Mentoring Network: Mentor Information
1. James Green, Director, Newlyn Art Gallery & The Exchange, Cornwall
2. Blair Todd, Deputy Director/ Exhibitions Curator, Newlyn Art Gallery &
The Exchange, Cornwall
3. Sam Thorne, Artistic Director, Tate St.Ives, Cornwall
4. Helen Legg, Director, Spike Island, Bristol
5. Sally Watkins, Producer, b-side Festival, Dorset
6. Caroline Mawdsley, Curator, Plymouth Arts Centre
7. Helen Davies, Head of Programmes, Arnolfini, Bristol
8. Erica Steer, Director, Devon Guild of Crafts
9. Louise Evans, Director, Walford Mill Crafts, Dorset
10. Judith Robinson, Partnerships & Programmes Officer, Plymouth Museum
& Art Gallery
11. Lindsay Hughes, Visual Arts Producer, ICIA, Bath
12. Jo Leahy, Director, SVA, Stroud, Gloucestershire
13. Jo Bushnall, Director, Aspex, Portsmouth
14. Stephen Foster, Director, John Hansard Gallery, Southhampton
15. Ros Carter, Head of Exhibitions, John Hansard Gallery, Southhampton
16. Julia Twomlow, Director, Leach Pottery, St.Ives, Cornwall
17. Sarah Chapman, Director, Peninsula Arts, Plymouth
18. Richard Tomlinson, Creative Technologist, Somerset Film

James Green, Director, Newlyn Art Gallery & The Exchange, Cornwall
James joined Newlyn Art Gallery as Director in July 2006 and oversaw the redevelopment work on the existing building and the newly acquired former telephone exchange in Penzance as well as an organisational review resulting in a closer unification of education and exhibitions programming and a refocussing on the creation of professional development opportunities for artists in the locality, combined with a re-energized emphasis on national and international programming. An emerging priority for the gallery over the coming three years is on offsite programming across Cornwall. This builds on recent debates about major, temporary public commissioning in the county and successful projects such as two Hamish Fulton walks in Penzance and a permanent commissioned by Mark Dion for Porthmeor Studios. James is a board member of the Borlase Smart John Wells Trust, responsible for artists’ studio prevision in West Cornwall, and is Vice Chair of Visual Arts South
West. Prior to his current role James was responsible for Public Programmes
(exhibitions, education and inclusion work) at The Harris Museum & Art
Gallery, Preston. Whilst there, he developed and delivered contemporary art projects and programmes and placed a particular emphasis on new commissioning. He also established a curatorial partnership with the
University of Central Lancashire, entitled In Certain Places that sought to explore and position opportunities for artists at the heart of the regeneration of the city. This involved major temporary public commissioning projects, involving artists such as Jeppe Hein, Becky Shaw, Simon Starling and John
Newling; public seminar programmes and the creation of a Lead Artists role for the city, taken on by artists Alfredo Jaar and Charles Quick. During this period he also developed a number of freelance projects, including one entitled ‘Recording Iraq’ by the Ken Stanton Archive, presented at Arnolfini in
2007.
Blair Todd, Deputy Director/ Exhibitions Curator, Newlyn Art Gallery &
The Exchange, Penzance, Cornwall
Blair Todd is the Exhibitions Curator/Deputy Director at Newlyn Art Gallery &
The Exchange, Cornwall. As well as delivering twelve shows per year over both venues, he also curates many of the shorter projects and events. He creates platforms in the main gallery programme for artists' development including the annual Transition project, as well as social/interactive projects, residencies, live art and performance. He has been involved in a number of artist-led groups and been guest selector for exhibitions and awards at other organisations, as well as visiting lecturer at Falmouth University. Newlyn Art
Gallery, with The Exchange, its second venue in the centre of Penzance, has a long history of presenting major solo exhibitions, including John Armleder,
Christine Borland, Marcus Coates, Tania Kovats, Tatsumi Orimoto and
Lawrence Weiner, as well international group exhibitions.
The gallery’s
Learning and Participation Programme, which is increasingly integrated with the exhibitions programme, has a national reputation for its peer led projects with young people and is currently developing a project with residents in care homes.

