Simon Beckmann is the co-founder and curator of Joya: arte + ecología / AiR. He is a researcher, activist, artist, designer and ecologist. He grew up in the small industrial town of Glossop in the county of Derbyshire (United Kingdom), bordering the Peak District National Park. He studied at Manchester Polytechnic and obtained his Master of Fine Arts from the Royal Academy of Arts in London.

Simon teaches across Europe and shares knowledge through his programme Joya: arte + ecología / AiR.

https://www.simonbeckmann.com

Donna Beckmann is the co-founder and director of Joya: arte + ecología. She grew up on a fruit farm in the south-east of England. She studied illustration at the Bristol School of Art (United Kingdom) and specialised in gastronomy and travel. Her interest in these fields led her to New Zealand, Australia and South-East Asia, before settling in India for two years to explore and paint the continent’s diverse recipes and food cultures.

She now creates infographic diagrams and paintings that map the contours of crops, water resources, food systems, and aromatic, place-based recipes. Donna is deeply connected to local, seasonal and sustainable gastronomy, with a particular emphasis on slow-cooked food.

Sesame Bel Beckmann is a sculptural and installation artist working with experimental processes and diverse materials. She holds a Master’s in Artistic Production and a Fine Arts degree from Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, with an Erasmus+ in Iceland. She has experienced in curatorial work and cultural management and she is currently curatorial assistant at Joya: arte + ecología/ AiR. She has exhibited nationally and internationally, including Volta Art Gallery (Valencia), PAM!24/25, SIM Residency (Reykjavík), Candor, and Pluto Residency. In 2026 she is exhibiting at Galería ‘Tuesday to Friday’, Centre del Carmen Cultura Contemporània and Cortex

https://www.sesamebelbeckmann.com