Cultural Peeps Podcast

Episode 62 is with Stephen Welsh, the Head of Exhibitions and Public Programming with the Libraries, Museums & Galleries team at the University of Liverpool.

Stephen is primarily based in the Victoria Gallery & Museum – A beautiful, tiled building designed by Alfred Waterhouse, which programmes a wide range of exhibitions that draw on the University’s research and collections.

In our chat we talk about how Stephen identified an early love for Museums, Heritage and History which led to his first degree in Classical Archaeology and Ancient History at University of Edinburgh before relocating to undertake an MA in Art Gallery & Museum Studies at the University of Manchester.

After graduation Stephen worked at Manchester Museum as a Documentation Assistant and then at the International Slavery Museum – initially in a collections management position, which then turned into project curator role. At the end of that fixed term contract, Stephen then returned to Manchester Museum Curator of the Living Cultures.

In late 2019/ early 2020, Stephen made the decision to go freelance as a Cultural Practitioner- and we talk about what it was like to set up and develop a freelance business during the Covid 19 pandemic lockdowns.

Links:

University of Liverpool: https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/

Victoria Gallery & Museum: https://vgm.liverpool.ac.uk/

Garstang Museum & Research Centre: https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/garstang-museum/

Special Collections & Archives: https://libguides.liverpool.ac.uk/library/sca

Science Fiction Hub: https://libguides.liverpool.ac.uk/library/sca/sfhub

Institute of Popular Music Institute: https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/institute-of-popular-music/archive-
collections/

Alfred Waterhouse: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Waterhouse

The Slate above the Tate (History and Restoration of the Tate Hall in the Victoria Gallery & Museum): https://vgm.liverpool.ac.uk/blog/2022/the-slate-above-the-tate/

Cunard Archive: https://libguides.liverpool.ac.uk/library/sca/cunardarchive

Tate Hall: https://vgm.liverpool.ac.uk/about-us/tate-hall/

Light bulb Moments: https://vgm.liverpool.ac.uk/whats-on/exhibitions/lightbulb-moments/

Steve Slack: https://www.steveslack.co.uk/

Manchester Museum: https://www.museum.manchester.ac.uk/

Historic Environment Scotland: https://www.historicenvironment.scot

National Museums Liverpool: https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/

Archery Collection: https://www.museum.manchester.ac.uk/collections/archery

Emerald Lens: https://emeraldlenscic.org.uk/

Voyager Space Probes: https://science.nasa.gov/mission/voyager/

Voyager Space Probe -The Golden Record: https://science.nasa.gov/mission/voyager/voyager-golden-record-overview/

Olaf Stapledon: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olaf_Stapledon

This episode is with Ruth Haycock, the Founder, Director and Principal Consultant of Co-create Culture.

Ruth is a senior leader specialising in cultural strategy, interpretation and audience engagement, with over 20 years’ experience shaping transformation projects and inclusive cultural programmes across the arts, heritage and museum sectors. Her practice is grounded in care, curiosity and a belief in culture as a civic resource for social connection, collective wellbeing and environmental awareness.
I first met Ruth in the early days of Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art in Gateshead, when she was undertaking a placement with the Education & Learning Team as part of her MA programme in Cultural Management at Northumbria University.

After graduating from Northumbria, Ruth then went on to work firstly for Eyestorm in Leeds, then Pavilion - a visual arts commissioning organisation that produces ambitious new work with contemporary artists. That role led to a role at the National Media Museum (now the National Science & Media Museum) in Bradford where she worked for 7 years.

Ruth then went on to work as both an Interpretation Manager and an Interpretation Curator at English Heritage, where she managed the development and delivery of interpretation projects.

Whilst at English Heritage, Ruth was seconded to the role of Head of Museum Exhibitions at National Museums Liverpool before then founding Co-create Culture in 2025, through which she aims to collaborate with organisations to develop place-responsive interpretation, audience engagement strategies, and deliver cultural experiences that build social connection and support meaningful change.

Since recording this conversation, Co-Create Culture has secured a significant four-year contract with Ushaw Historic House, Chapels and Gardens. Ruth has been appointed Project Manager for the Community Engagement and Audience Development Unlocking Ushaw project, working through its development phase to 2030 supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Historic England. The appointment represents a major milestone in Co-Create Culture’s first year and puts into practice the multi-year project and partnership model Ruth discusses during the episode.

