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About
Tappin’ In began after a successful project for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games Culture Programme and has since grown into an organisation dedicated to creating accessible artistic opportunities for people who may feel excluded from the arts. The focus is on breaking down barriers through joyful, inclusive art forms that nurture skills, confidence and enthusiasm in a supportive environment.
Shaped by working-class roots, Tappin’ In champions co-creation, celebrates diverse stories and promotes cultural integrity while minimising environmental impact. The aim is to ensure everyone involved feels valued and empowered to make positive change within their communities through meaningful shared experiences.
The Team
Stephanie Ridings
Founder & Artistic Director
Stephanie is a writer and performance-maker working across a range of genres. She developed the idea for Tappin’ In when working as a writer and feeling isolated.
Her own work includes The Fear of Fear, commissioned by Warwick Arts Centre; The Road to Huntsville, a China Plate Bitesize commission and winner of an Arts Voice award, published by Nick Hern Books; Dylan’s Parents for Live Lunch at the Royal Court; and Unknown Male, co-produced with Birmingham REP, winner of the Peter Brook/Mark Marvin award.
Her work for others includes audio series Walk With Me 2 & 3 for Talking Birds and Humans at Work for Coventry City of Culture/Warwick Arts Centre. For Talking Birds, she has produced Art for the People (a citizen’s assembly on arts and culture), as well as Neighbourhood Creative Day, Walk With Me 4 and Capsule.
Philippa Cross
Board Member
Philippa Cross is a freelance producer, project manager and facilitator who supports individuals and small arts companies, particularly with project and organisational development, evaluation and fundraising, as well as coaching individuals and teams. With nearly 30 years’ experience in arts policy and management, she has most recently worked as Executive Director of Talking Birds Theatre Company in Coventry, and as a board member of the ITC, and is passionate about community, access, and making things better. She has previously worked for Tate, West Midlands Arts, Arts Council England WM and Creative Partnerships Coventry, and with a wide range of freelance clients, bringing her skills in strategic planning, financial and project management, evaluation and keen questioning to help develop people, organisations and ideas. She holds an MA in European Cultural Policy and a Diploma in Coaching from the University of Warwick. She also makes quilts.
Paul Roberts
Board Member
Paul has worked in the cultural sector for over twenty years, in senior development roles at operational, managerial, and consultancy level. He has led on a number of major, and award-winning, strategic arts, heritage, community, and cultural partnership initiatives, working across public, third, and private sectors, and within higher education. An art history graduate, his academic interest covers cultural policy, theatre consultancy and post-war British theatre development, publishing, writing and teaching at BA, MA, and PhD level. Paul is a graduate of Northumbria, Sheffield, and Warwick universities, as well as the Central School of Speech and Drama at the University of London.