Art27 Scotland is based in Edinburgh, Scotland and takes its mission from Article 27 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states that “everyone has the right freely to participate in cultural life and to enjoy the arts”. We explore how contemporary arts, cultural practice and ideas can defend culture as a human right through great art and storytelling. We curate a multi-artform program of exhibitions, performances, publications and events that respond to themes and provocations we believe are urgent for our times e.g. migration, climate change and democracy.
Our action research programme incorporates artistic commissions, socially engaged practice and cultural democracy initiatives that intersect with human rights issues and aims to identify and speak to those accountable. Our goal is to inform, influence and evolve the development and progressive realisation of cultural rights as they become incorporated into Scottish law, and respond to the need for an accessible, participatory approach to rights-based decision making. We partner with leading arts, civic and legal organisations to grow a coalition of cultural rights advocates, fostering a more equal creative community ecology that reflects and contributes to a strengthened and fulfilled right to a cultural life.
Art27 Scotland had an extraordinary 2020-2024, delivering on our goals and enabling the communities we work with to help set our direction. Having achieved multiyear core funding from Creative Scotland, we go into the 2025-28 strategic plan in a strong fiscal and organisational position.
Art27 Scotland is uniquely positioned to become a crucial hub to bridge the powerful dynamics between arts, human rights and law. Our small, dedicated team and Board brings substantial experience, as well as national and international industry connections that are highly beneficial to nurturing and championing our creative lives.
Vision
Culture as a Human Right
Art27 Scotland promotes arts and culture for the common good. We believe culture is a human right, as outlined by Article 27 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights “Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits.”
Our vision is a society where the power of art to create meaning and activate empathy through narrating and interpreting human experience, is in the hands of all. Our aim is to support the emergence of a more just, democratic and peaceful world through cultural expression in whatever way we can.
Mission
Why do we exist?
Our mission is to create and produce art that celebrates, provokes and raises awareness of why cultural rights matter, particularly in the contexts of the great global shifts of our time affecting us all i.e migration, democracy and our environment. We do this through artist commissions, socially engaged community projects and cultural democracy facilitation.
Values
Fairness, Respect, Equality, Dignity and Autonomy
• Local ways of life and global connections are always present, interactive and indivisible.
• Our values are visible in the aesthetics of our work, we strive for integrity and to remain true to our vision.
• We bring our full attention, skills and imagination to the present, to whatever conditions it offers us and to whomever we are working with.
• We design and plan for a reciprocal journey with our communities through equality of exchange, sharing and mutual benefit.
• We ask to whom are we accountable and why.
• We ask how do we take responsibility and how do we care.
• We respect and value complexity, contradictions, ambiguity. Resolving ethical challenges is the work not the preparation.
• Nothing about us without us: projects to produce social change are led by and address the stated needs and aspirations of those most affected.
• We aim to understand and operate within the characteristics of dignified exchange.
• We respect the autonomy and self-determination of all participants, cultural workers and partners.
• We recognise that migration has always been part of the fabric of our city, and we challenge stereotypes bringing diverse intersectional perspectives on cultural identity to the fore.
• We won’t shy away from taking a risk if the potential outcome is great.
• We adhere to Fair Work principles and transparent, ethical relationships with all involved in our company and projects.
• We manage a permeable threshold between non-professional and professional practitioners.
Our People
Helen Trew
CEO/Founder
I am a seasoned cultural producer with a distinguished 30yr experience in theatre, film and socially engaged collaborative practice. Experienced in curation of multi-arts festivals and events, I bring intersectional perspectives into every project undertaken. I am enquiring and flexible, navigating the landscape of social engagement and advocacy for equality and human rights through multiple artistic disciplines. A successful fundraiser, having raised and administered substantial multi-year budgets up to £1.2m. As a project manager—spanning artistic development, curation, production and data-driven outcome evaluations, I create connections between communities, cultural sectors, policymakers, institutions and global audiences in thought-provoking programmes that spark debate and drive transformative change.