LINKS:

Baltic (placement): https://baltic.art/

Antony Gormley: https://www.antonygormley.com/

Domain Field (Exhibition by Antony Gormley): https://www.antonygormley.com/works/exhibitions/domain-field

BT: https://www.bt.com/

Eyestorm: https://www.eyestorm.com/

Young British Artists (YBAs): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Young_British_Artists

Marc Quinn: http://marcquinn.com/

Pavillion (photography): https://www.pavilion.org.uk/

National Science and Media Museum: https://www.scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk/

Jerwood: https://jerwood.org/

National Museums Liverpool: https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/

English Heritage: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/

Cod Steaks: https://www.codsteaks.com/

Ushaw Historic House, Chapel & Gardens: https://ushaw.org/

This episode is with Mark Robinson - Experiences Development Delivery Partner with the National Trust.

Mark has a fascinating role, in which he advises and supports different teams and managers from across the National Trust to strategically plan and develop their sites - this includes supporting a wide range of the Trust's work, from experience and engagement design, to visioning, purpose and interpretation planning.

In our chat we talk about Mark's educational journey - from his initial passion for film, which led to a first degree in film and literature at Sheffield Hallam and then a short stint working in Film and television, to his MSc, which allowed him to focus on his passion for the North East of England, specialising in Food Tourism.

Mark then went on to Blyth Valley Borough as the Cultural Development Officer for Arts Heritage and Tourism. As part of that role, he worked with partners and local communities to deliver Heritage Open Days, and work with sites like Blyth Battery and Seaton Delaval Hall.

This work led directly to Mark’s first job in the National trust, which was as a Community Volunteering Manager.

Links:

The National Trust: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/

Byker Grove (BBC Television Series): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byker_Grove

Ken Loach: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Loach

Raining Stones: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raining_Stones

Riff Raff (Ken Loach Film): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riff-Raff_(1991_film)

Harry potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (film): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Potter_and_the_Philosopher%27s_Stone_(film)

Runner(Film Role): https://www.screenskills.com/job-profiles/browse/film-and-tv-drama/production-management/production-runner/

Food Tourism: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culinary_tourism

Charles Rene Mackintosh: https://www.crmsociety.com/

Antoni Gaudi: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/320/

Blyth Battery: https://www.blythbattery.org.uk/

Blyth Battery Volunteers Receive the King's Award for Voluntary Service: https://blyth.live/blog/blyth-battery-kings-award

Seaton Delaval Hall: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/north-east/seaton-delaval-hall

Episode 59 of the Cultural Peeps Podcast is with Documentary Filmmaker Kim Hopkins.

I first came across Kim’s work through the BBC Storyville documentary film ‘A Bunch of Amateurs’ – a fascinating film about a bunch of amateur film makers from Bradford who are trying to save their Amateur film club.

I then approached Kim to take part in the project after seeing a Director’s Q and A for her latest film ‘Still Pushing Pineapples’ which examines the life of a former pop star, Dene Michael, who continues to tour small venues around the UK, singing 'Agadoo', the song his band, Black Lace had a huge hit with in the 1980s.

In our chat, we also talk about her other documentaries, including ‘Man in the Sand’ – a film which follows Billy Bragg and the American folkpop band Wilco as they pay tribute to the legendary American songwriter Woody Guthrie, by taking some of his completed lyrics and adding his own music.

We also talk about my favourite of Kim’s films - a fascinating documentary called ‘Hotel Folly’, which follows Helen, who has seven children, a new partner and a very comfortable lifestyle. Together they decide to take out a huge mortgage to buy and convert the 72-room mansion in the centre of York into an exclusive hotel. In 2008 the financial crisis hits, and their dream turns into their worst nightmare. Helen fights the banks for a loan to complete the spiralling renovation costs whilst navigating an ongoing dispute with the National Trust over the use of a courtyard.

