Our story: the heart of Dead Curious CIC
Discover the journey of Dead Curious CIC, a community interest company dedicated to fostering open conversations about death, dying, loss, and grief through creative workshops and projects in Birmingham and the West Midlands, United Kingdom. We believe in the power of shared experiences and artistic expression to navigate life's most profound challenges.
Our inspiration: turning grief into growth
Dead Curious CIC was founded by individuals who have all experienced significant loss and grief. We are a creative community interest company delivering innovative education and community projects that inspire curiosity, connection and meaningful conversation.
Working collaboratively with schools, hospices, community organisations and local partners, we design engaging programmes using creative media, podcast creation, interviewing, role play, storytelling and experiential learning to explore subjects that matter.
Our work has already been delivered in primary, secondary and sixth form settings, as well as alongside our local hospice, creating safe, inclusive spaces where people feel empowered to ask questions, share experiences and develop confidence, empathy and understanding.
While much of our work focuses on opening conversations around death, dying, grief and loss, we also develop creative projects exploring history, heritage, wellbeing and community, using the arts to educate, connect and inspire.
We believe curiosity is the starting point for learning, conversation and positive social change.
Creating conversations that matter. Inspiring communities that care.
Meet our team
Behind every service we provide is a dedicated team of professionals, each bringing their unique expertise and enthusiasm to our business.
Carrie Smith
Founder - Managing Director
If Dead Curious has a heartbeat, Carrie Smith is probably somewhere behind it- asking the questions most people are too frightened, uncomfortable or simply unsure to ask. Carrie is an Anatomical Pathology Technician working in a busy mortuary and performing post mortems on behalf of the coroner. Death is quite literally part of her working day. With an extensive background in healthcare and emergency services Carrie has spent years working in environments where life can change in an instant. She understands both sides of the conversation - the urgency to save a life and the reality of what happens when a life ends. Carrie has experienced profound personal loss with the loss of her sibling among others close to her, this has given her a good understanding of grief that isn't found in a text book. Through education, conversation, creativity and a healthy dose of curiosity, Carrie wants to help make death education something that is normal, accessible and part of everyday life.
Emma Skipp
Co-Founder- Managing Director
Emma Skipp brings a very different but equally important perspective to Dead Curious. A professional singer and performer, Emma has spent years on stages across the country, including performing at venues such as Wembley sharing the stage with Artists such as The Enemy and Ocean Colour Scene. But away from the spotlight Emma Has also spend many years working with children and young people through organisations such as the YMCA. Her experience working with young people , combined with her time as a presenter have given Emma a natural ability to communicate, connect and most importantly make people feel comfortable. Emma understands loss on a deeply personal level having Lost both her parents: her Mum to cancer and her Dad to Dementia. Through Dead Curious Emma combines her experience as a performer, her creativity and compassion to advocate for young people and anyone who is in need of support, she hopes to break down the awkward silence that can surround death.
James Young
Managing Director
James Young, our other Managing Director, brings a unique combination of personal experience, education and compassion to Dead Curious. James experienced the loss of his mum to cancer as a child, and later the loss of his father as an adult. Those experiences have given him a personal understanding of how differently grief can affect us at different stages in our life and a passion to help others experiencing loss and grief. Alongside his personal experiences, James is an accomplished teacher with a passion for education. He teaches multiple languages and has spent years teaching people how to communicate and find their voice- skills that translate perfectly into the work we are doing at Dead Curious.
Empowering voices: facilitating open dialogue
We empower individuals, especially young people, to discuss death, dying, loss, and grief freely, openly, and honestly, without the need for a filter. We understand that these topics can be incredibly difficult to navigate. We provide an artistic licence, supporting participants to explore their feelings and needs through creative mediums, whenever and however they require it. Our approach helps demystify these sensitive subjects, creating a safe space for authentic expression.
Making a difference: a success story
One of our most heartwarming successes involved a project with Primrose Hospice. We recorded and facilitated several podcast episodes featuring individuals receiving end-of-life care. These episodes were a huge success, garnering lovely feedback from participants. The resulting podcasts will live on, providing a lasting legacy for those who shared their stories. The individuals who took part were terminally ill and working with Primrose Hospice; their courage and spirit were an absolute inspiration and a real tonic to everyone involved.
"The workshops created a safe space to talk about difficult feelings, and the creative aspect really helped me express myself."
A participant from one of our school projects