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As CEO of Art27 Scotland we are currently exploring the implications of the Right to a Cultural Life for all as it becomes part of domestic law in Scotland and championing a human rights-based approach to our work. I bring my practice background in theatre and film, as creative producer for Theatre Workshop Scotland, Festival Director, fundraiser, and Equalities specialist at Creative Scotland to my role. I enjoy collaborative approaches that build synergies with diverse stakeholders, from international organisations to grassroots communities, enabling me to amplify cultural affiliations. My work also acts as a bridge between artform domains, production and policy aiming for thought-provoking artistic programmes that encourage discourse. For further detail see my LinkedIn profile.
Robert Rae
Embedded Artist/Founder
Robert’s professional career began in 1982 working with John McGrath and 7:84 Theatre Company England. From 86 – 96 he worked as freelance director, writer and producer with small and middle scale touring companies and on a number of large scale community plays. From 96 to 2014 Robert was Artistic Director & Chief Executive of Theatre Workshop Scotland.
He directed two feature films and numerous professional and community shows, his preferred way of working placing the people whose story is being told at the heart of the creative process. Celebrating diversity and challenging attitudes that exclude – his championing of the employment of professional disabled actors transformed the disability arts scene in Scotland.
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He has worked with theatre companies Nicaragua, India, Poland and Japan, and was honoured that his first feature film TROUBLE SLEEPING was selected as the opening film for Amnesty India’s International Festival marking the 60th Anniversary Celebrations of the Declaration of Human Rights in Delhi. More recently THE HAPPY LANDS, an ambitious period feature made with the Fife Mining Community premiered at the Glasgow Film Festival before being distributed by Soda Pictures, Picturehouse and Distrify. his most recently production was BLOOD RED LINES which he wrote and directed during a a six month residency with Derry Playhouse based in South Armagh and Border counties. For current productions see OurLand Productions and Art27 Scotland
Dr. Katya Moncrieff
General Manager
Katya is an experienced project manager with a background in academic scientific research and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. After completing a PhD in Physical Chemistry at the University of Heriot-Watt in Edinburgh, she was a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of York. She then transitioned into project management, most recently as the Manager of PANORAMA, a Natural Environment Research Council funded Doctoral Training Partnership between the Universities of Leeds, York and Hull. She recently joined Art27 as our General Manager and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Lead.
She developed a passion for the arts whilst growing up in the Shetland islands, where she was part of Shetland’s Youth Theatre, was a member of the youth-led film-making group Maddrim Media, and regularly volunteered at Shetland’s annual Film Festival, Screenplay. Over the past 7 years she has focussed her creativity through regular life drawing and volunteering at Reconfigure in Summerhall.
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For further details, please see my LinkedIn profile.
BOARD MEMBERS
Bob Palmer
Chair
Former Director of Culture and Cultural and Natural Heritage at Council of Europe. Robert Palmer is an independent expert consultant in the cultural field, with considerable international experience. Areas of specialist expertise include cultural policy and strategy, organisation and management, intercultural integration, cultural rights, cultural festivals and events, art and conflict reconciliation, culture-led urban regeneration and European Capitals of Culture.
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Work has focused across Europe (50 countries) and Canada, with first-hand experience in a range of cultural sectors and artistic disciplines.
For more detail, please see my LinkedIn Profile
Diana Elena Stoica
Secretary
I am a Governance and Charities lawyer (Solicitor) working with the Society of Writers to His Majesty’s Signet (the WS Society), which is a unique legal and cultural institution devoted to fostering legal education and promoting Scottish history, heritage, and the arts in Scotland and beyond. The Society provides bespoke governance and administration services to a portfolio of grant making charities, foundations, and charitable trusts that deliver benefit to the public, including poverty relief, the funding of arts and community programmes, and the support of youth and individuals with additional support needs. The Society is based at the Signet Library, a historic building housing library and art collections of national relevance, which regularly hosts exhibitions, conferences, and events throughout the year.
Prior to working with the WS Society, I was a legal trainee at a major Scottish independent law firm, working across its real estate, planning and environment, and public law and regulatory departments. While there, I have developed knowledge of the third sector (charities and third sector leases), public policy (such as the National Planning Framework), and UK and devolved parliamentary affairs, judicial reviews, and public inquiries, as well as cyber law and disputes knowledge.
