Creative Producer
Project Manager
Cultural Consultant
Thanks for visiting my website – a work in progress!
So I’m a Creative Strategist and Lead Producer with an extensive track record in devising and delivering complex, high-impact cultural projects within rigorous civic and commercial environments.
After many years working in arts and culture, I’ve got a proven ability to manage large-scale resources and multi-stakeholder partnerships to help deliver transformative social and economic outcomes.
On the one hand, I can confidently manage and mitigate risks, whilst maintaining progress in line with project plans.
On the other hand, I’m totally at ease (and love) exploring ideas and determining how best to make any absurd vision a practical reality – by understanding the wishes of the people involved, identifying the resources required and bringing the elements together sympathetically.
I’ve controlled large (and also painfully limited!) budgets and don’t like waste. I’ve managed multiple stakeholders and led diverse teams and recognise that’s the way to deliver successful project outcomes for all.
Having founded numerous award-winning festivals and events, commissioned and collaborated with artists across disciplines, I possess good knowledge of the sector and of varied artistic practices.
I am a passionate advocate for how the creative industries can have a positive impact on society and, having moved to work in Essex, Stoke-on-Trent and also Kingston-upon-Hull, I am particularly interested in how creativity and the arts can alter the perceptions of a place.
I was an inaugural board member of the national strategic organisation, Outdoor Arts UK and I am a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (RSA) for my contribution to the arts in the public realm.
My father was a life-long dedicated artist (who also became a renowned restorer of old paintings and the odd masterwork to pay the bills) and my mother was the founder of a quirky museum (that occupied part of our home for 25 years) until she donated the entire collection to the local community. This stuff definitely shaped me.
This website presents a selection of projects I have produced and managed. A chronological list of projects I’ve managed can also be found on my LinkedIn page – link below.
The range of services I can offer include those of a cultural consultant, project manager and creative producer. Further details can be found via the link below – or please contact me to discuss more.
My Commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
I believe that everyone stands to benefit when we embrace and value the diversity of thoughts, ideas and ways of working that people from different backgrounds, experiences and identities bring. It means understanding that each individual is unique, recognising and appreciating our differences and commonalities. It helps us to grow and learn, enables us to improve decision-making, boosts engagement and innovation, and enables us to better meet the needs of others.
I am aware that I have a personal responsibility for implementing and promoting equal opportunities in my day to day dealings with people.
In addition, I have received training on diversity, inclusion and equality of opportunity and will gladly comply with all relevant legislation and good practice.
Professional Development
Clore Leadership
The Clore Fellowship aims to develop and strengthen leadership potential across the cultural and creative sectors. The programme I attended helped me to understand and develop my leadership strengths, provided space to challenge prevalent ideas and beliefs and also to develop confidence in my leadership style and potential for impact.
Clore commissions research and encourages provocation pieces from a rich variety of sources, keeping abreast of leadership knowledge and opinion.
Royal Society of Arts
The RSA Fellowship is an inclusive global community committed to finding better ways of thinking, acting and provoking change.
RSA Fellows have been at the forefront of significant social impact for over 250 years.
I was invited to become an RSA Fellow during my time working in Essex devising innovative cultural programmes and my contribution to an RSA initiative that aimed to empower local citizens in the development of the public realm.
Fields of Learning
This is a coaching and leadership development company. Over the past 20 years, they have delivered coaching to leaders, middle managers, parent returners and young people – as well as executive team coaching and leadership & management development programmes.
Fields of Learning work with the ‘whole person’ focusing on physical as well as emotional well-being, taking their work into the outdoors as well as indoors and online.
English