Ann Gilligan is the Creative Director and Founder of Phantasmagoria Magical Travel Emporium, an arts organization CIC based in Greenfield.
Phantasmagoria is a magical arts organisation built around imagination, history and storytelling. Their mission is simple: to empower people of all ages through creative participation, helping them grow in confidence and feel connected to their community.
Ann talks about the support she has received through the E26 Social Economy Programme with Ellie Eckersley, Projects Worker, Policy & Influence, GMOPN and10 GM Teams.
Before accessing E26 support, what challenges were you facing?
"Before accessing E26 support from Action Together, things felt pretty overwhelming if I’m honest. I knew what I wanted Phantasmagoria to become, but I didn’t know how to get us there. We’d always relied heavily on grants, and while that supported our community work, we needed to start building a more sustainable income through paid workshops and commissioned projects with schools.
Marketing felt like a huge barrier, I wasn’t confident online, didn’t know how to reach new audiences, and didn’t really have a clear plan. It left me doubting myself and unsure what the next step should be."
What did the 1:1 marketing and social media support involve? How did it change things for you?
"The specialist support made a massive difference. We dug into audiences, messaging, what channels to use and why, all the things I’d never quite had the headspace to figure out.
We set up a proper scheduling tool, looked at how to plan content, and worked through some technical issues I was having with Reels. I also got help writing a proper website brief, and we found a low-cost way to build something that looked professional.
And it worked. One of our Reels hit 34,000 views, something I’d never imagined was possible. Suddenly, people were seeing our work and understanding who we were. Marketing went from feeling like a scary mystery to something that actually helped us grow. The confidence boost that gave me was huge."
What difference did the Women’s Peer Learning Programme make to you personally and to the organisation?
"Being part of the women’s programme has been one of the most valuable parts of the experience with Action Together. We have weekly accountability sessions, coaching with the brilliant Jenny Matthews, and a group of women who openly share their challenges and successes. Just being in a space where other women say, "You’ve done this and it’s amazing," has helped me believe in myself so much more.
It gave me confidence as a leader, helped me become more organised, and made me realise I’m not alone in the challenges of running a social enterprise.
For Phantasmagoria, it brought clarity – a stronger vision, better planning, and a much more focused approach to our growth."
You also secured new premises and funding through E26 support. What did that involve and what impact has it had?
"With support from Action Together’s Community Development workers, we connected with partners and applied for the Robin Estill Fund, which we were successful in securing. That allowed us to be part of the Estate of the Art Project in Hattersley, working creatively to improve wellbeing in the neighbourhood.
Alongside that, we also found our new home in the Greenfield Co-op, an affordable and iconic building that had so much potential. Moving in here has completely transformed our organisation.
It’s given us:
- A stable, inspiring base
- More space to run workshops
- Greater visibility
- A chance to welcome new communities
What was once an empty building is now turning into a real community asset. And that’s something we’re incredibly proud of."
What standout moments from the past year best show the impact of the support?
"There have been so many little victories, but my top three would be:
- Launching our new website, with an online shop coming soon.
- Watching one of our Reels rocket to 34,000 views.
- Opening the doors to our new premises and seeing the excitement from the community."
What’s next for Phantasmagoria over the next 6–12 months?
"The future feels really exciting. Now that we have the space, we want to offer more paid workshops, as well as more activities on evenings and weekends.
We ultimately want to grow our team of volunteers and paid staff – currently we only have me and one other paid member of staff. We want to create a vibrant arts hub where there’s always something happening, while also building the business side of the CIC to become more financially stable.
We don’t want to be a tiny, exclusive project tucked away somewhere. We want to be a creative home for the wider community."