Jennie Syson

Organising and facilitating research gathering and discussion events between Higher Education and Cultural Organisations across the East and West Midlands area. Managing academic working groups and conferences. Organising documentation and website management. Collating case studies on approaches to collaborative working. Overseeing the production of an advocacy document on collaborative research. Devising a comprehensive online glossary of research bodies, government agencies, trusts and foundations, artist led projects, grant bodies and university departments within the Midlands region

Coordination and research for a year-long and city wide independent study programme in curatorial, visual and cultural studies. Responsible for organising lectures, hosting talks and events, student liaison and pastoral care. Delivering lectures, supporting guest speakers and researchers and facilitating workshops and discussion groups throughout the pandemic via Zoom, including live YouTube streaming.

Director of independent contemporary art gallery based in Nottingham’s Lacemarket developing 3 venues over 5 years. Organising funding and sponsorship for the management of a gallery, artists’ shop, studio and residency space and workshop hub. Curating over 40 exhibitions at the gallery and in site-specific locations in the city. Representing 30 artists in several international art fairs. Hosting auctions, producing several publications, a podcast and reading group alongside the main programme. 

2015 – 2017 LECTURER: BA & MA FINE ART, NOTTINGHAM TRENT UNIVERSITY Part time lecturer for BA Fine Art. Tutor for MA Fine art specialising on modules focused upon Curating Contemporary Art.

2014 – 2016 LECTURER: BA FINE ART & MA CURATING, UNIVERSITY OF LINCOLN
Part time lecturer on BA Fine Art, specialising in printmaking techniques including screenprint, etching and intaglio processes. Tutor for MA Fine art specialising on modules focused upon Curating Contemporary Art. 

VISITING LECTURER: Birkbeck UCL, University of Derby, University of Nottingham, Coventry University, University of Lincoln, BCU

Working with a team to present 1000 Young Artists in various venues across the city of Nottingham. Responsible for organising social events for visiting international partners and devising participatory events for the general public during WEYA. 

Orchard: Neville Gabie. Organising a site-specific public art commission for Sneinton Market and surrounding community commissioned by Nottingham City Council. Planting over 100 varieties of local apple species across the Sneinton area, including the market itself. Curating a complementary series of off-site events and exhibitions working with local artists and communities in Sneinton. 

Producing 13 newspaper editions, NOTTINGHAM VISUAL ARTS MAGAZINE was a blog and listings website about the contemporary Nottingham Art scene. 

SIDESHOW 2010 comprised fundraising, partnerships and support in kind from local venues and businesses to host over 150 emerging artists projects, and 15 new commissions in and around the city. 

 Researching and organising the preopening programme and accompanying site specific public art projects in Newstead Abbey, The Galleries of Justice, and the old Beatties Toy Shop. 

Curator, fundraiser and organiser of 30 site specific public art projects along the River Trent. 3 publications, 2 conferences. Hinterland also produced residencies, a reading room programme and several internships for artists and early career curators. Funded by Arts Council England, Nottingham City Council, and the Greater Nottingham Partnership. 

Curator of several off-site and in house exhibition projects, management of gallery staff, coordinator of talks and events programme working to wards the launch of new arts centre and cinema, QUAD in Derby. 

Part of the initial research team gathering information from Pépinières Européennes Pour Jeunes Artistes for Nottingham City Council/Arts Council England

Working in Lithuania for The British Council with Co-Curator with Catherine Hemelryk, of Extreme Crafts international exhibition, comprehensive workshop, performance, participatory events programme and a ‘things- to-make-and-do‘ catalogue containing essays, patterns and ideas.

Royal College of Art placement in Iceland. Contributor to research, planning, and implementation of interpretive tools for exhibitions and installations, including sub-editing and translation. Assisting conceptual artist Thorvaldur Thorsteinsson in the curation and delivery of his major retrospective “I Didn’t Do It” at Listasfn, and working on site at Gunnarsstofnun Skriðuklaustri for a site-specific series of installations entitled “Fantasy Island” on the edge of a glacial lake for the Icelandic Forestry Commission

Responsible for the upkeep and invigilation of ‘Within Reach’ a major exhibition by Chris Ofili representing Britain for the Venice Biennale. Working for The British Council & Victoria Miro Gallery

Assisting the delivery of exhibition and participatory projects in Manchester, and lead coordinator of the international conference ‘Chinese Contemporary Art in the International Arena’ at The British Museum in London.