Title Director
Organisation Cultural Industries Development Agency (CIDA)
How long in post? Since February 2001
t: 020 7247 4710 e: info@cida.co.uk
What does your organisation do?
CIDA is a specialist business support organisation which champions the development of the creative and cultural industries in Tower Hamlets and East London. It offers support and advice to individuals, companies and organisations.
What does your job involve?
For CIDA and its clients:
? Advocacy and strategic development, promoting creativity as a driver for regeneration
? Business and marketing planning for CIDA and its clients
? Fundraising and building partnerships to deliver services and projects
? Team management and personnel, building the skills of CIDA?s 14 staff and board
? Project management and monitoring, leading on projects which provide business advice, supply chain, training, workspace, marketing, networking and sub-sector development
Who did you used to work for?
? ABL Consulting ? Consultant on a range of capital feasibility studies, business plans and creative and cultural strategies
? Total Theatre Network ? Director of UK 500 member umbrella organisation for mime, physical and visual theatre
? Chisenhale Dance Space - Centre Co-ordinator supporting experimentation, research and training in movement-based performance.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
Enabling creative industries ? through business growth, local regeneration, promotion, planning and sector development - in one of the UK?s most culturally diverse and growing geographical areas.
What do you find most difficult in your role?
Balancing the need to be flexible with rigid project output monitoring systems!
What is your career ambition? To continue to advocate for the arts and creative industries and to work in cultural promotion internationally.
Who has most influenced your career to date the most and why?
Philippa Bird at ABL for her insight and application; Amanda Leon (who worked with me at Chisenhale) for her commitment to artists; and Dorothy Wilson, Director of MAC (who was Chair of Total Theatre) for her inspirational leadership.
If you could have done any job, what would it be? Pilot
If you had three wishes for the future of the arts, what would they be?
? Every regeneration project to include space for creative play
? Increased ownership of capital assets by artists and creatives
? 0.1% of the money used by the corporate sector on auditors fees to be invested in the arts and creative industries