Marge Ainsley

Time flies…

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Image: Arts Council Northeast Office Exterior

I can’t believe it’s so many months since I managed to update this blog. I’ve been lucky enough to have been extremely busy with so many different projects - something I’m grateful for in the current funding climate. So here’s a run down of some of my projects that are coming to an end…and some that I’m still working on. 

My work with Renaissance NW on the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad Stories of the World project (mentioned in my post below), helping our digital journalists team and co-ordinating various communication strands is about to come to an end. The six museums and their co-curators are still very much carrying on - you can keep up-to-date via the blog. I was also invited by Renaissance Yorkshire to help support their Precious Cargo Stories of the World project. It’s been great to be back working with Yorkshire museums, particularly with my ex-colleagues at Museums Sheffield. 

The work I’ve done with the Preston Museums Group (Hands on Gang) on social media over the last couple of years is also coming to an end, but the PMG team are going continuing co-ordinate online activity themselves. I’ve left our Facebook, twitter, flickr and audioboo channels in their capable hands :-) 

I’m supporting the marketing team at the Harris Museum & Art Gallery to outline their marketing and audience development plans for 2011-12. I’m also co-ordinating the marketing campaign for Current: an experiment in collecting digital art at the Harris (in conjunction with folly) which opens on 26th March. A great project tackling some of the challenges with acquiring digital art for permanent museum collections. 

Having worked on evaluation for their Regional Family Friendly Engagement Campaign, I was asked by Rosehill Theatre in Whitehaven to help create an audience development plan. I’m in the middle of a consultation period with various stakeholders as part of this work. I spent last Friday with the volunteer team and finished the evening off by watching a breathtaking performance by pianist Lara Melda - Young Musician of the Year in 2010. Really excited about the potential for audience development at Rosehill, particularly with their planned redevelopment. Great to be involved with the team there.

Last but not least, I’ve been commissioned by Arts Council England to provide strategic marketing support for Artist’s Taking the Lead. I’m thrilled to be working with the Northeast, Northwest and Yorkshire regional teams to scope out marketing and audience development activity in conjunction with the selected artists as part of this Cultural Olympiad programme.

All that along with my ongoing AMA Member Rep duties. Happy days…but for how much longer?!