Paul Monks Director of Core Arts

KEYNOTE: "From Spaces To Places"

Core Arts Charity and Social Enterprises 

In 1992 Paul founded Core Arts, gaining charitable status in 1994 and leading it successfully to becoming what we now know as an expanding, thriving artistic community of artists, musicians, performers and writers with 60 staff, 120 volunteers per week and a 1000+ yearly membership of NHS referred members who suffer severe and enduring mental health problems; serving 21 London Boroughs.

As well as Core Arts he has founded the following social enterprises 

- Core Design in 1999  design company

- Core Landscape  in 2006  landscape company 

- Core Sports 2016 sports

Over its 27 years Paul has progressed the Core Arts Charity, beyond its core activity of providing creative opportunities and services in mental health recovery, to an organisation with a proven record in the transformative management of projects and spaces to deliver social benefits. Building up a portfolio of experience in negotiating lease agreements with public sector bodies such as the health authority as well as private owners. Managing properties under a range of different legal and partnership agreements, and with different organisations as tenants. Most recently winning the lease and management of the Eastway Depot in Hackney Wick to direct and manage a Creative hub delivering services to the most marginalized and excluded in the community in Hackney.

He is consulted widely for his innovative ideas on mental health, Social Enterprise and creativity, both by government and related professionals in the UK and abroad.

He has been a member of a several of mental health task forces and has personally won a number of awards for his work and innovation with excluded communities.

NEW SHOES Summit 2019

Summit Programme