This autumn Tees Valley Arts have been lucky enough to welcome 5 new apprentices… (nothing whatsoever to do with Sir Alan Sugar!). Recruited from 140 applications received from as far a field as New York City… Jill Heslop (Glasgow), Ruth Cleeves (Tyne and Wear), Scott Illingworth (Newcastle), Kit Turner (Essex) and Claire English (Glasgow) have a pretty impressive CV between them and all have aspirations to become strategic cultural leaders.
Recently completing their induction week with Matthew Burge (of Burge Surtees Associates) as their appointed project coordinator, the HAAM’s will now begin their tailor made work experience schedules – each with his or her own individual slant. These combined work placements will be complemented by visits to key cultural providers/venues and seminars by ‘experts’ on various topics including fundraising and strategic arts policy.
The HAAM team is now based at Tees Valley Arts. The Tees Valley particularly, but also the rest of the North East is suffering a dearth of appropriately experienced cultural managers. It is with this in mind that the HAAM scheme was originally conceived and funded through the Tees Valley Investment Fund.
TVA is delivering this scheme on behalf of the 5 Tees Valley Strategic Arts Officers in Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar & Cleveland and Stockton.
The Higher Apprenticeship in Arts Management (HAAM) is a higher level learning, skills based graduate trainee scheme. The initiative is tailored around a programme of work experience and an underpinning lecture and seminar programme delivered by established practitioners in the field of Arts Management and Cultural Policy development.