Melissa Blackburn is CEO for Lockleaze Neighbourhood Trust, supporting the community of Lockleaze to create the change they want to see.  She is also Co-Chair of charity Artspace Lifespace and a vocal advocate for community-led creative and cultural spaces. 

Previously, Melissa was Senior Producer at UWE within the Digital Cultures Research Centre, working across a number of projects including Bristol+Bath Creative R+D; Grounding Technologies which investigated how creative technology might support climate action in community projects; Alternative Technologies: A Just Transition thinking about just, regenerative futures. She also worked on Create Growth for Watershed and WECA.