Artists Open Houses Online

Freelance Programmer and Guest Curator. Artists Open Houses was produced by Artillery as a response to the Covid-19 pandemic and how artists, makers and creators in Waltham Forest were responding to life during lockdown. The project was made possible by thanks to the ACE Emergency Response Fund. I programmed a series of six live Zoom events taking a virtual step inside the inaccessible private houses and creative spaces around the borough – selecting diverse artists and makers working across many art forms. I guest curated two of the virtual visits and invited other guest curators to introduce other artists.

View some of the event recordings together with films from artists responding to an Open Call for films documenting their life under lockdown: CLICK HERE.

High Street ADVENTures

Freelance Project Manager and Curator. High Street ADVENTures was produced by Artillery. The event formed part of the Walthamstow Night Time Enterprise pilot project and was jointly funded by the Mayor of London and London Borough of Waltham Forest. Through an artist open call I facilitated links with artists and High Street businesses to create a diverse programme of more than 40 events, workshops and activities in 21 public spaces and businesses during a single evening.

Key Responsibilities:

• managing artist call out and project selection
• brokering partnerships for artists with local businesses
• coordinating communications with Waltham Forest Council and Mayor of London’s Office
• writing and circulating newsletters
• writing engaging copy for all marketing collateral including for the website and newsletters.

Here’s a video with some of the event highlights:  https://youtu.be/f7veulUDghg

Watch a short ITV news item featuring one of the High Street ADVENTures commissions HERE.

Grandad’s Island: from Page to Pavement

Freelance Project Coordinator. This “hero” London Borough of Culture project was an Artillery collaborative project across Waltham Forest. Taking themesfrom an award winning picture book by a local author, local residents, makers and artists were invited to respond with exhibitions and events achieving the project’s aims of mobilising 11,000 people to co-create a spectacle for the whole borough.

Key responsibilities:

• coordinating production of all printed and online marketing collateral
• writing copy for marketing collateral, newsletters, press releases and local press articles
• securing exhibition and event space in libraries throughout the borough and managing relationships between artists and library staff
• managing relationships with partners, sponsors and councillors
• coordinating communications plans in partnership with London Borough of Waltham Forest as London Borough of Culture.

E17 Art Trail

Relationship Coordinator. In 2019 this 16 day festival produced by Artillery hosted 400 exhibitions and events in 205 locations around Walthamstow. 8,500 artists and residents exhibited or performed. This home-grown open access festival has a track record in building community and connecting neighbourhoods. Professional artists with national and international reputations exhibit in the programme alongside school children, students and local makers and artisans and has become possibly the largest open access visual arts festival in the UK.

Key Responsibilities:

• securing sponsorship and advertising funds
• writing and circulating Press Releases and acting as a spokesperson as required
• writing and circulating newsletters
• writing engaging copy for all marketing collateral including for the website and newsletters
• creating content for social media channels.managing relationships with key partners, funders and media.

The E-List

Assistant Editor. During Waltham Forest’s year as London Borough of Culture I reported on the work and activities of local artists, makers and creators for this culture and lifestyle magazine.

Key responsibilities:

• identifying hooks, ideas and subjects for articles
• conducting face to face and telephone interviews and writing articles
• coordinating photography using freelance photographers.

READ back issues of the magazine HERE.