Finance can be the biggest barrier by far to a career in the creative industries. Paid work experience opportunities are few and far between in particular for those dreaming of working in the cultural heritage sector, whether in the arts, libraries, museums or heritage sites.
One UCL initiative to open up access and increase diversity in these sectors is The New Curators Project. It is run by the university’s Special Collections team in collaboration with Newham Heritage Month, an annual festival of live events showcasing the rich and diverse cultural heritage of the borough.
Each year the project offers funded places to up to ten young people aged between 18-24 who are living or working in Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets or Waltham Forest. Applicants don’t need any academic qualifications or previous work experience, just a passion for learning about local history and an interest in working in museums, libraries or galleries. They are paid equivalent to earning the London Living Wage and given access to the facilities of UCL’s Culture Lab, on the UCL East campus in Stratford, East London.
In 2024, over four months from March to June, through training and hands-on experiences, eight new professionals took their first steps on their career path. The group produced an impressive exhibition for Newham Heritage Month, called The Vitality of Newham’s Third Spaces, that addressed Newham Heritage Month’s theme of ‘Places and Spaces’. They carried out research online, at Newham Archive and Tower Hamlets Archive and produced social media content to promote their exhibition.
[The New Curators Project] is a fabulous opportunity to gain industry knowledge first hand, to get hands on experience creating an exhibition and it is a wonderful place to get to know likeminded individuals.
Participants leave the scheme ready for their first paid roles in the sector with previous destinations including Toynbee Hall, The Roundhouse and the Tate. Feedback from participants has been overwhelmingly positive; one individual from 2024 has already started an internship with Historic England and we have supported others in making applications for apprenticeships and jobs. They can continue learning and meeting like minds through UCL’s New Curators Network.
