Arts Administrator

What does your job involve, and what does an average day look like?

Administrator:

• Managing day-to-day administration for the MA programme. Supporting Head of Programme, Academics, Lecturers and my Students.

• Managing the post-award administration for School of Design Research and Studio projects, getting reports ready for funders.

• Currently an average day involves Zoom meetings, planning the teaching timetable for the following week, attending training sessions for online working and learning.

Founder:

• Coming up with affordable and accessible art classes and courses for the local community.

• Working with local models and artists where possible to deliver courses and contribute to the local economy.

• Promoting classes through newsletters and social media. Managing payments and ensuring all income and expenses are recorded properly for the taxman.

What qualifications and experiences enabled you to achieve your current position?

• I studied art at school all the way to degree level and graduated with a Textile Design degree.

• My first job out of uni was working for the Buying Department of a menswear fashion label.

• After 5 years I then changed industry and started working as a volunteer within the arts sector to build up my experience. Eventually I created a job for myself as an Arts Manager for a not for profit charity. I learned everything on the job - no-one gave me any training or advice. The job was a lot of fun; managing galleries, organising exhibitions and events, running art classes.

• Then worked for another arts charity helping unemployed young people into work followed by securing a role working at Sotheby’s Institute of Art.

• Over 10 years of arts experience and learning how to apply for jobs properly really helped me get to the job I’m in.

Any advice for aspiring creative students?

• You can be both a numbers person as well as a creative - you can be good at several things so keep your options open.

• Keep being creative and improve your skills.

• Keep educating yourself - the arts is a bellwether for what’s to come/happen. Raise your own awareness of what's happening in the creative industries and initiate discussion.

• Get to know your community/local arts centres and see how you can get involved - volunteer/intern/reception/cafe assistant/usher etc to increase your experience.

• It’s okay to start in one industry and then change - that’s how we learn where we want to go and what we need to do to get there.

• Be personable - remember people’s names and what they tell you.