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I am a graduate of the European Law School (ELS) at Maastricht University and a Scots Law graduate from the University of Glasgow (LLB; DPLP), with work experience in the fields of housing, immigration, and asylum law; equality and public policy; and research. I am fluent in 4 languages, with limited working proficiency/understanding of 3 more.
Beyond my commitment to social welfare and charity law, I am interested in the arts and cultural sector (and the evolution of soft power in this area); public and parliamentary affairs; diplomacy and international law/relations; art/heritage law and cultural property management; artistic freedom of expression; planning, heritage conservation, and environment; agricultural law and policies; and education. I also have an interest in constitutional theory and sports diplomacy and regulation.
Dr Elaine Webster
Trustee
I am Programme Leader for the PgCert/PgDip/LLM Human Rights Law, and Senior Academic Mentor for the Strathclyde Centre for Doctoral Training in Human Rights-based Decision Making. I was previously the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Associate Dean for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, and am currently chair of the University’s Race Equality Steering Group.
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From 2017-2023, I was the elected Executive Secretary of the global Association of Human Rights Institutes. I have been a member of the British Medical Association’s Human Rights Working Group, and the Scottish Human Rights Commission’s Research Advisory Group. I was a member of the Academic Advisory Panel to the National Taskforce on Human Rights Leadership in Scotland, and am a member of the Scottish Government’s Core Working Group on Human Rights Implementation.
I have been an Erasmus visiting teacher at the University of Maastricht in the Netherlands, and have spent time at the Institute for Human Rights and Critical Studies at KU Leuven in Belgium, as a Royal Society of Edinburgh/Caledonian Research Foundation European Visiting Fellow.
I have particular interests in participatory and arts-based research, public engagement, and assessment and feedback practices.
For further detail please see my University of Strathclyde profile.
Draya Madhu
Trustee
Draya Madú is a Mexican mural artist, painter and illustrator who now lives in Edinburgh, Scotland.
She is an international award winning visual artist, her figurative style evokes fantastic worlds , having as her main pictorial themes nature, human beings and fantasy. Throughout her artistic career she has participated in several international muralism and urban art festivals in countries like Peru, Colombia, United Kingdom and Mexico, she has also participated in collective pictorial exhibitions in various parts of Mexico and United Kingdom.
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She has pictorial works in private collections in Mexico, USA, Peru, United Kingdom and Colombia. For more information, please visit her website.
Yan Chi (Isabella) Leung
Trustee
I am a self-starter marketer with over 5 years of experience spanning marketing, communications, public relations, event management, and individual giving fundraising within the non-profit and social enterprise sectors.
My passion lies in elevating brand profiles, crafting compelling narratives, and fostering meaningful connections that drive engagement and inspire action.
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I am currently Marketing officer at National Galleries Scotland. For further details, please see my LinkedIn profile.
Hanson Ting
Trustee
With a Master’s degree in Material Science and Engineering from Imperial College London, I bring a unique blend of skills to the table, combining technical engineering knowledge with business acumen and finance proficiency. This mix allows me to effectively navigate challenging business landscapes and deliver solutions that align with strategic objectives, which is what I aim to continue doing as I progress in my career.
I’m currently on track to become ICAS Exam qualified by December 2025 whilst working at EY, specialising in assurance on the Energy, Retail and Beverage industries, building on my expertise and expanding my proficiency in finance and accounting.
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For further details, please see my LinkedIn profile.
Dr. Aidan Flegg
Trustee
Dr Aidan Flegg has recently completed a PhD in socio-legal studies based upon the obligations found in economic, social and cultural rights law and their application to public budgets and has over five years of practical experience in working directly on researching and implementing economic, social and cultural rights in Scotland. He has published academic papers and reports on the human rights legal framework and has worked widely with civic society, the Scottish Human Rights Commission, and as a part-time lecturer in international human rights at the University of Stirling.
Further to this, he has also worked as a senior advisor to the Scottish Government’s Human Rights Strategy and Legislation unit, advising upon and developing policy on children’s rights and Scotland’s proposed Human Rights Bill which aims to incorporate economic, social, and cultural human rights.
Aidan is currently working as a consultant to the Scottish Human Rights Commission and is the Human Rights Project Manager at the Improvement Service running a project focused on building the human rights capabilities of Scotland’s local government.
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For further details, please see my LinkedIn profile.