Spotlight on Janessa
Performer and Creative Visionary

Hi Janessa! We’d love to hear more about your journey—what sparked your passion for performing arts, and how has creativity shaped your personal and professional life?

Hey! My passion for performing arts truly sparked during secondary school, when I discovered during drama lessons how powerful storytelling through theatre could be. Creativity has always allowed me to be my true authentic self and led me to show interest in things like rapping/spoken word. It has shaped both my personal and professional life by giving me the confidence to connect with others from many different walks of life.

You recently worked with Revel Puck on their Christmas Show. Could you walk us through what that experience was like—what you learned and the highlights?

Working as a Front of House/Bar assistant at Revel Puck was a rewarding experience! It helped me develop skills in areas such as adaptability, teamwork and communication from the get-go, where I was taught how to scan and sell tickets, deliver excellent customer service and my favourite part…making popcorn! When working Front of House, I learnt how important it was to welcome guests and keep up high energies to match the festive spirit to ensure they were getting the full experience of the Revel Puck Show. A highlight when working with Revel Puck was definitely being involved in the process of how much goes into creating a seamless audience experience.

You come from a rich performing arts background, having trained at the Brit School and delivered workshops, while also gaining experience in customer service. How do you think these varied experiences have shaped your skills and approach to working in the arts industry?

Training at the Brit School allowed me to express my creativity in any form I wished, whilst delivering workshops allowed me to communicate how I liked to be creative and as a result inspired others to be creative in their own ways. Working in customer service further strengthened my people skills, adaptability and ability to work under pressure, which are all skills I utilise when performing. All these experiences have been a key part of me being able to create meaningful connections in the arts industry and have given me a well-rounded and strong set of transferable skills!

If money were no object, what would your ideal job or life look like? How would you pursue your passion for the arts in that dream scenario?

If money were no object, I’d create a space where everyone from all walks of life could explore their creativity freely. It would offer facilities and classes for singing/rapping, theatre, gaming, arts and crafts and more, all completely free of charge and inclusive. My dream would be to provide a space where everyone can discover their passions, build confidence and express themselves freely without any limitations. I would also utilise my skills of performing and teaching and use my platform to inspire the next generation of artists and creators.

If you could change one thing about the world today—whether it’s in the arts or society in general—what would it be, and why?

If I could change one thing, it would be making the arts accessible to everyone, regardless of their background or financial situation. I believe creativity has the power to inspire people and bring all of us together, but unfortunately so many are excluded due to lack of resources and opportunities. By changing this we could create a more inclusive society where everyone has the chance to express themselves and thrive.