Anna holmes

It all started when…

Anna was born in the creative town of Hebden Bridge in 1994. Her childhood was spent as a childhood should be - with space to run, play, dream and to give her wild imagination the nourishment it needed.

Gifted at school at academics, literature and in the performing arts, Anna knew that her passion lied in unpicking the world and using art as a tool to put it back together.

At the age of 13, she joined the youth courses at Northern School of Contemporary Dance in Leeds and went on to enter the Centre of Advanced Training Scheme at the School. At 18, Anna began her degree at Northern School of Contemporary Dance, graduating with a 1st class degree in Contemporary Dance.

Upon graduation, Anna left Yorkshire for Kent to join JV2 of Jasmin Vardimon Company. Whilst beginning her professional performance career, Anna was fascinated by the other side - directing, producing and creating her own original works.

Anna and Sam set up Northern Rascals in 2017, after being awarded a micro commission by Brewery Arts Centre in Kendal. The duo made a short work called 2 Peas. They shortly were successful in receiving their first Arts Council England grant for ‘Dearest Daisy’ in 2018.

Since Northern Rascals establishment in 2017, Anna and Sam have developed a strong track record of support from its creative and professional community, industry partners and funding bodies. This includes support from Arts Council England, Leeds City Council, The Place – Choreodrome Artists 2020, Northern School of Contemporary Dance, Didsbury Arts Festival (main commission 2019), The Royal Exchange Theatre (Hodgkiss Award, Shortlisted) and copious commissions from the National CAT Scheme (The Lowry 2022, Dance4 2021, NSCD 2020-22). Northern Rascals key works include The Aftermath, commissioned by The Piece Hall and Northern Broadsides, SHED, Reviving Her and Sunny Side. All of which have been supported by ACE, NSCD, NB, Kala Sangam and a community of over 750 young people across the North of England.

Anna’s role in the company exists as Co-Artistic Director | Producer | Writer. Anna is currently writing her first full-length play, and non-fictional novel on the methodology behind Northern Rascals.