Experience

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  Houghton Kneale Design Ltd

  • Margate, Kent, UK

  • Director

    • Nov 2000 - Present
    • Margate, Kent, UK

    In 2000 I set up HKD with Richard Houghton. HKD is a multi-disciplinary design studio specialising in design for Museum and Science Centres. In the last 12 years we have completed over 50 international projects which range from the Museum of Tolerance in New York to the Kids in the City under 5’s gallery for Birmingham’s Science Centre, Thinktank.HKD (Houghton Kneale Design) are experts in museum design.Our work at HKD is driven by our love of stories – especially those that have previously been untold or neglected. Transforming these sometimes intangible pieces of cultural heritage into a space or exhibit that inspires and involves an audience is what we do best.HKD creates spaces which extend cultural access and social interaction, which allow museums to have an ongoing communication with their audiences. In my position as director, I have led on the development of the HKD 'Meet – Make - Play' framework, which formalises our commitment to colaboration and play as a means to help audiences learn and connect. This framework has been used to inform social and creative educational projects since 2012.I also regularly give talks and masterclasses at conferences, sharing the innovations in how we work and reflecting on findings from ongoing R&D projects we have undertaken. I have appeared as a speaker for conferences including: MuseumNext, Games4Change, and Museums Association.

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  Marine Studios

  • Margate Kent

  • Associate Director

    • Oct 2011 - Present
    • Margate Kent

    Time for a change In 2009 we moved HKD's design studio out of London to Margate. Setting up Marine Studios has allowed us to develop our own projects, work outside set briefs and commission new works.Long-term social and economic benefit was at the heart of every project. We focused extending cultural participation, supporting new creative practice and creating opportunities for learning and skill sharing. I am therefore delighted to be able to welcome the new management team to Marine Studios. I look forward to working with them as they build the new Writers Room, revive First Fridays and create a vibrant cultural hub in Margate. More here - www.marinestudios.co.ukProject examples:- Back & FillBack & Fill is a direct response to the coronavirus crisis that nurtures the strength that is gained through collaboration. Back and Fill is a coastal call to arms, in which we invited creatives and businesses to programme simultaneous festivals in seaside towns around the UK. This movement is inspired by a need to support the fragile economy of seaside towns and empower individuals in uncertain times. Back & Fill will therefore invite people to come back to the coast for the October half term holiday and encourage creatives and local businesses to collaborate and forge a path for a sustainable future. - GEEK I believe that learning through play & games (active engagement and fun) allows visitors to better understand a new concept or idea, take on a different perspective, or experiment with different choices. In response to my interest in these areas, I founded GEEK. Part museum, part Lab it is a platform to celebrate the past and test new ideas. It allows us to investigate, explore, commission, research and celebrate games and play within the realm of museums, galleries, heritage, science centres and more. Beginning as a festival in Margate, we have now run over 30 GEEK events around the world that have been attended by over 50,000 visitors.

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  2Step Digital Arts

  • Partner

    • Mar 1998 - Oct 2008

    In 1998 I co-founded 2Step, an arts partnership established to develop collaborative arts projects.The partnership bought together creatives such as writers, musicians, animators and painters, and created opportunities to create collaborative projects. The resulting works were exhibitions, animations, installations and explorations of ideas.An example of the work created was the Hoxton Project. For a few days in 2003, a dozen artists occupied Hoxton Hall and filled its café, theatre, dressing rooms and corridors with works made in response to the Hall and its occupants.Artists included : Sian Busby, Andrew Campbell, Jaana Folwer, Catherine Golding, Ron Hagel, Gudrun Haraldsdottir, Sophie Herxheimer, Kate Kneale and David Secombe.Although the partnership is now dissolved, we work together and with our associates whenever possible.

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  Royal Holloway, University of London

  • Teacher

    • 1995 - 2000

    I taught at London University for five years teaching visual literacy, collaborative and creative skills to Media Art students at graduate and post graduate level.Courses included visual literacy, art direction and design. All of my courses were designed to encourage practical engagement through workshops, multi camera TV studio and animation programmes.

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  Exhibition and Film production

  • Freelance Designer

    • 1989 - 1995

    I trained as a theatre designer and worked as an art director/designer in theatre, film and television for over fifteen years my clients included the BBC, Channel 4 and the National Health Service.

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  BBC

  • Assistant Designer

    • Sep 1984 - Apr 1986

    Building on my training as a theatre designer, I spent two years working as an assistant at the BBC TV Centre White City where I worked on productions such as: No Place Like Home, Top of the Pops and The Little & Large Show.

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  Sydney Theatre Company

  • Assistant Scene Painter

    • Feb 1981 - Nov 1981

    While living in Australia, I worked as an assistant scenery painter at the Sydney Opera House. My work covered various productions as part of a great production team. Shows included Romeo & Juliet, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and Chicago.