Clare Lawlor
Belfast
Summary
Dynamic arts professional with extensive experience at Arts Care, excelling in creative programme design and event coordination. Proven track record in stakeholder engagement and budget management, successfully delivering innovative festivals that foster community connections. Adept at leading teams and monitoring project outcomes, ensuring impactful arts experiences for diverse audiences.
Overview
33
33
years of professional experience
Work History
Here & Now Coordinator
Arts Care
Belfast
10.2019 - Current
- Manage the daily operations of the Here & Now Health and Wellbeing Festival for older people, coordinating task schedules and delegating responsibilities.
- Ensure compliance with Arts Care policies during project management activities.
- Liaise with community group leaders, residential home managers, and NHS trust staff to engage and secure commitment to festival participation, and create a focus group to ensure consultation and adherence to PPI.
- Devise and curate an annual innovative festival programme designed to engage older people (and encourage intergenerational connections where appropriate) throughout Northern Ireland.(Older people—60 years plus, including those with dementia, disabilities, and those in rural areas or individuals who are lonely and isolated.) The programme includes face-to-face creative workshops, online creative workshops, an open regional art exhibition, and both regional and local showcase exhibitions and events.
- Deliver an annual call for artists across Northern Ireland, encouraging responses to design themes, and providing training opportunities.
- Manage and led a team of artists to deliver festival workshops, alongside essential monitoring and feedback documentation.
- Coordinate interdepartmental efforts to ensure project completion within deadlines and budgets.
- Maintain calendars for events, meetings, and critical deadlines.
- Monitor project progress and provide quarterly updates and reports to Arts Care and stakeholders.
- Compile precise records and document festival activities through film and photography.
Artist, Designer, and Managing Director
Aardvark Studios
01.1998 - Current
- Aardvark Studios, a successful sculpture and Art works company was established in 1998 in Kent and relocated to Belfast in 2004 with direct commissions from Architects, Councils, Communities, Commercial Companies and private clients throughout the UK.
- Aardvark Studios continues to accept commissions.
Learning and Participation Officer
The Metropolitan Arts Centre
Belfast
09.2006 - 08.2019
- Assist senior management team with execution of MAC’s strategic, business, and operational plans while ensuring high-quality delivery of creative learning and programs.
- Design, curate and deliver school programmes and family programmes adhering to the MAC’s mission and values;
- Overseeing the delivery of youth and community programmes in the MAC;
- Design targeted projects to enhance access to high-quality arts programs for marginalised communities and groups;
- Manage MAC Freelance Artists and Early Years Collective, ensuring database maintenance and recruitment of new artist practitioners
- Manage the design, coordination and implementation of the MAC Early Years programme and access programmes;
- Managing project artists including monitoring and evaluating outcomes and providing feedback;
- Assist in the delivery of MACtivist volunteer programme and its continual development;
- Maintaining strong relationships with relevant funders;
- Liaising with schools – primary, secondary and SEN schools Northern Ireland wide, in the design and delivery of the MAC’s Learning and participation programme, promoting engagement in the MAC and creating curriculum based learning experiences targeted at the schools audience;
- Liaising with youth leaders, organisations and community-based organisations in the design and delivery of the MAC’s Learning and participation programme;
- Ensuring that all elements of the MAC’s learning and participation programme are monitored and evaluated appropriately;
- Manage the budget for learning and participation projects and provide quarterly and end of year funding reports;
- Assist in the completion of fundraising applications for the learning and participation programme;
- Assist in the development and operation of a Learning and Participation fundraising strategy and work alongside the MAC marketing dept to contribute to the PR/Communications and CRM (Customer Relationship Management) strategy;
- Support the Senior Management Team in meeting audit requirements across all programme activity;
- Initiating new and maintain existing links with relevant networks and organisations within the UK.
- Creative Learning Officer role ceased in 2019 as a result of redundancy
Project Coordinator
Ashton Centre, New Lodge Arts
Belfast
01.2006 - 12.2006
- Enhancing the community's perception of their local heritage and environment by engaging young people in the regeneration of 'dead spaces'.
- To create spaces for artists and young people to work together, discuss and investigate local history and to drive change; through a creative process that focuses on the exchange of ideas, dialogue and collaboration to regenerate ‘dead spaces’.
- To inspire young people and generate ownership and pride in their creative results.
- Develop a new and innovative approach to process-based community-based arts practice that can be mirrored as used as a good practice case study.
- Project successfully completed & Funding finished
Children and Youth Arts Worker
Ashton Centre, New Lodge Arts
Belfast
01.2004 - 12.2006
- Designing and managing the deliver of a quality arts programme to the Children and young people of the Greater New lodge Community with the emphasis on inclusion and access to quality arts.
- Managing the daily creative programme operations, including scheduling and managing artists, managing and stocking art materials, monitoring finances, and managing budget and financial processes according to best practices.
