I am the Cultural Development Coordinator in Wakefield Council’s Cultural Development team. A main focus of my role is the Culture Grants – Wakefield Council’s funding scheme for Wakefield District-based artists, arts organisations and local communities, supporting cultural and creative arts and heritage activity to happen across the District.

I studied BA Fine Art at the University of Leeds and during my time at university I volunteered on many arts and culture projects; assisting artists and curators, outreach programmes, galleries and events. I joined the Backstage Society where I worked on sets for student shows and in my second year, I was Publicity and Communications Secretary for the society, in charge of social media and promotion.

Throughout my studies and since graduating, I’ve also been a volunteer member of the young curators group, the ‘Preservative Party’ at Leeds City Museum, through which I gained experience in researching, designing, curating and installing museum exhibitions.

In my final year at university I worked part-time as a Programme Assistant/Gallery Supervisor at the Tetley, a contemporary art gallery and events centre in Leeds. A few months after graduating, I began my first full-time role as an Archive Assistant for the West Yorkshire Archive Service. I was very lucky to have such a unique and privileged role, being able to work with historic records from the 1100s up to the present day on a daily basis.

I saw my new role of Cultural Development Coordinator advertised at Wakefield Council and I thought it was a perfect job, allowing me to use all of the skillsets that I have developed over the years in arts, culture and heritage.

I am also an artist, though you could say I have had a bit of a hiatus in the last few years. Below are some of my previous works!

Bursting at the seams with culture and creativity - I'm so proud to be working in this City and the wider District and excited to see what we can achieve going forwards into the Year of Culture 2024!