Project Development and Bid Writing

I can help you to design a project and bring it to life.

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Project Management

I can drive your project to ensure it meets your ambitions and results in sound and compelling outcomes.

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Access Support

I can help with reading, writing and funding application submissions if you have access needs such as a disability, or a physical or mental health condition.

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Copy Editing and Proofreading

I can check your text for inaccuracies, inconsistencies and errors, and provide advice on structure, content and pacing.

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Other Specialist Knowledge and Skills

Is there something else I can help you with?

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CV  image

CURRICULUM VITAE

As an experienced and qualified arts and museum professional, I have extensive experience of working with a variety of organisations in the private, public and voluntary sectors, giving advice and guidance on funded projects, grants and strategic objectives. I work in a calm and efficient manner, effectively prioritising issues, and my relationship and communication skills are excellent.
I am passionate about helping others to achieve their ambitions, enabling the creation of high quality art and experiences, and working on projects which improve community cohesion and well-being.

Key Skills:
• Project development and bid writing
• Organisation and efficiency
• Attention to detail
• Empathy and emotional control
• Clear written and oral communication
• Negotiation skills, even in difficult or contentious situations
• Logical thinking and problem solving

Professional Positions:
• Trustee/Director for the Hub at St Mary's, Lichfield
• Advisor/brain trust member for High Vis Festival
• Steering group member for Warley Woods Community Trust Artist Residency Project
• Workshop leader/facilitator for Work-Show-Grow and Museum Development West Midlands

I have worked with clients including Bearwood Community Hub CIC, Move Beyond Words, Museums Worcestershire, Dawinder Bansal, Ort Gallery, Halima Cassell, Foka Wolf, Lucy McLauchlan, Round Midnight, MAIA Creatives CIC, Lauren McCrostie, High Vis Festival, Big Dreamers Festival, Charlotte Edmonds, Kidderminster Carpet Museum, and Adult Art Club.

I regularly lead funding workshops for Work Show Grow and West Midlands Museum Development, and have also facilitated learning sessions for London Creative Network and the Barbican's Culture Mile.


Relationship Manager, Museums - Arts Council England (July 2016 - April 2018)
Responsibility for a £5.5 million portfolio of funded projects, including Museum Resilience Fund, Designation Development Fund and Museums and Schools projects, and a Major Partner Museum Consortium. This included performance monitoring and feedback, grant payments, and risk monitoring and management. Management of the NPO funding agreement process, providing advice on business planning and programme development. Providing pre-application advice, undertaking assessments and comments, and acting as a critical friend on decision panels for Grants for the Arts, Small Capital, Ambition for Excellence, Celebrating Age, and Catalyst funding applications. Maintaining key relationships with stakeholders and other funders such as Museum Development East Midlands, the Heritage Lottery Fund and East Midlands Museum Service.

Key Achievements:
• Successfully negotiated £9 million of funding agreements with the new National Portfolio Organisations.
• Assisted with the development of the criteria for National Lottery Arts Council England Project Grants, using my knowledge of both regional and national funding schemes.
• Sat on the interview panel for the new Chief Executive of the National Justice Museum, ensuring the successful candidate would be able to deliver Arts Council aims.
• Acted as a member of the Museum Development Small Grants decision panel, the Culture Syndicates Resilience Advisory Panel, and the Touring Exhibitions Group Committee, offering professional advice and expert knowledge.


Assistant, Collections Development and Designation, Arts Council England and Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (October 2008 - July 2016)
Responsibility for all administration and support work for several highly regarded, cross-sector, national schemes. First point of contact for stakeholders, ensuring effective communication and building and sustaining key relationships. Accountable for the assessment of applications, monitoring grant-aided projects and releasing payments. Responsibility for organising and preparing paperwork for meetings with important external participants, taking minutes and producing official statistical reports, facilitating comprehensibility and transparency. Writing, collating and editing copy for websites, advocacy documents, press releases and annual reports.

