Our Story

We embarked on our journey in 2020, right in the midst of the pandemic and during a time of numerous societal debates and clashes. Social distancing became our way of life. It felt as though we were all treading on thin ice, dealing with substantial divisions. Out of this arose the concept of a unifying space that would embrace all viewpoints, ideas, and perspectives. We chose to centre our focus on art and culture, recognising its capacity as democratic mediums that allow for liberal self-expression. While the pandemic is now behind us, the need to listen, learn, and embrace the world, along with its diverse range of opinions, remains.

Our Team

We collaborate with an incredible team of art historians, linguists, cultural specialists, philosophy educators, artists and thought leaders.

Azumi Uchitani

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Azumi Uchitani is a visionary artist, writer, and teacher at the intersection of art, culture, philosophy, and business, offering unique insights and creative expressions to a global audience. Her mission is to bring Japanese ancient wisdom to the west, channelling lifeforce energy to create harmony and peace through art, writing, performance, and teaching. A two-time TEDx speaker, Azumi captivates audiences worldwide as a public speaker and teacher. Her artworks are exhibited in New York and held in corporate and private collections. Azumi’s book is due to be published in summer 2025. 

www.azumiuchitani.com

Bojana Popovic

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Upon completing her Masters in Curating at The Courtauld Institute of Art, Bojana worked at TATE Britain and The Serpentine Galleries before seeking experience in the private art sector. For a few years she worked for private art galleries in Zurich and Paris before moving to the leading auction house, Christie’s, in London. During her four years at Christie’s she worked as a Specialist in the Post-War and Contemporary Art department where she also led art history lectures in collaboration with Christie’s Education MA programme. Since then, Bojana has been working as a freelance art consultant, Art History lecturer and writer.

Daniel O’Brien

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Dr Daniel O’Brien is a Lecturer and Researcher in Film and Digital Media at the University of Essex. He has published work on film, gaming, interactive art and video essays across a range of academic journals, books and audio-visual collections. Vimeo

Doug Bamford

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Doug Bamford teaches short courses in philosophy and political economy with the University of Oxford. His main interest is in political philosophy and its application to public policy. He obtained his PhD in 2013 and became an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (AFHEA) in 2023. He is author of Rethinking Taxation (2014) and several papers and book chapters (including articles in the Journal of Applied Philosophy, Moral Philosophy and Politics, Problema, and Think). He blogs at Doug Bamford’s Tax Appeal.

Franco Bonomi Bezzo

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Franco Bonomi Bezzo is a research fellow at La Statale, University of Milan, as part of the ERC DESPO project, which deals with the political and social changes that have occurred as a result of European de-industrialisation. Franco is affiliated with the National Centre for Demographic Studies in Paris (INED) and the Centre for Labour Market and Development Studies (SALDRU) at the University of Cape Town. Franco works mainly on i) intersectional approaches to the study of inequality; ii) spatial political sociology; iii) basic income models and post-employment scenarios; iv) global south.

Inna Didenko

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Inna is a founder and director of an educational space that promotes intercultural exchange and understanding – LEVEL. Inna has always been fascinated by art and culture, and she has spent the last decade exploring the ways in which they can enrich people’s lives. Previously, she ran an online art gallery promoting emerging artists around the world and has traveled extensively, immersing herself in diverse communities and lifestyles. Inna believes that any artistic expression hides clues to better understanding of cultures, philosophy, world views and our own emotions. LinkedIn

John Bucher

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John Bucher is a mythologist and story expert who has been featured on the BBC, the History Channel, in the LA Times, and on numerous other international outlets . He serves as Executive Director for the Joseph Campbell Foundation and is a writer, podcaster, storyteller, and speaker. He has worked with government and cultural leaders around the world as well as organisations such as HBO, DC Comics, Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon, A24 Films, and Atlas Obscura. He has served as a producer, consultant, and writer for numerous film, television, and Virtual Reality projects. He is the author of six books including the best-selling Storytelling for Virtual Reality, named by BookAuthority as one of the best storytelling books of all time. John has worked with New York Times Best Selling authors, YouTube influencers, Eisner winners, Emmy winners, Academy Award nominees, magicians, and cast members from Saturday Night Live. He holds a PhD in Mythology & Depth Psychology and has spoken on 6 continents about using the power of story and myth to reframe how individuals, organizations, cultures, and nations believe and behave.

