Deborah Curtis & Schools
At Byline Festival 2025, Deborah Curtis, Josh Knowles and Stephen Whitehead from Handsworth Association of Schools will be joined by a group of students from the West Midlands who have been working with The Great Imagining Staffordshire this term. They will present the programme and how it works and what the ambition for it is over the next year in Staffordshire and beyond.
This session will have interactive elements, will include some demonstrations of the kind of resources and carbon literacy we are working with in schools as well as how we are using Media and Journalism to get messages around a Greener Fairer Wiser World out there to the wider public.
Go and speak to the team at The Great Imagining Stand to find out more and contribute ideas to their ideas wall.
Relational artist Stephen Whitehead is a dedicated Green Mentor at Handsworth Association of Schools as well as being a creative collaborator with The Great Imagining and The House of Fairy Tales. He champions sustainability and climate education. With a passion for youth empowerment and community engagement, he supports schools in developing eco-initiatives that inspire action and awareness, helping young people become confident, informed advocates for a greener future. For Byline Festival at Keele University he will be coming with some young people who will run carbon literacy workshops with the audience on the Friday and advocate for a greener, fairer, wiser future for everyone.
Josh Knowles is an artist, illustrator, and creative collaborator with The House of Fairy Tales & The Great Imagining. Renowned for his vibrant, whimsical style, he brings stories to life through immersive visuals and playful designs. Josh’s work sparks imagination and wonder, transforming everyday spaces into enchanting realms that captivate audiences of all ages. for Byline festival he will be working with the audience to create NEWS ARTICLES that are greener, fairer, wiser.
Deborah Curtis is a visionary at the intersection of art, education, and civic culture. Through The House of Fairy Tales, she crafts playful, interactive worlds for children and adults alike—integrating theatre, art and narrative. With The Great Imagining, she elevates this mission into national ecological and social engagement, with immersive programs designed to empower young people in shaping a sustainable, imaginative future.