Job Ladder

CEO, Iniva (Institute of International Visual Arts) (2009/10 – present)
To work in a place that attracts people from all over the world is a privilege. Iniva has an illustrious history showing artists who express the diversity of our society and debating its most pressing issues. It seems important to make art part of a wider discussion and relevant, regardless of whether you are fourteen or forty.

Chief Executive & Artistic Director, Artes Mundi, Wales International Visual Art Prize, together with running own consultancy (2002 – 2010)
Working independently can be unnerving but liberating. You work with others but are independent – often people only accept reality from an outsider. In tandem I established a new organisation, developing the international contemporary visual arts in Wales. Studio visits in Vietnam and Swansea followed.

Director, Scottish Arts Council (1999 – 2001)
To lead a national arts development agency post devolution was too good an opportunity to miss. Scotland has more media than most so everything was passionately debated, particularly opera. It was valuable to observe politics up close but Scotland sets an example in how it values culture. 

Director, Arnolfini (1991 – 1999)
I wanted to work with a building, different artforms and contribute to a city. We collaborated across continents, connecting audiences with their forebears’ countries and worked with artists in South Africa as Mandela was democratically elected. Lottery funding made us all write our first business plans but buying our building and developing it was obvious.

Head of Visual Arts & Architecture, Glasgow 1990 (1988 – 1991)
The European City of Culture programme was like riding a fast train – initiating big exhibitions (Van Gogh at the Burrell), opening new buildings (Tramway) and running exchanges (52 artists across 11 countries) and establishing the UK’s 1st Doors Open Day. 1990 was public policy in action, from regeneration to re-imaging. 

Curator, Collins Gallery, University of Strathclyde (1982 – 1988)
I loved working directly with artists, acting as interlocutor between their vision and people. Glasgow had a history of producing for the empire so everyone at the bus stop had a view about what artists did.

Curator, Eyemouth Museum (1982)
Opening a new museum was an extraordinary experience – objects were submitted in carrier bags. People could see their own histories and not often did a community museum win a Museum of the Year Award.

Exhibitions Organiser, Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (1981 – 2)
Here I made my first exhibition, – you weren’t called a curator then. It focused upon early building conservation (William Morris, etc) and with untouched material from the 1890s, history came alive.

Art Editor, Oxford University Press (1979 – 1980)
Following a long road trip (New York to Chile), commissioning artists and undertaking picture research for educational worldwide publications seemed a good way to earn one’s living and learn about publishing.

Museum Assistant, Norwich Castle Museum (1977 – 1978)
My introduction was working in the Art and Conservation Departments, re-displaying their fantastic teapot collection and avoiding the taxidermists’ practical jokes.