ARTS + HERITAGE Harriet Baker Assistant Digital Producer, Royal Academy of Arts Pembroke College, BA Hons English Language & Literature, 2011 WHAT: As a digital producer, my job is to create content for the RA’s website. The website has two roles: to deliver information (what exhibitions are on, how to get there), but also to communicate the ethos and the history of the RA to new audiences. It’s about storytelling, and as I trained as a journalist for two years after graduation, it’s a good fit. WHY: I edit, write and commission articles for the website, create short films and podcasts and write for our social media channels. It’s exciting to think of new ways to illustrate our dynamic exhibitions programme to a broad range of audiences. For example, the digital team interviewed Chinese artist Ai Weiwei live on Twitter when he visited the RA for his retrospective, however, my top work day so far has to be a visit to Edmund de Waal’s studio, where I interviewed him about his latest book and his daily life as a potter. Outside of my work at the RA, I also write freelance, including writing on art and design for the FT, and reviewing books for the Times Literary Supplement. I’ve just been shortlisted for the Burlington Magazine Contemporary Art Writing Prize. GETTING STARTED: While I was at University, I knew I wanted to pursue writing and editing as a career. I was deputy editor of ISIS and editor of my college magazine, and used the Careers Service for CV tips. By the time I sat Finals, I had a few internships lined up. I worked as an editorial assistant at Vogue for 6 months, before internships at the FT, AnOther and Monocle magazine. ADVICE: Internships are key. It’s a good idea to build up your CV as much as possible, and to show in job applications the skills you’ve learned across editorial, digital and social media. Keep the contact details of interesting and kind people you meet along the way, and don’t be afraid to ask their advice in the future. New opportunities arise when you least expect them. ARTS + HERITAGE Jozie Kettle VERVE Programming & Communications. Pitt Rivers Museum St Cross, MSc in Material Anthropology and Museum Ethnography, 2011 WHAT: I work in public engagement and communications at the Pitt Rivers Museum and my job focuses on reaching new and often hard-toreach audiences. I develop new ways to make the Museum an accessible and relevant space, creating events and activities, spreading our reach via social media and print marketing, or undertaking community consultations to improve engagement strategies. I take a collaborative approach to working with community groups, artists, academics and colleagues to engage the public in meaningful ways. WHY: I love the diversity of my job – from the great minds I meet to the collections I am tasked with connecting the public with. One day I may be delivering a session to a group of people living with dementia, handling unique objects from our extensive handling collection; the next, I could be working with students to co-curate a social event, or be liaising with Polynesian dancers about an upcoming performance! It sounds clichéd but every day is different and I am passionate about opening up the Museum to all sections of society. CAREER PATH: I chose a specialized MSc as I was set on working in heritage, particularly with ethnographic collections. I quickly realised that traditional curation was not for me however and that, instead, public engagement would be my focus. My first job was not my dream job but it allowed me to gain entry level experience and earn a wage. I was able to take on extra tasks (museums are almost always understaffed and colleagues are often keen for an eager extra pair of hands) and over a relatively short time, broadened my experience and bolstered my CV so I was ready to make my next step. ADVICE: I’d advise anyone looking to break into heritage to volunteer as much as practicable, but I’d emphasise that this is not the be all and end all! Whilst studying, I volunteered as often as I could - but in reality I had accrued only a fortnight or so of volunteering and once I graduated, I had to focus on paid work. 67
ARTS + HERITAGE ARTS + HERITAGE VOLUNTEERING Arts, Media & Marketing Fair Thursday 3 November 14.30-18.00 Oxford Town Hall THE CAREERS SERVICE www.careers.ox.ac.uk/fairs THE CAREERS SERVICE THE CAREERS SERVICE <strong>OXFORD</strong> UNIVERSITY INTERNSHIP PROGRAMME Exclusive internship placements in many different sectors, in the UK and around the world Consulting experience in many different sectors! Past clients have included the Pegasus Theatre, Wantage Summer Festival & Oxford Designers & Illustrators 68 www.careers.ox.ac.uk/ouip www.careers.ox.ac.uk/tsc
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