ArtsProfessional finds out how the sector?s managers and directors made it to where they are today!
Creative Director, Urbis, Manchester (2003 to date)
Working at Urbis has offered me the opportunity to weave the diverse skill set I?ve developed throughout my career into a single institution. Since its opening in 2002, we have established a new programme of public events and lectures, refreshed content to three floors of multimedia exhibitions exploring the ?people, place and pulse? of cities around the world, and introduced a 600m2 gallery and exhibition programme highlighting the best in international urban culture and architecture. Visitor numbers have increased by over 300% in the past two years.
Founder and Creative Director, UrbanMade, London (1997?2003)
After taking a look at my career goals, I realised that, at the time, my home city of Boston wasn?t going to do it for me. So I re-located to London to establish UrbanMade, a multi-faceted creative organisation with an emphasis on creative engagements with the urban aesthetic and nurturing new relationships between people and the city. The first few years with UrbanMade was an invaluable period, honing my skills in setting up projects and initiatives armed with nothing but ideas at the start, then developing the structure and funding around this.
Special Project Co-ordinator, Boston Ballet, Boston (USA) (1994?1996)
After graduating from Boston University, I began working with Boston Ballet on their Summer Dance Programme and CitiDance, a dance programme for inner-city youth. This was not only my first taste of the impact cultural programmes can have throughout urban areas, but also an inspiring glimpse inside an organisation that is a model of the synergy possible when great business practice and artistic direction comes together