Sam Thorne, Artistic Director, Tate St.Ives, Cornwall
Sam Thorne has been the artistic director of Tate St Ives since March 2014, where he oversees exhibitions, research, learning and residencies. Prior to that, he was associate editor of frieze magazine in London, where - aside from writing, editing and researching - he produced short films and organised series of concerts and public lectures. Sam is a visiting tutor at the Royal
College of Art, teaching on the Critical Writing in Art & Design MA, and has taught history of art at number of universities, including Oxford, York and UCL.
In 2012, he co-founded Open School East, a free-to-attend art school and community centre in East London, which offers free tuition and studios to emerging practitioners. Sam's interests and focuses include self-organised education and socially engaged art, as well as art criticism and exhibition histories.
Helen Legg, Director, Spike Island, Bristol
(Information will follow shortly)
Sally Watkins, Curator & Producer, b-side Festival
Sally is a curator for b-side festival and a practising artist. Her interests are in site-specific practices and collaborations in place. She has worked as a commission manager for a number of years with artists working in the visual arts, live and performance and text based practice.
Sally has mentored and supported early and mid artists, most recently with artists who wish to expand their practice from gallery to non-traditional spaces.
She is currently interested in the collaboration and exchange between communities, curators and artists, and questioning where ownership and authorship reside.
Caroline Mawdsley, Curator, Plymouth Arts Centre
Caroline Mawdsley has 16 years of experience working with contemporary art and engagement in gallery setting. In roles education roles at Spacex and
Plymouth Arts Centre she has engaged thousands of people of all ages with contemporary art from Pre school to senior citizens, using a diverse range of activities from creative workshops to radio production. As Project Manager she has worked on contemporary art programmes outside of the gallery to present work in empty shops and non art spaces as well in outdoor city centre sites. As Curator of Programmes at Plymouth arts centre she delivers a integrated programme of visual art and engagement.

Helen Davies, Head of Programmes, Arnolfini, Bristol
Helen Davies is a dedicated arts professional with 11 years experience working across multi-disciplined cultural organisations, historic and contemporary collections. She has extensive experience and knowledge of audience engagement, interdisciplinary working, delivering high quality largescale projects and public art commissions. Helen is an alumni of the engage and Cultural Leadership Programme Extend. For the last 2 years Helen has been Curator for Learning and Participation at Arnolfini and is now Interim
Head of Programme placing audiences at the centre of the organisation .
Erica Steer, Director, Devon Guild of Crafts
Erica is Executive Director of the Devon Guild of Craftsmen, managing operations and working with the Board to provide strategic direction. At
Riverside Mill in Bovey Tracey, the Guild runs an exhibitions programme for contemporary craft and operates a cafe and a retail outlet selling Members work. Learning activity includes an outreach programme which places makers with schools and community groups for short-term residencies, providing opportunities for continuing professional development for makers and creating accessible learning opportunities in the gallery.
Erica previously held the post of Crafts Officer at Arts Council England South
West, where her role included shaping regional and national corporate planning for crafts. She holds an MA in Heritage Management and BA (Hons)
Business Studies. In a previous life, Erica ran a small graphic design and print buying business and has worked as a paper maker and sculptor from a studio in a rural craft centre. She understand the challenges of developing a creative business and juggling many Erica does have extensive knowledge of craft markets and audiences, and also of the world of grant funding. She has a particular interest in developing networks, knowledge sharing and exchange and is co-convenor of CraftNet, the national craft leadership network.
Louise Evans, Director, Walford Mill Crafts, Dorset
Louise is a passionate advocate of contemporary craft, the value of making skills and the development of makers, communities and audiences. She has developed her arts administration experience and knowledge of contemporary craft over more than twenty-five years. She has great enthusiasm for the value of contemporary craft in society. She has experience as a maker, creative practitioner, curator and artistic director.
She has particular experience in jewellery, silversmithing and textiles, but can offer support across all craft disciplines and assist makers with reflective practice. She has a degree and masters in jewellery and a masters in museum studies, plus much curatorial experience.
In supporting makers, she can also draw on her own experience as a self employed maker. She has have exhibited nationally and internationally, undertaken residency and participatory projects and completed two museum commission pieces. She has made larger conceptual pieces and showcased

