Jessie P.
About me
| Jessie P. | |
| English and Related Literature | |
| English and Related Literature | |
| Undergraduate | |
| Langwith | |
| 2013 | |
| United Kingdom |
My employment
| Curator (Art) | |
| Cheshire West and Chester | |
| United Kingdom | |
| Library, museum and information services | |
| Large business (250+ employees) |
Like this profile?
Add this profile to your favourites so you can return to it later from your account.
A day in the life of a Curator (Art) in the United Kingdom
The sector needs change and innovation; show up with creative, ambitious ideas and make it clear why you're the person to do them.
Briefly describe the organisation you work for
I work for a local authority museum service which is responsible for four different sites, including a city museum and art gallery, industrial history museum and a heritage site.
What do you do?
I'm responsible for the art collection, meaning I curate exhibitions, do research, develop the collection through acquisition and disposal, care for the permanent collection through collections management, respond to enquiries, do talks, apply for funding - amongst other things.
Reflecting upon your past employment and education, what led you to your current career choice?
I've been working in the museum sector for over ten years. Towards the end of my undergraduate degree I spotted a traineeship based at a literary museum in the Lake District - I was writing my dissertation on the poet in question and I thought it seemed like a pretty good way to spend a year. After graduating I filled the time doing retail work and volunteering at a local museum, pinning all my hopes on this one opportunity. Fortunately I got it. That year in the Lake District turned me into a curator. Once that was done, I had a few more months in retail and volunteering until I got my first full time job as collections assistant in another literary museum. At the same time I did a distance learning MA in museum studies, although I think having a job was more beneficial to my learning than the MA.
Is your current job sector different from what you thought you would enter when you graduated?
I don't remember knowing what I wanted to do when I graduated. I'm not surprised this is where I've ended up - I've always visited museums, I stuck to what I was interested in, and I used what I had researched at university to take me there.
Describe your most memorable day at work
Attending the opening event of the first big exhibition I'd curated - it was about four years from original idea to that opening evening and I put a huge amount of work into it - selecting the artworks, doing the research, writing the interpretation - it was wonderful to finally see people enjoying the art and exploring the exhibition as I'd imagined.
What extracurricular activities did you undertake at university and what transferable skills did you develop through these?
I was chair of Outdoor Society so that definitely helped with organisation and being able to work successfully with a team. I also briefly set up a creative writing society (I am sure there is a much better established one now) which I suppose showed my desire to hone my writing skills and I do use these every day. I also volunteered for two years at one of the Oxfam bookshops in town, which gave me good practice for more volunteering in the museum sector, but also meant I soon got used to interacting with lots of different people, growing in confidence and feeling like a part of a community.
What top tips do you have for York students preparing for today’s job market and life after graduation?
I'll be honest - it's hard out there. Museums and galleries have limited jobs available and there are countless talented people who struggle to find work. It doesn't pay well and it is not a sector representative of the wider population. I think you have to be pretty tough to even get your foot in the door. Try not to take things personally. Work hard but don't let yourself be exploited. If you see something that needs changing, speak up or change it yourself. The sector needs change and innovation; show up with creative, ambitious ideas and make it clear why you're the person to do them. Identify exactly what skills you need to develop and develop them however you can. It doesn't have to be in a museum. One of the most impressive candidates I've ever interviewed was skilful at showing how the experience from her paid work outside the sector could be usefully applied to roles in the sector.
What topics from students are you happy to answer questions on?
curation; history of art; literature; writing; museums; audience participation; research
Next steps...
If you like the look of Jessie’s profile, the next steps are down to you! You can send Jessie a message to find out more about their career journey. If you feel you would benefit from more in-depth conversations, ask Jessie to be your mentor.