Susan Hay
A creative instigator and advisor, Susan offers innovative, achievable solutions for company development and improvement.

An internationally renowned creative producer, an award-winning dance film director and exhibited photographer. Susan has a strong track record for supporting and managing artists, presenting work UK wide and internationally.

Susan has extensive experience in working collaboratively within the cultural and sports sector with senior cultural leaders, government agencies, artists, commercial organisations and academic institutions. She has spearheaded national and international large-scale projects and thrives working across cultures and advocating for equality.

Examples of my work
Working across 10 countries, building remote teams to ensure programme delivery for the British Council  Susan was responsible for the successful delivery of a major Culture and Sports programme in the Gulf. Alongside this, she continued as Director of Ripple Arts and CEO for Marc Brew Company, an international dance company led by disabled dancer, Marc Brew and providing mentorship and support for arts companies and emerging artists in Scotland. Susan also works with Joel Brown and Eve Mutso on creating 111 (one hundred and eleven), presented as part of Made in Scotland's programme at 2019 Edinburgh Fringe, which sold out and toured around the UK and internationally, sparking debate on inclusion in India.

Susan gained extensive experience in creating funding strands and grant management at the Scottish Arts Council and Creative Scotland. She was responsible for the creation of the first ever Quality Framework for the cultural sector, which has been replicated around the world, and advised the Scottish Government on Quality in the Cultural Sector.

Susan started her career as a dancer, choreographer and producer working internationally on high profile events, such as The Last Tattoo in Berlin and British Day at Expo.

Responding to the demand from artists, she set up Dance Initiatives to promote emerging Scottish artists, showcasing them in The Stamping Ground, as well as setting up a company of 400 traditional Scottish dancers – The Tattoo Dance Company – specifically for the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, which is seen by millions internationally. Susan even managed to get contemporary dance onto the esplanade as a part of the Tattoo! 

Things that she is especially proud of are:

• first dance film directed - Renewable- being awarded best dance film
• achieving the Fringe sold out laurel for 111 and sparking debate on inclusion in India and worldwide - the Guardian
• achieving 5 star reviews for Marc Brew's solo For Now, I am...
• delivering the Gulf Culture and Sport programme for the British Council
• being short-listed for Cosmopolitan's Woman of the Year Award for my services to promote dance in Scotland
• developing the Quality Framework for Scottish Arts Council (the first of its kind in the world for the Arts community)
• supporting artists and encouraging them to challenge themselves
• being project manager for an award winning Edinburgh building

Susan has worked commercially as a retail manager, dancer, photographer and fundraiser.