film, on dance projects and as an AD in the film industry. She was a creative coach on a Mixit summer project FRESH EYES and the Assistant Director on the JUMP CUT summer proj...
Mu Nyay
Alumni quad
Mu Nyay has been coming to Mixit since 2013. She was appointed as a Youth Leader in 2018, and joined our Alumni Squad in 2021. When talking about Mixit programmes MuNyay said "I love it when I’m on the floor because I can’t think of anything but having fun and I believe that everyone feels the same way as me." Having graduated from St Dominic's in ...
Selected guest artists
Katy Parker:
Visual Theatre Artist
Chris Jannides:
Choreographer & Director
Megan Bardsley:
Graphic Designer
Ella Becroft:
Photographer & Graphic Designer
Emily Carter & Natalie Keane:
Costume Stylists
Don McGlashan:
Composer & Musician
Elijah Kennar:
Choreographer & Performer
Andi Crowne:
Photographer
Ebon Grayman:
Performer & Aerial Acrobat
Jahra Wasasala:
Multi-Disciplinary Artist
Eve Gordon & Dust Palace:
Performers & Aerial Acrobats
Mike & Bronwyn Baker:
Ariel Acrobats & Circus Tutors
Bert Van Dijk:
Theatre Director & Performer
Margaret-Mary Hollins:
Theatre Director & Performer
Alexander Holloway:
Stage Combat
Yair Katz:
Musician
Malia Johnston:
Choreographer & Director
Muhammad Ali Kanwal:
Musician & Performer
Mel Bailey aka Kloos:
Performer & Musician
Bianca Hyslop:
Choreographer & Performer
Katy Burton:
Choreographer & Performer
Sparrow Phillips:
Artist
Eddie Elliott:
Choreographer & Performer
Sarah-Jane Blake:
Visual Installation & Designer
Ahi Kahrunahran:
Theatre Director
Chris Graham:
Theatre Director & Performer
Paulo Rotondo:
Director & Writer
Daniel Ortiz Rodreiguez:
Composer & Musician
Ilai Amar:
Film maker
Tawanda Manyimo:
Theatre Director & Performer
Moss Patterson:
Choreographer
Justin Haiu:
Choreographer & Performer
Tama Jarman:
Theatre Director & Performer
Helen Todd:
Lighting Designer
Felix Becroft:
Performer & Musician
Ben Crowder:
Actor
Gaby Thomas:
Choreographer & Performer
Chris O’Connor:
Composer & Musician
Global connections
Mixit has a growing network of similar inspiring creative organisations that work with young people and marginalized communities. We are interested in making new connections, partnerships and opportunities with like-minded groups. If you have a project and want to link up with Mixit reach out, start talking and join our global connections map.
CAN – Community Arts Northwest, Manchester
can.uk.comProject Phakama, London
projectphakama.orgContact Theatre, Manchester
contactmcr.comRichard Mille Replica
.richardmille.toOvalhouse Theatre, London
ovalhouse.comCounterpoints Arts and Platforma, London
counterpointsarts.org.ukCoHealth Arts Generator, Melbourne
cohealthartsgenerator.comMulticultural Arts Victoria, Melbourne
.multiculturalarts.com.auThe Open University for Refugees, Singapore
initiativeour.orgHelp us continue mixing. Donate now.
We are a charitable trust. The best way to support Mixit is with a regular donation to help fund our work. Donations to Mixit are tax deductible.
Make a regular donation, a one off donation, or get in touch to talk about taking a more personalised approach such as contributing to a specific project, donating your time, or making a large one-off donation.
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