Alexandra Gogan is a Romanian writer based in Dublin with a background in theatre and the performing arts. Her experience working with young audiences ranges from humble beginnings as a Disney Princess impersonator to an actor in children’s plays, workshop facilitator and co-founder and creator of “Bibabo”- an independent theatre company that aimed to produce quality art experiences for children in kindergarten and primary school.
Recently worked with Super Paua as a writer and performer, developing a short multilingual audio story that delves into Romani and Romanian heritage, explores grief in multiple languages and celebrates the cultural diversity of Dublin’s public transportation system. Currently writing ‘’A man, a dog and a goose’’ and ‘’Mister Tonohashi and The Missing Cat’’, the first in a series called ‘’The Thomas Thorne Files’’.

Niwel Tsumbu is a virtuosic Congolese-born, Ireland-based guitarist. He has created a unique and exhilarating style drawing on influences as diverse as jazz, classical, rock, folk and rumba. At times Tsumbu’s music is a deep emotional well, drawing joy and sadness from universal human waters. At other times, it’s a high-tech vehicle flashing with excitement across nations, continents, and the cosmos. Having steadily developed his international profile over the past decade, Tsumbu has earned praise from All About Jazz for his ‘exquisite and almost seamless’ global fusion. He has recorded with artists like Nigel Kennedy and Steve Cooney and performed with Sinead O’Connor, Buena Vista Social Club and Baaba Maal. In 2021, Tsumbu’s global reach was cemented with his guitarwork on the Grammy Award-winning album They’re Calling Me Home by Rhiannon Giddens and Francesco Turrisi.
The keystones of Tsumbu’s music are his sophisticated sense of rhythm, his virtuosic guitar playing and his thrilling improvisations. Whether playing rumba or jazz, plucked nylon or amplified electric, Tsumbu’s intricate guitar work always invites re-listening. Tsumbu is accordingly in high demand as an African guitar teacher for the World Music Method, and his popular Instagram reel videos garner up to hundreds of thousands of views. 

Juliette Saumande is a French writer and translator of children’s books, including My Little Album of Dublin and My Little Album of Ireland (with Tarsila Krüse and The O’Brien Press). A Book Doctor, Creative Associate for Creative Schools and creative writing teacher, Juliette is at heart a professional bookworm who loves using words, stories and books to help kids (re)discover and grow their creativity.