Adil Mohammed Javed is a visionary actor-turned-social entrepreneur whose work harnesses the power of storytelling to ignite transformation. After a celebrated acting career—including roles in Four Lions and the BAFTA-winning drama Britz—he founded Alchemy Arts in Manchester in 2012, a pioneering social enterprise using drama, arts, and media to empower vulnerable and underrepresented communities.

Fuelled by his belief in creativity as a catalyst for social change, Adil has developed impactful projects addressing mental health, dementia, addiction, and cultural marginalisation. His work draws on deep cultural understanding and has gained recognition through placements on the School for Social Entrepreneurs’ Start-Up and Scale-Up programmes, as well as the PR Star of the Year award in 2014.

As CEO & Artistic Director of Alchemy Arts, he continues to lead initiatives that enable individuals and communities to reclaim their stories, expand their agency, and fly.

Visit Alchemy Arts - www.alchemyarts.co.uk

This episode was recorded via Zoom - apologies for the lower audio quality.

The Disconnected Bodies Podcast
Hosted by Pablo Colella

For the curious and creative — The Disconnected Bodies Podcast is a space for bold conversations with leaders across the UK’s creative sector. Hosted by Pablo Colella, the series brings together diverse voices and sharp opinions from the forefront of culture, creativity, and change. From visionary artists to industry insiders, each episode unpacks the strategies, stories, and provocations shaping the creative landscape today — and asks what’s next for those daring to disrupt it.

About Disconnected Bodies

Disconnected Bodies is a UK-based social enterprise and arts audience consultancy dedicated to improving access to the arts, culture, and heritage.

Positioning creativity as a public good, they guide bold cultural projects and leaders in choosing, creating, and engaging “brilliant arts experiences” 

Their services include:

• Audience profiling, research & evaluation – using dialogue-driven, psychologically informed methods to understand motivations and barriers
  
  
• Arts marketing & engagement roadmaps – strategic planning tailored for Arts Council England funded organisations
  
  
• Grant-writing support – helping clients secure public funding and amplify under‑represented voices
  
  

Key impact metrics:

• Operating for 19 years, across 15 countries.
• Reaching 720,000+ people in 2023–24, with 764 hours of free consultancy and 2.1 million digital engagements
  
  

At the helm is founder Pablo Colella, whose expertise spans psychology-informed audience strategies, cultural mentoring, and funneling innovative thinking into funding success.

www.disconnectedbodies.co

www.instagram.com/disconnectedbodies