- Developing criteria for monitoring and ensure effective monitoring and evaluation of the Programmes.
- Funded Post finished
Children’s Community Artist and Programme Coordinator
Swale Housing Amicus Group
01.2002 - 12.2004
- Delivering and Managing a programme of quality arts activities and experiences for young people.
- Liaising directly with community groups, facilitating existing and setting up new afterschool groups and youth clubs.
- Managing and coordinating Artists and youth workers for project work.
- Delivering art workshops and facilitating larger art projects throughout the Swale area.
- Managing a yearly budget of up to £55k.
- Maternity Leave – then relocated back to Belfast.
Managing Director
Aardvark Studios
Medway Towns, Kent
10.1998 - 09.2004
- Established and manage a new business - Aardvark Studios, a successful sculpture and Art works company with direct commissions from Architects, Councils, Communities, Commercial Companies and private clients throughout the UK.
- Facilitated relocation of Aardvark Studios to Northern Ireland in 2004 - Continuing to accept commissions
Cabinet Maker
Mark Furse Designs
01.1997 - 12.1998
- Embraced the challenge of a new medium to become cabinet maker, collaborating on a freelance basis for Mark Furse Designs - fine furniture and cabinet making business
- Left Mark Furse Designs to set up my own business. - Aardvark Studios
Central Regional Arts Coordinator, Youth Worker and Detached Youth Worker
Kent County Council Youth and Community
01.1993 - 12.1998
- Total of five years - Central Regional Arts Coordinator, Youth worker and Detached Youth worker - I worked for Kent County Council Youth & Community for five years, two years as their Central Regional Arts Coordinator, developing and delivering arts projects for young people engaging them in arts festivals, community and international events.
- I then trained as a youth worker and spent a further three years on a part time basis as a youth worker and Detached youth worker in the arts and crafts curriculum band.
- Left KCC (Kent County Council) Take on a New Challenge
Freelance Artist
Freelance Artist
01.1992 - 12.1993
- After leaving college, I created a design craft venture and set up a fully equipped studio and workshop.
Education
Level 1 - P4C - Philosophy For Children – P4C
Sapere
09-2018
RSA Diploma - Youth work & Detached youth work
Kent County Council
06-1998
BTEC Higher National Diploma - Design Crafts
Kent Institute of Art And Design
Rochester, Kent06-1992
BTEC National Diploma - Art and Design Foundation Studies
Rupert Stanley College of Art & Design
Belfast06-1990
A Levels and GCSE's - Art, English, Geography, Biology, RE, Chemistry, Maths
Dominican College, Fortwilliam
Belfast08-1989
Skills
- Visual artist - sculptor in all materials
- Creative programme design
- Event coordination
- Project management
- Budget management
- Stakeholder engagement
- Monitoring and evaluation
- Community outreach
- Team leadership
- Communication skills
- Scheduling expertise
- Problem-solving
- Attention to detail
- Budget planning
- Schedule coordination
- Relationship building
- Stakeholder management
- Adaptability and flexibility
Training and courses
- Sapere - Level 1 – Philosophy for children – P4C
- Child protection and vulnerable Adults safeguarding training
- Designated officer – Child protection training
- Autism Awareness training
- Disability awareness training
- Visualise - specialist visual impairment awareness training
- Reminiscence training
- Intergenerational Training
- RSA – Detached Youth Work
Personal Information
- Title: Ms
- Driving License: YES
Convictions
NO
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Here & Now Coordinator
Arts Care
10.2019 - Current
Learning and Participation Officer
The Metropolitan Arts Centre
09.2006 - 08.2019
Project Coordinator
Ashton Centre, New Lodge Arts
01.2006 - 12.2006
Children and Youth Arts Worker
Ashton Centre, New Lodge Arts
01.2004 - 12.2006
Children’s Community Artist and Programme Coordinator
Swale Housing Amicus Group
01.2002 - 12.2004
Managing Director
Aardvark Studios
10.1998 - 09.2004
Artist, Designer, and Managing Director
Aardvark Studios
01.1998 - Current
Cabinet Maker
Mark Furse Designs
01.1997 - 12.1998
Central Regional Arts Coordinator, Youth Worker and Detached Youth Worker
Kent County Council Youth and Community
01.1993 - 12.1998
Freelance Artist
Freelance Artist
01.1992 - 12.1993
Level 1 - P4C - Philosophy For Children – P4C
Sapere
RSA Diploma - Youth work & Detached youth work
Kent County Council
BTEC Higher National Diploma - Design Crafts
Kent Institute of Art And Design
BTEC National Diploma - Art and Design Foundation Studies
Rupert Stanley College of Art & Design
A Levels and GCSE's - Art, English, Geography, Biology, RE, Chemistry, Maths
Dominican College, Fortwilliam
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