Meet the Team.
1 – 31 May 2027
Birmingham
Birmingham Jewellery Biennial is brought to you by the Jewellery Quarter Development Trust and Birmingham City University. Birmingham Jewellery Biennial is a City Curator Project and is also supported by the National Association of Jewellers.
Meet the people delivering the UK’s jewellery festival in May 2027.
The People
Meet the Team.
Alex Nicholson-Evans
Festival Director & City Curator
Alex is Birmingham City Centre’s City Curator – a role funded by Birmingham Colmore and supported by all five City Centre BIDs. As Founder and Director of Living For The Weekend, she has built a reputation for creating city-wide festivals that bring people together around food, drink and culture.
Formerly Commercial Director at Birmingham Museums, Alex brings deep knowledge of Birmingham’s cultural landscape, a passion for place-making, and a proven track record of delivering ambitious events at scale.
Sophie Morris
Exhibition Curator
Sophie Morris is a curator and object historian with a specialism in jewellery. She is curious about processes of making and the symbolic and sensory resonance of materials. A vital part of her curatorial practice is listening to people’s stories and acting as a liaison between creative people and historic objects.
Sophie has made films, exhibitions and written about things like gemstones, enamels, gold, silver and mosaics. She was formerly Curator, Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Her very first curatorial job was at the Barber Institute of Fine Arts in Birmingham.
Steve Lovell
Marketing & Communications Lead
Steve is a Birmingham-born marketing strategist and freelancer specialising in brand, digital and communications. With a background spanning the Jewellery Quarter BID and the Jewellery Quarter Development Trust, he brings an intimate understanding of the Quarter’s identity, communities and ambitions.
As Marketing and Communications Lead for Birmingham Jewellery Biennial, Steve leads the festival’s public presence – shaping how the Biennial presents itself to the world.
Nerina Villa
Administrator & Festival Support
RTS-nominated producer and production manager, Nerina Villa, has worked across film, television and the creative industries for over 15 years, producing award-winning projects for Channel 4, BBC, ITV, Current TV and the UK Film Council. Her broadcast credits include Squeaky Clean, The Unprofessionals and the Kidscreen-nominated CBBC drama Freestyle.
Alongside her independent producing work, she is Administrator for the JQDT, coordinating its work and supporting the delivery of the Birmingham Jewellery Biennial, championing Birmingham’s world-renowned jewellery and contemporary craft sector.
Beth Adams
Social Media Intern
Beth Adams is a London-based social media and content marketer with a passion for luxury fashion, beauty and culture. Working across Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn and Pinterest, she creates engaging content, supports PR and influencer campaigns, and develops social strategies for luxury and lifestyle brands. Passionate about digital storytelling, Beth enjoys creating content that connects with audiences and helps brands build meaningful online communities.
the STEERING GROUP
Meet the Steering Group.
Lee Lapthorne
Director of Creative Partnerships. Birmingham City University
Lee Lapthorne is an Artist, Creative Director, Researcher and Associate Professor, and a founding member of the Birmingham Jewellery Biennial on behalf of Birmingham City University. He is currently Director of Creative Partnerships at Birmingham City University.
Lee has been described as a polymath ‘hard to define, but public artist, textile designer, digital technology pioneer, photographer, curator and catwalk show producer are all appropriate titles’. As Head of the College of Jewellery, Fashion and Textiles at BCU, he led a college that secured Birmingham’s World Craft City status for Jewellery in 2025 and won the Goldsmiths’ Colleges Trophy in 2024. Under his leadership, BCU students designed the medals for the Commonwealth Games (2022) and the City of Birmingham (2025), and he continues as BCU academic lead for the Invictus Games including the creation of the medals (2027).
He is founder and director of the internationally recognised On|Off London, Milan and Paris Fashion Week showcase, working with designers including JW Anderson, Gareth Pugh, Robert Wun and Pam Hogg. His work has featured in Vogue, WWD and on BBC World News, and his clients have included The British Council, Gucci, JLR, BBC and Vogue.
Matthew Bott
Chair, Jewellery Quarter Development Trust
Ben Massey
Chief Executive, National Association of Jewellers
As Chief Executive of the National Association of Jewellers (NAJ), Ben leads the organisation’s mission to support over 1,700 jewellers grow profitably and responsibly.
Holding a firm belief in the importance of collaboration as a catalyst for progress, in recent years, Ben has worked to bring together the jewellery, silverware, watch, and allied crafts sectors, recognising that a more connected and cohesive industry is better placed to drive innovation, develop skills, and secure long-term growth and recognition.
A proud Brummie, Ben believes Birmingham’s designation as a World Craft City is not just a milestone for the city, but a powerful signal of the strength and significance of British craftsmanship on the national and international stage.
Stay Connected
Be the first to know
Programme announcements, open call details and event news – straight to your inbox.