Laura Silva

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Laura Silva is a PhD candidate in Sociology at the Center for Research on Social Inequalities(CRIS) at Sciences Po in Paris and affiliated to the Centre for Social Science Research (CSSR) at the University of Cape Town. She works at the intersection of urban dynamics, neighbourhood and gender inequalities and urban social innovation.

Lena Heide-Brennand

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Lena Schattenherz Heide-Brennand is a Norwegian lecturer who holds a master’s degree in language, culture, and literature. She has been lecturing and teaching various subjects since 1998. Her field of interest and focus has always been topics that others consider strange, eccentric, and eerie, and she has specialised in a variety of dark subjects linked to folklore, mythology and Victorian traditions and medicine. Her students and audience often point out her thorough knowledge about the subjects she is teaching and lecturing, in addition to her charismatic appearance. She has worked as a curator and lecturer for the famous London based Last Tuesday Society and Viktor Wynd Museum for Fine Art and Unnatural History since 2021 and holds the all-time record in the museum’s history with more than 21000 interests on her online lecture on Erotic Folktales in 2022. She refers to herself as a performance lecturer and always gives her audience an outstanding experience.

Mariska Beekenkamp-Wladimiroff

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Originally schooled as a psychologist in the Netherlands, Mariska Beekenkamp-Wladimiroff turned to the arts when starting a family in London. Specialising in the Dutch Golden Age of Art at the Courtauld Institute of Art, Mariska now delivers talks for a number of organisations, including her own company Art Historical London. Art Historical London offers art historical lectures, museum visits, courses, tours, travel and events from Amsterdam, London and New York, and since 2020 online.

Matthew Peter-Carter

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Matthew Peter-Carter is an actor, writer, children’s educator, and the Creative Director of Book Club Bunch. Matthew studied BA English Language and Literature at the University of Oxford, graduating with a First Class (with Honours), before completing a MA in Music Theatre at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, where he graduated with Distinction. He is particular fascinated with etymology, the latency of Romanticism in the Victorian era, and all things Gerard Manley Hopkins – as well as a good fantasy novel!

He is currently a Finalist of Penguin Random House’s ‘WriteNow’ programme, finishing his debut children’s middle-grade adventure novel ‘Arthur Saves Christmas (In August)’ as part of a trilogy under the mentorship of a Penguin editor. Acting credits include ‘Brass’ (The Union Theatre), originating the role of Dean in ‘Sing for your Supper’ (Chiswick Playhouse), various UK touring shows, and many a panto… 

Matthew is also a singer, trumpeter, marathon runner, and conscientious vegetarian with a penchant for a great burger! You can follow him on twitter at @matthewp_c.

Mihaela Manolache

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Mihaela Manolache has completed a MA in Art History, Criticism and Display at the University of Nottingham in UK and has worked as a Museologist and Curator for both public and private museums and art galleries in Europe. Her main focus in on modern and contemporary art and as a freelancer, she is involved in community art projects, lectures, writings and art therapy.

Sarah Jaffray

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Sarah Jaffray holds a BA and MA in Art History with an emphasis in 19th/20th century France and a minor in the Italian Renaissance. She holds a second MA in Cultural Theory from Goldsmiths, University of London. Sarah was a lecturer for several colleges and universities in the Los Angeles area before relocating to London in 2012. She has worked in curatorial roles at the British Museum and Wellcome Collection. Sarah is currently a lecturer at the University of Arts London and Coordinator for City Lit’s Art History programme. Her art historical practice focuses on experimental narratives, artistic process, art pedagogy, politics and philosophy. Sarah’s current research is focused on translation and empathy.

Zarah Khrosroshahi

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Dr Zahra Khosroshahi (she/her) is a lecturer at the University of Glasgow, UK in Film & Television studies. She is currently working on her forthcoming monograph on Iranian women filmmakers. Outside of academia, Zahra is the co-founder of Thousand & One: an enterprise that supports fellow women of colour in the workplace.
Twitter @zahrafkh Instagram @zahratheacademic
https://thousandone.org/
https://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/cca/staff/zahrafathikhosroshahi/