Key Achievements:
• Developing a suite of advocacy documents to enable active promotion and retention of the high profile of the Designation Scheme.
• Effectively managing grants of up to £70,000: ensuring projects remained on track and strategic aims were met.
• Undertaking the role of Manager, Designation and PRISM Fund for 6 months while the manager was on long-term leave, maintaining consistent, high quality service.
• Project-managing photography of museum collections by liaising with and supervising independent contractors.


Prior to this I worked in several organisations including Fellows & Sons Auctioneers and Valuers and Worcestershire County Council. I have undertaken voluntary work for Birmingham Museums Trust, The Barber Institute of Fine Art, Walsall Mobile Library Service, St John's Library and Project Pigeon.


I have a degree in the History of Art from Birmingham University, and a Masters Degree in Museums Studies from the University of Leicester, where I completed my dissertation on community engagement and gallery design, using two West Midlands venues as case studies.

Testimonials image

Bid Writing

"Sarah is an indispensable member of our team who works tirelessly to help shape High Vis's vision as a festival. She has made the daunting process of applying for funding into a pleasure. She is a joy to work with and very professional - highly recommended!"
- High Vis Festival

"I found working with Sarah a pleasure - she assisted with several funding bids and was always clear, knowledgeable and sensible in her approach. She really helped me understand what my options are, and what I can achieve."
- Dan Griffin-Hayes, Artist

"I've never ever had a successful bid before. I've done so many minimum wage jobs and now I can finally write! Thank you so much!"
- Sophie Sparham, Poet

"Thank you so much Sarah. It's been brilliant having your productive and encouraging support again. Can't tell you what a huge boost it is to my motivation to have such amazing help."
Marysa Dowling, Fine Art Photographer


Access Support 

"I wanted to say thank you so much for your help :) as someone with ADHD who was diagnosed later in life your assistance really helped me realise how important it is for me to leverage the support accessible to me...I often refer to how great I felt with your support when speaking to people."
Ebisiemen Ajayi, Singer and Songwriter

"I am absolutely over the moon! I saw the results for DYCP and...my name is on the list! This means so so SO much to me and it is, without a doubt, thanks to the application you wrote. I am so grateful to you for the time and effort you put in on my behalf as this funding will make such a difference to my work and confidence in my field. I'm a bit lost for words to be honest but I just wanted to say thankyou."
- Katie Stevens, Musician


Editing and Proofreading 

"Sarah's script feedback was thoughtful and constructive. She identified errors in my work, but also offered resolutions; opening doors for me creatively, rather than hurting my confidence. Going into the next draft, I feel encouraged and inspired.
Sarah has a great understanding of story and structure, but also a keen eye for spelling and grammar. She understands the craft and articulates her thoughts well
."
- David Campion, Writer and Director

"I wrote a screenplay for the first time in five years back in June 2019, and due to the content and writing primarily female characters, Sarah was able to refocus motivation for my characters and help with the inaccuracies in my dialogue. Sarah will be my first point of call once I move on to my next writing project."
- Liam Regan, Writer, Director and Actor


Strategic Advice 

"Sarah is person centred and professional and offers high level practical and strategic advice which always adds value to the work she is involved with."
- Tim Desmond, Chief Executive, National Football Museum

"A font of knowledge in a super helpful personality - Sarah is amazing and I will definitely be working with her again in the future."
- Juice Aleem, Musician and Creator of AfroFlux


Workshops and Training

"Thank you for sharing your wisdoms at WSG today - the big ones as well as the tips along the way. I'm feeling empowered and optimistic about my creative future! It's invaluable being shown practical ways forward in areas that feel daunting and difficult. I was happy to learn of you and your work too, and grateful to grow from your depth of experience. Thank you."
- Jinki Cambronero, Photographer and Designer

"Wanted to say a huge thank you for your help at the WSG Money workshop back in February. I found out yesterday I was successful with my Arts Council Emergency Fund application - your advice in Feb really helped me write the best application possible."
- Holly Whittaker, Portrait and Fashion Photographer

I am passionate about bringing your ideas to life.

My expertise, organisation skills and enthusiasm will enable your project to grow and bear fruit.

Contact me now to see how we can work together.

  • Birmingham, England, United Kingdom