After a brilliant eight years as Director of OutdoorArtsUK, the time has come for me to announce that I will be moving on and taking up the role of Creative Director and CEO of Imagineer in Coventry – working on the further development of the Daimler Powerhouse into a world-class creation centre.
Obviously, I’m hugely excited about what lies ahead, but OAUK has been such a great home to me for all these years and the membership is like my (huge and talented) extended family, so leaving will not be without a few moments of sadness.
It’s been an eventful time, helping to navigate the sector through an unhelpful referendum, a challenging funding landscape, global uncertainty and the small matter of a stultifying pandemic. Despite all that, I know that OAUK is in a great place at the moment, with record membership levels, secured ACE funding, a refreshed Board, two dynamic new Co-Chairs and a fantastic and skilful team in David and Phoebe. Whoever takes over from me will have an absolute blast in a hugely rewarding role – working in the dynamic, challenging, slightly chaotic and ever-surprising world of outdoor arts.
Of course, I’m not leaving the sector; so many of you know how deeply I care about outdoor arts and the individuals who bring it to life both on and off stage. I remain in awe of the ability of outdoor work to reach out to all parts of our crazy society. I smile as it brings disparate communities together – even if it’s just for a moment before they go back to arguing about Brexit. I gasp as outdoor work plants indelible, imaginative and sometimes hugely inappropriate memories in our public spaces. And I celebrate the way the sector boldly brings moments of hilarity, reflection, anarchy and joy into our everyday lives. I am never happier than sitting on the pavement watching a talented outdoor artist connect with people who might never have engaged in any cultural activity before. Unless it’s raining, in which case I’m deeply hacked off.
This role at Imagineer means that I get to put into practice so much that I have advocated for at OAUK for almost a decade. I’ve spent a lot of time in Coventry and got to know much of the brilliant creative community; I’ve witnessed some amazing outdoor work on the streets of the city, seen the diverse community at work and play – and stayed in pretty much every hotel in town. More recently, I have watched the Daimler Powerhouse transform into a flagship of creativity as one of the most exciting cultural hubs in the country and begin its journey to be a superb creation space for the city and the wider outdoor arts sector. This handsome canalside industrial building that once hummed with machinery producing power now generates creative energy with equal vigour; I can’t wait to join that creative production line and invite the world to see our work and celebrate Coventry’s creative brilliance.
And it will be an absolute honour to pick up the pioneering work of Jane Hytch and her many colleagues who turned their dream into a reality. It will be a privilege to help ensure that Coventry – despite some recent rocky cultural headlines – continues to grow creatively and be seen as the brilliant, imaginative and culturally innovative city that it deserves to be.
Thank you for all your support. Let the next chapter begin… I know we’ll stay in touch.