Links:

National Film & Television School: https://nfts.co.uk/

Plymouth Art School
Bournemouth Film School: https://aub.ac.uk/study-at-aub/bournemouth-film-school

Billy Bragg: https://www.billybragg.co.uk/

Mermaid Avenue: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mermaid_Avenue

Woody Guthrie: https://woodyguthrie.org/

Wilko: https://wilcoworld.net/

Man in the Sand: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0345620/

Man in the Sand (film): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwwlZID1PZ8

Wanted (Film) (IDBM): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0800260/

Locarno Film Festival: https://www.locarnofestival.ch/home.html

London BFI: https://www.bfi.org.uk/

Idfa (Amsterdam): https://festival.idfa.nl/en/

Oklahoma (Trailer): https://youtu.be/w-vFeZBWiDE?si=2DszsRq6muT5RKTt

On the Frontline (BBC): https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m001vtmp/on-the-front-line

Lars Von Trier: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lars_von_Trier

The Dogme 95 Movement: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dogme_95

Hotel Folly (Trailer): https://www.laboroflovefilms.com/hotel-folly-folie-%C3%A0-deux

Reactive Attachment Disorder: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reactive_attachment_disorder

Voices from the Sea (Film) (IDBM): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4778680/

Paul Watson (and The Family – 1974): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Family_(1974_TV_series)

Bunch of Amateurs (film): https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001g4rn/storyville-a-bunch-of-amateurs

Bunch of Amateurs (trailer): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYSnKi3SrTU

BFI Docs society: https://bfi.docsociety.org/

Catapult Films: https://catapultfilmfund.org/

Rough Cut Retreat: https://catapultfilmfund.org/rough-cut-retreat/

Good Gravy Films: https://goodgravyfilms.org/

Storyville (BBC): https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006mfx6

Still Pushing Pineapples: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agadoo

Still Pushing Pineapples (Trailer): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lk3YwueApIc

Agadoo (Black Lace Song): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt36741777/

The Local (article): https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/25811436.local-new-film-jacobs-well-pub-bradford/

Episode 58 of the Cultural Peeps Podcast is with Sharon Heal, the Director of the Museums Association.

In our chat, Sharon talks about how, as an independently funded and not-for-profit organisation, the MA are uniquely placed to advocate for museums without fear or favour from governments or funding influences.

We also talk about Sharon’s background in Journalism and how working in trade & local press led to a role as a sub editor on the Museums Journal - which in turn led to a role organising the Museums Association’s annual conference.

Sharon also discusses her current and past Trustee roles with the Museum of Homelessness, The Thackray Museum of Medicine and The European Museum of the Year Award – which have provided her with a unique insight into the different approaches taken by different organisations.

Towards the end of our conversation, Sharon provides some advice about possible different routes into the Museums sector, outlining the importance of networking as well as the training that is available through the Museums Association – which includes their Museums Essentials Programme, the Associateship of the Museums Association and the Fellowship of the Museums Association.

Links
Museum Association: https://www.museumsassociation.org/

Museum of Homelessness: https://museumofhomelessness.org/

Thackray Museum: https://thackraymuseum.co.uk/

European Museum of the Year Award: https://europeanforum.museum/

Museums Association Campaigns:
Members Together: https://www.museumsassociation.org/events/members-together-england-2/

Gender Stories (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool): https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/whatson/walker-art-gallery/exhibition/gender-stories

DCMS: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-culture-media-and-sport
Museums Journal: https://www.museumsassociation.org/museums-journal/

Museums Change Lives: https://www.museumsassociation.org/campaigns/museums-change-lives/
Empowering Collections (Report):
https://www.museumsassociation.org/campaigns/collections/empowering-collections/

Decolonialising Museums (Museums Association Campaign): https://www.museumsassociation.org/campaigns/decolonising-museums/

Anti Racism (Museums Association Campaign): https://www.museumsassociation.org/campaigns/anti-racism/

Museums Essentials: https://www.museumsassociation.org/careers/museum-essentials/

Mentoring for All: https://www.museumsassociation.org/careers/mentoring-for-all/

Associateship of the Museums Association: https://www.museumsassociation.org/careers/ama/

Fellowship of the Museum Association: https://www.museumsassociation.org/careers/fellowship/

Museum Detox: https://www.museumdetox.org/

Esmee Fairburn Communities & Collections Fund: https://www.museumsassociation.org/funding/efccf/

Health and Wellbeing Fund: https://www.museumsassociation.org/funding/health-and-wellbeing/

Museums Association Conference: https://www.museumsassociation.org/events/conference-2026/

Museums for Climate Justice: https://www.museumsassociation.org/campaigns/museums-for-climate-justice/