smaller pieces at craft fairs such as Origin, Lustre and The Contemporary
Craft Fair. Louise has led workshops with children, family groups and adults, plus projects in schools. She has also had experience as a freelance ‘Creative
Agent’ for Creative Partnerships, advocating for creative learning with young people in schools by being a ‘critical friend’ or mentor to a portfolio of schools, assisting staff and students to explore what creativity is and how working with a creative practitioner can unlock new ways of working.
Judith Robinson, Partnerships & Programmes Officer, Plymouth
Museum & Art Gallery
Judith is a visual arts specialist with a broad knowledge of historic and contemporary art practice. Between 2000-2006 she was a Visual Arts Officer for Arts Council South West (and South West Arts) leading on capital developments in Newlyn, Penzance and St Ives, and regional curatorial practice; supporting strategic initiatives such as St Ives International; and developing partnerships between the arts and heritage sectors. Judith has been an elected member of the VASW Steering Group since 2012.
Managing collaborative partnership working between artists and museums is her particular focus, and creating opportunities for contemporary artists, curators and audiences to engage with historic collections and contexts in original ways. She was on Plymouth Museum and Art Gallery’s internal project team for their New Expressions 1 commission (2009), and project manager for the South West’s New Expressions 2 programme (2010-12). A founder member of Plymouth Visual Arts Consortium that presented BAS7 in
Plymouth in 2011, she has previously devised curatorial projects with artists, historians and independent curators.
As a former art museum curator, she has extensive knowledge and experience of managing and interpreting fine and decorative art collections, and has worked with many artists on commissions, exhibitions, residencies, programming and audience engagement.
Lindsay Hughes, Visual Arts Producer, ICIA, Bath
Lindsay has over 15 years experience in the arts, working for a wide number of arts organisations, including Spacex Gallery, Exeter, Arnolfini, Bristol, Tate
St Ives, St Ives, Arts Council England and Arts Council Wales and her current post is Creative Producer, Visual Arts for ICIA (Institute of Interdisciplinary
Arts). Lindsay has experience in curating both gallery and off-site exhibitions, gallery education, developing socially engaged projects as well as advising and writing funding applications for both public funds and trusts and foundations. As a producer at ICIA she works with artists over both short and long periods of time to develop their ideas in both a interdisciplinary context and cross art-form. Areas of interest include installation, film and video, public art, sculpture and photography.
Jo Leahy (SVA), Director, SVA, Stroud
Jo is co ‐ director of Stroud Valleys Artspace (SVA) which is based in Stroud,

Gloucestershire and is a National Portfolio Organisation.
As a founder member, artist and co director she has been a key strategic player in the formation and development of SVA (1996 ‐ 2014) which provides studio space for professional artists and promotes a year round innovative artistic and educational programme. SVA was initiated in 1996 by Jo Leahy and Neil Walker, with a vision to see the potential in the physically and culturally empty spaces in the heart of a struggling market town in the south west of England. SVA is now recognised as one of the most active and exciting organisations representing artist led practice in the South West.
Jo is jointly responsible for the development of the Site festival, a contemporary arts festival now in its 18th year which involves over 400 local, national and international artists in over 80 sites throughout the Stroud district.
Jo has worked on contemporary art exhibitions with arts partners such as
Darbyshire, White Cube, Index, Caroll Fletcher and Kerlin Gallery to present new contemporary work by internationally significant artists as well as supporting the production of numerous performance and music events.
Alongside her Director’s role at SVA Jo has also worked for other Arts organisations. She was part of the initial consultation period which led to the forming of ALIAS (1999) and worked as an ALIAS contact and specialist advisor with a number of artist led groups across the region (1999 ‐ 2006). She has been actively involved in the development work of the National Federation of Studio Providers (2007 ‐ 09) and Create Gloucestershire (2012 ‐ 14). Jo sat on the interim Turning Point South West steering group and has been a member of the current VASW steering group since 2011.
Summary of skills offered:
• Setting up and developmental stages for artist ‐ led groups
• Business planning
• Networking and creating collaborative projects
• Event management from conceiving ideas, to final event and evaluation
• Publicity and marketing
Jo Bushnall, Director, Aspex, Portsmouth
Jo has almost twenty years experience of working with artists to make gallery exhibitions or develop off-site projects. She has been Director of Aspex in
Portsmouth since 1999, before which she was responsible for establishing the
Millais Gallery at Southampton Solent University (recently renamed Solent
Showcase).
Jo’s curatorial interests focus on supporting emerging artists at a point when a significant opportunity can trigger a real step change in their practice. In terms of art-form, her interests and experience are extremely broad, but she is particularly interested in installation, work that involves participation/engagement of audiences and in the space between contemporary craft and art.
Stephen Foster, Director, John Hansard Gallery, Southhampton
Stephen Foster has been Director of the John Hansard Gallery since 1987 and during that time has won an international reputation for his exhibitions

