Team Creative Opps
Behind every bold idea at Creative Opportunities is a team of changemakers, dreamers, and doers who believe in the power of creativity to spark real change. Meet the crew turning big visions into community-powered action—one project, partnership, and high-five at a time.
The Dream Team
Ashar Smith
Ashar Smith is a Londoner living in South Wales. He is CEO of Creative Opps CIO, a non-Executive Director of Pen Y Cymoedd Wind Farm Community Fund, and a Trustee of the Tylorstown Welfare Hall. He has spent over a decade working to give young people access to the tools, networks, and experience that they need to create positive changes for themselves and their communities. Ashar has worked at The National Lottery Community Fund and The Blagrave Trust where his work focused on participatory grant-making and youth-led change. Ashar is a multi instrumentalist, a music producer and an award winning film maker.
Michelle Kambasha
Michelle Kambasha is Head of Programmes and Communications at Creative Opps, where she leads membership, mentorship, and work placements to support young people entering the creative industries. A music publicist, writer, and youth arts advocate, she has over a decade of experience amplifying independent voices and developing pathways for emerging talent.
Michelle is the founder of Black Radical, a Substack exploring music, identity, and resistance, and her writing appears in The Guardian, The Independent, and NME. She also lectures on Diversity in the Creative Industries at BIMM London, championing equity, access, and youth leadership across the sector.
Tiffany Jade Holland
Our Trustees
Tavanna Hutchinson
Tavanna is a young creative who teaches filmmaking to 13-26 year olds. Having a passion for the craft, Tavanna attended a couple of courses, which allowed her to develop her talent, -as she studied Product design at Ravensbourne but always wanted to make her own films- this has landed her the role of teaching what she knows to young people.
When she’s not busy inspiring young minds, she uses her spare time to write scripts and stories about her experiences and non-fiction drama.
Stephanos Dimoulas
Stefanos Dimoulas, the first Greek dancer to ever earn a spot on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe list, is a multidisciplinary dance creative, actor and advocate for LGBTQI+ rights through arts and public speaking, including his TEDx Talk. Before becoming the youngest Greek judge on Dancing With The Stars TV history and after earning the title of “Changemaker” from the European Parliament in 2024, he secured the largest grant in 2021 from the Hellenic Ministry of Culture for his creation TITAN PROMETHEUS,” which sold out in just 97 minutes. His performance credits include The Royal Ballet & Opera, National Geographic US, Reelshort, H&M, and Kate Moss.
Emer Morris
Emer Morris (they/them) is a theatre maker, cultural worker, and neurodivergent coach whose practice bridges performance, social justice, and community organising. Their work spans participatory theatre, sound design, andcoaching, with a strong focus on access, co-creation, and storytelling as tools for transformation. Emer has led acclaimed projects across the UK and is known for facilitating inclusive, care-led creative spaces. As a trustee, they bring deep experience in grassroots cultural work, disability justice, and collaborative leadership. Their practice is rooted in equity, imagination, and collective authorship—centering voices often excluded from mainstream cultural narratives.
Ibrahim Salawu
Ibrahim Salawu is a screenwriter with a strong interest in contemporary drama and genre TV. In 2018, He was paired with a script editor on BBC’s London Voices scheme, who worked with him on his sci-fi drama spec, Faraday. In 2019, He developed The Cabal, a supernatural drama spec, on Channel 4’s 4screenwriting course, and wrote Sucka Punch, an Uncertain Kingdom short film, directed by Iggy LDN. He recently completed writing an episode of Wrecked, a BBC3 slasher comedy. And he is currently working on Toussaint, a Channel 4 commissioned dramedy about a young black detective with a hero complex, and Harmony, a Sky-commissioned sci-fi dramedy about dating in the near-future.
David Kennedy
Hi my name is David Kennedy. I’m from Enfield in North London. I first worked with Asher and Creative Opportunities when I was in college in 2016/17. We worked on a project called City Leaders where we helped combat homelessness in the Islington area, collaborating with the Homeless charity Shelter. This process involved us pitching for hundreds of pounds which we used to purchase emergency supplies for the local homeless community. Through this programme I developed my teamwork, communication and leadership skills. After this, I went to the University of Exeter to study Economics and Politics. I now work in finance in the City. Recently me and Asher got back in touch and he encouraged me to become a Trustee for Creative Opportunities and the rest is history!