-> Click here for image Credits:
1 – The Art Collection Team, November 2023. Courtesy of Jason Lawton Photography.
2 – Group photo at Hot Bed Press. Courtesy of Helen Wewiora.
3 – Mishka Henner, March 2024 Studio visit. Courtesy of Sam Parker.
4 – David Hancock at ‘The Omnipotence of Dream’ conference. Courtesy of Sam Parker.
5 – Graduate Scholar Jess Robinson Studio Visit (June 2025). Courtesy of Sam Parker.
6 – Energy House 2.0: Mishka Henner & Emily Speed. In-conversation event. Courtesy of Sam Parker.
2 years have flown by! I’ve loved my time with the Art Collection and learnt so much along the way. From spreadsheets and meetings to manual handling and collections care, and even being able to develop my coding and documentary photography skills.
I’ve worked alongside artists, academics, and professionals alike; on exhibitions, projects, events, and programmes. I went from knowing that I wanted to be hands-on in the art sector, to being quite literally hands-on with everything. Both Steph and Lindsay have helped me immensely with my knowledge and conduct within the sector, but also with pointing me in the right direction and giving me every opportunity to learn and figure out where I was going.
-> Click here for image credits:
1- Craig Easton: Is Anybody Listening? Our time, Our place – install.
2 – Harold Riley Studio.
3 – Installing Theo Simpson’s work at Castlefield Gallery.
4- Installing Hayley Suviste’s Artist In Residence Project at the UoS Acoustics Laboratories.
5 – Installing Darren Almond’s work at ‘Between the Earth and the Sky’.
6 – Installing Mishka Henner’s work at Castlefield Gallery for Energy House 2.0: Mishka Henner & Emily Speed.
All above images courtesy of Sam Parker.
I remember my first week on the job was collecting artwork from Howard Riley’s studio, and then straight into the install of Craig Easton’s: Is Anybody Listening? Our Time, Our Place with the Northern based Museum & Gallery transport and installation company; M&G. I loved install season whilst I was a student, and I think being thrown right into the thick of it with the Art Collection very much set a spark on where I wanted to go with my career.
From then on, I helped with every install, take-down, and manual handling job I could get with the Art Collection; working on many projects both big and small. Most recently was the Energy House 2.0: Mishka Henner & Emily Speed exhibition at Castlefield Gallery as a conclusion to their Residency with Energy House Labs at the university. This tested me immensely in both problem solving for the set-up of Mishka’s tree-root-like structure of cables and wires fanning out across the ceiling of Castlefield Gallery, as well as coding the ever-frustrating Raspberry Pi’s. Along with this is something you should all go and see, which is an exhibition I have curated as one of my final actions during this role – currently on display until January 31st 2026 in the New Adelphi Exhibition Gallery; Mediated Realities.
Because as well as being hands-on, the Art Collection has given me many opportunities to expand my knowledge and dive head-first into art and politics. From in-conversation events with Craig Easton, to Symposium events like the Contemporary Photography From Ukraine symposium presented at the University in March of last year. Being able to witness and be a part of all of this has kept my mind sharp as well as my manual handling skills.
My time with the Art Collection has been an immensely useful and enjoyable experience, I’ve learnt so much, been able to hone skills I already have, and I’ve even managed to get a few laughs now and then during times of crisis.
I hope that the next candidate will take full advantage of the breadth of opportunities this position affords them.