Dark Olive is a creative projects and event management company run by Darren and Amber Knipe. Registered as a Community Interest Company (C.I.C.), we work with cultural organisations, artists and communities to produce creative opportunities for social engagement and collaboration, as well as supporting organisations to deliver their programmes of work.
We have over 35 years combined experience devising and delivering projects, events and festivals from inception through to evaluation, working with organisations like Chester Performs (now Storyhouse), Aberystwyth Arts Centre, FACT (Foundation for Art and Creative Technology), and Liverpool Biennial. These include large scale community celebrations, pop up cinemas and empty shop artist residencies, contemporary art exhibitions, high profile open air theatre to literature, film and music festivals, education projects, live art and site specific digital installation artworks, outreach opportunities and engagement programmes. We have also run a music venue and regular live music events, designed and ran a solar powered festival venue and operated an outdoor licensed bar for events up to 80,000 people.
Since inception, Dark Olive has worked with arts leaders - Meadow Arts, Storyhouse, Oriel Davies Gallery, Pentabus Theatre and Cheshire East Council and National Theatre Wales. We have consulted, produced, commissioned, project and production managed exhibitions, rural touring theatre, open-air cinema and theatre seasons, audience development and artist residency projects, community participation programmes, websites and artists’ installations.
With a passion for community engagement and participation, we promote the importance of strong relationships and naturally adopt a collaborative approach. Through the projects we have led we have been effective in initiating and managing affiliations with partner arts organisations and project stakeholders, as well as a range of education providers (primary, secondary, F.E. University), community groups, voluntary organisations, local businesses, property owners, local authorities and funders.
Dark Olive has established a reputation for delivering high quality projects and events, particularly working outdoors and in non-traditional arts spaces. This has resulted in continued requests to manage projects on behalf of established ACE National Portfolio Organisations.
If you have a project or idea that you think we can support, or you'd like to collaborate, we'd love to hear from you!