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A Community Council of six advisors has been launched to oversee governance of the Power of Pop (PoP) Fund.
The PoP Fund is an initial £1.16m investment pooled from five organisations to support work in the UK at the intersection of pop culture and social change. Six partners have received funding to date.
The Community Council bring deep experience from the creative sectors and a keen mind for justice work.
The work of the council will be to establish the future strategy of the PoP Fund and facilitate the selection of an upcoming third cohort of funded partners.
You can find more information on the PoP Fund here.
The Power of Pop (PoP) Fund, a pooled fund supporting organisations working at the intersection of popular culture and social change in the UK, is thrilled to unveil its newly established Community Council as its primary governing body. This Community Council is a dynamic group of seven influential leaders with lived experience of racialisation and migration, as well as practical expertise from the creative sectors and a keen mind for justice work. This fantastic team will help shape the future strategy of the PoP Fund, as well as the criteria and selection for an upcoming third cohort of funded organisations.
Meet the Community Council members
Stephen Lee: A seasoned media executive with global experience, Stephen has launched and expanded video and music streaming brands across the EMEA region. He is a current Key Contributor to BAFTA Elevate and is a former VP of Strategy at Warner Bros. Discovery.
Adwoa Darko: As Head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (Behaviour and Culture) at University College London, Adwoa champions social justice in higher education. She is a thought leader in the space, having also written articles for Glamour, Gal-Dem and The Independent.
Julian McIntosh: A passionate architect, Julian's work focuses on creating inspirational places, spaces and experiences. His experience includes developing cultural and arts spaces, such as The Heritage and Arts Centre, that facilitate community gathering and empowerment. Julian also stars on BBC 2’s Your Home Made Perfect.
K Biswas: A thought leader and social justice advocate, Biz has published in major publications like the New York Times, New Statesman and Times Literary Supplement. Biz is also the editor of the Journal of Media & Diversity, the Director of award-winning radio station Resonance FM, Chair of the charity Heard, and a consultant for organisations including Child Poverty Action Group and Counterpoints Arts.
Ade Lamuye: Ade's career spans journalism, TV commissioning and education, fuelled by a dedication to social change. Ade is currently a Storyliner at Eastenders and has previously worked as part of the team developing Hollyoaks. She brings experience from the BBC and Evening Standard and continues to support the work of Heard (previously On Road Media).
Maxine Thomas-Asante: Maxine is the Approaches Manager – Pop Culture at Comic Relief. As the link between the Community Council and the PoP Fund funding organisations, Maxine brings commitment to social justice and equity from prior roles at Ten Years’ Time and Can Can Campaigns.
Community Council member Stephen Lee said: "The Council are thrilled to kick off as a newly formed governance body for the PoP Fund. This advisory board underscores the deep commitment of the PoP Fund to grow and develop its strategy as it pioneers groundbreaking work in the migration and racial justice space in the UK. Watch this space for more updates from us in future!"
Get Involved
For more information on the Power of Pop Fund, visit comicrelief.com/funding/pop-culture-for-social-change/the-power-of-pop-fund/ and read our launch announcement for more details on our fund philosophy with commentary from all five funding partners.
