I first started working as a museum consultant in 2004. Over the next decade I built up a reputation for delivering high quality work, delivering projects for clients across the UK. I then took a break from consultancy to work as the founding Director of the Holocaust Exhibition & Learning Centre in Huddersfield from 2017-2020. I led a small team to create a completely new heritage business, including writing and curating the north of England’s only exhibition about the Holocaust. I learnt a lot – about leadership, project management, storytelling, entrepreneurship, and above all, about myself. Now I’m bringing that learning back to my consultancy work.

This week’s podcast is with museum consultant Emma King, also one of my most-longstanding friends. We met at Leicester University back in the last millennium both studying for a Museum Studies Masters Degree and she has gone on to have a great career in museums both as a freelancer and employed, always seeking innovative projects where she can delve into research and storytelling with collections and people. Because I also worked in the museum sector for a few years and still work closely with them as often as possible, we have a lot in common in our working practices and our interests. We could (and do) talk for hours but I have edited out (most of) our rambling and focussed on exploring making meaning in a museum context, communication and interpretation, the value of ideas and of co-creation with communities and artists.

There’s more about Emma and her work in the links below.

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Emma King

Emma’s projects

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Support the podcast

My Making Meaning podcast of conversations with creatives is coming to the end of 2021 series. I want to make the new 2022 series of Making Meaning even better. If you have enjoyed these episodes, please consider making a donation to my crowdfunder campaign before it closes on Monday 13th December at midday GMT.

So many of you have loved listening to Making Meaning over the last 6 months. It’s been a wonderful project for me too. I planned and recorded most of it while we were still in lockdown as a way of connecting with others and now being able to share these rich and inspiring conversations is a joy.

The podcast has really resonated with you, enabling you to learn more about your own making or creative work and to understand how artists think and work. It’s made connections across creative work and within and outside of my own textiles discipline. I’ve been able to share stories from museum work and other kinds of creative practice as well as craft and they are all so relevant and inspiring to hear. 

I’ve been doing this out of my own pocket for the last year but really need to make it financially viable for 2022. I have to pay hosting fees, editing and marketing costs and then there’s my own time.. and I would love to be able to pay my guests something too as they have so generously given their time. There are a range of rewards including episode and whole series sponsorship.

Maker Membership

My Maker Membership is now open for all makers wanting to explore their motivations and to build meaning and research into their practice and be part of a supportive creative community. We meet once a month and I share resources, tips and research to help you develop your own work. Find out more here.