and for the JHG exhibition programme generally. He has for the whole of his curatorial career been committed to exploring the legacy of the originators of conceptual art, having exhibited many of the leading originators to make newly commissioned work, and making exhibitions by senior artists who have since died. He has also committed a long programme of research projects which feature younger generations of artists who have been influenced by those early exponents of conceptual art. In addition to this agenda, he is committed to working with documentary exhibitions, working with archives, and creating opportunities for artists to work on interdisciplinary projects with experts from other academic fields
He is a Trustee or Board member of a number of institutions, including twice as Chair of VAGA (Visual Arts and Galleries Association) and most recently as a Board member of IKT (International Association of Curators of
Contemporary Art.)
Ros Carter, Head of Exhibitions, John Hansard Gallery, Southhampton
Ros Carter has worked at John Hansard Gallery for several years and currently holds the post of Head of Exhibitions. She has over twenty years’ experience of organising exhibitions at a national and international level, and has overseen numerous artist’s commissions within the JHG programme and has forged links with many other organisations, including amongst others:
Tate, Film & Video Umbrella, Photoworks, Hayward Gallery, Forma and The
Arts Catalyst. Recent curatorial projects have included an exhibition of Andy
Warhol’s Film and Photography ; Performance/Audience/Film (including artists; Ian Breakwell, Franko B, Oreet Ashery, Blast Theory, Joshua Sofaer,
& Dan Graham) ; Nancy Holt & Robert Smithson ; Mel Brimfield, Death and
Dumb and An Audience with Willy Little ; Jeremy Millar, The Oblate . These projects reflect her interest in artist’s film, installation and performance, along with the work of early conceptual artists and Land Art. Additionally, she plays a key role in working at a local and regional level with other arts organisations and galleries in the Southampton and Hampshire region. She also served as a Visual Arts Advisor for ACE South East between 1997-2004.
Julia Twomlow, Director, Leach Pottery, Cornwall
Julia Twomlow has been a performer, venue and project manager, creative industries consultant and since 2008 Director at the Leach Pottery museum and studio in St Ives. She has a particular interest in crafts, folk arts and social history and her expertise is in leadership and business models for cultural organisations which allow them to be creative and people focussed at the same time as being financially sustainable.
Since 2006 she has worked as a regular facilitator for the Clore Leadership
Programme Short Courses and, since 2013, the Board Development
Programme. Julia is currently studying for a craft history PhD with University
College Falmouth, looking at workshop practice, training and the philosophy

of craftsmanship in relation to politics and ethics. She is an Associate of the
Museums Association and a Fellow with the Clore Leadership Programme
(2004-05).
Sarah Chapman, Director, Peninsula Arts, Plymouth
Peninsula Arts is a cross platform public arts programme at Plymouth
University.
Sarah’s main area of interests are curation, writing, painting and photography, however her role requires an active engagement and knowledge of contemporary art, film, music (classical and contemporary), performance and dance theatre. Working within a university environment Sarah has a particular interest in cross-disciplinary practices bringing together art and science, the historical context of many new art forms and understanding how audiences engage and learn within a gallery/ cultural environment. For artists who have an interest in these areas she is able to provide links to a wide academic / research network, as well providing critical support for the development of ideas. Sarah can also offer advice with organisation, how to communicate/present artwork to a number of publics, fund raising and links to diverse communities across the South West that have an interest in culture.
Richard Tomlinson, Creative Technologist (‘Ignite’ programme),
Somerset Film
Richard’s training was initially in conventional photographic processes, over
20 years this has evolved into a practice that includes the moving image, digital image making, multi media and online platforms. Richard is currently delivering the ‘Ignite’ programme - a project is designed to provide artists, working across a wide range of media, with an opportunity to explore the creative potential of digital technology. Richard can bring to the Mentoring
Network his experience of working with both emerging and established artists, through the Ignite progamme, along with technical experience in a wide range of digital media applications designed for editing stills and moving images and creating interactive spaces and online content.