Meet The Board
Dharmesh Rajput
Dharmesh Rajput worked at the BBC for 14 years across television, radio, online and live events before moving into higher education. He now leads the BA Media Production course at Birmingham City University and is actively involved in a range of arts and cultural initiatives, including as Head of the Birmingham Indian Film Festival.
He brings extensive experience in leadership, strategy, digital content creation, project management, organisational change and diversity. Through the Birmingham Indian Film Festival, he champions independent films from the South Asian diaspora, presenting an annual festival alongside community screenings throughout the year.
Dharmesh has contributed to several acclaimed arts projects, including serving as Stage Manager for Mandala, part of the London 2012 Festival. He has also performed comedy and storytelling for health awareness campaigns and continues to lead the Migration Stories: Stratford Road Walking Tour, celebrating Birmingham’s rich cultural heritage through engaging and thought-provoking storytelling.
Donna
Makins
Donna trained at Laine Theatre Arts and London Contemporary Dance School before enjoying a 15-year career as a freelance dancer, teacher and choreographer. Alongside her performance work, she built extensive experience in arts administration, working with organisations including National Youth Ballet, Greenwich Dance, Physical Recall Dance Company, Clerkinworks Irish Dance Theatre, Jeanefer Jean Charles and Stopgap Dance Company.
After taking a career break to raise her children, Donna spent more than seven years as Culture Officer at Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, where she focused on artist development and produced the annual Basingstoke Festival. In 2023, she became Event Producer within the Culture and Activation Team at the Royal Docks, leading large-scale cultural projects for residents, local creatives and international artists.
Donna also teaches Irish dance part-time at the Royal Ballet School and serves as Chair of a UK charity supporting education opportunities for children in The Gambia, reflecting her long-standing commitment to arts, education and community development.
Clare
Lee Davis
Safegurding Lead
Clare is a fundraiser and Executive Producer specialising in dance, with extensive experience supporting arts organisations to grow, thrive and achieve long-term sustainability. She is Head of Fundraising at Elmhurst Ballet School and previously worked as Development Manager for Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures.
Clare has executive produced and developed several dance works for screen, including the feature film A Christmas Carol, with choreography by Russell Maliphant, and Twenty, an acclaimed short film about a homeless ballet dancer.
She joined the Board of Autin Dance Theatre in 2022 as a trustee and played a key role in leading the organisation’s successful transition from a Community Interest Company (CIC) to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO).
As a trustee, Clare leads on fundraising and safeguarding at board level, helping to strengthen the charity’s governance, resilience and future development while supporting its mission to create ambitious, inclusive and accessible dance experiences for communities across the UK.
Amelia
Clarke
Ex-Officio
Amelia graduated from the University of Warwick with a First-Class BA (Hons) in English and Theatre Studies. She is an arts programmer specialising in work for children and young people.
In 2023, Amelia was selected for Birmingham Arts School’s Young People on Arts Boards training programme. Following this, she joined the Autin Dance Theatre Board as an ex officio member.
Amelia has a strong background in dance, having trained with Trinity Laban’s Centre for Advanced Training and performed with the National Youth Dance Company, where she worked with acclaimed choreographer Russell Maliphant.
She is passionate about widening access to dance and the performing arts, particularly for young people, and believes everyone should have the opportunity to engage with and enjoy creative experiences. Her experience as both a performer and arts professional brings valuable insight to her role, supporting Autin Dance Theatre’s commitment to inclusion, participation and artistic excellence.