Work
Museum interpretation
I offer practical advice and help on all aspects of museum and heritage interpretation, whether on site, online or through programming. I’ll work with you to define what you want to achieve and how best to go about it. I love to work collaboratively and am experienced at managing teams, including designers and artists, to find the best way of reaching your audiences. I specialise in working with sensitive histories, often termed 'difficult' or 'contested', that have resonance in the present and that often involve complex ethical and moral questions. Talk to me about:
- Audience research
- Interpretation masterplanning and storyboarding
- Detailed exhibition content planning
- Support with curating and writing exhibitions
- Support with thinking through ethical, moral and interpretive dilemmas.
Image: the Holocaust Exhibition & Learning Centre project
Strategy and Fundraising
I've worked at strategic level in a number of organisations managing business planning and strategic development, expecially in the context of fundraising. I can help you to:
- Turn your idea into a practical plan that attracts investment and support
- Research and write meaningful and practical business plans and strategies
- Consult with stakeholders to identify the best way forward for your project
- Write fluent, eye-catching funding bids for funders such as the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Arts Council England.
Find out about my current work in the Portfolio.
Writing and editing
I have expertise in producing clear written communication for different audiences. I have a postgraduate qualification in creative writing together with extensive experience in writing, proofing and editing exhibition text, website copy and publications. These are some of the areas I can help with:
- Creating text guidelines and style guides for exhibitions and online content
- Writing accessible, audience-focused exhibition copy and object labels
- Writing and editing web content, blogs and social media content
- Creating guidebooks and exhibition catalogues
- Proof reading and editing existing text.
Take a look at some of my previous writing projects in the Portfolio.
Evaluation and consultation
I conduct all kinds of user research, from small scale research projects to ongoing impact assessments handling qualitative and quantitative data. I can help you to:
- Map your stakeholders and understand their needs
- Plan and deliver an effective consultation strategy
- Devise a practical project evaluation framework
- Design and deliver qualitative and quantitative data collection methods to suit the needs of your audience
- Analyse and write up findings and recommendations in a clear, practical and useable way.
Take a look at the portfolio for examples of my consultation work.
Image: All About Me at Eureka! The National Children's Museum.
Learning
I can help you discover creative ways of using your collections, stories and knowledge to enable everyone to get involved in learning, for example:
- Create a realistic, evidence based learning strategy
- Audit your existing learning programmes and recommend improvements
- Train staff and volunteers to deliver effective learning
- Develop and assess quality standards
- Fundraise for learning projects
- Manage learning projects.
Image: Leeds students interviewing a D-Day veteran during the Royal Armouries Museum's Sharing European Memories project.