Routes into Heritage Series for Sector Entrants: Elizabeth Neathey
Sector entrants! It is the beginning of the academic year, and many are starting on new pathways through work/education. This month we are exploring people’s educational routes and people’s alternative routes into heritage. We hope this will give the reader an insight into all the many ways others have broken into the industry. Getting that first break can be frustrating but also an exciting journey it’s good to see how others have navigated it or are navigating it.
Elizabeth what has your education and subsequent career path been?
My education path has followed what I call a traditional route. I took my first degree in History and Social Science at the University of Exeter. After two years in what I call the wildness years selling luggage I discovered my passion for heritage. I volunteered at No1 Royal Crescent in Bath on my days off. I was soon encouraged to explore a career in museums. I researched courses and successfully applied for Heritage Studies at Nottingham Trent University. The yearlong course gave me insights into the heritage sector and practical museum experience. After 14 months of short-term contracts at the Cooperative, The Herbert Museum and Art Gallery in Coventry and the Royal Photographic Society I landed my first full time, permanent post as Assistant Curator at Chichester District Museum. From that point onwards I followed a curatorial and audience development route. I moved to North Somerset Museum where combining experience with my passion for collections and people I created volunteering opportunities and projects for all ages. I moved to Romford to run the newly established Havering Museum. As Curator I was responsible for the operation of the museum which included supporting the volunteer teams, managing the collections, and dealing with building management. All of this built my confidence to become a Museums Development Officer for the West of England and North and Mid Somerset. Working with over 25 museums we focused on effective responses to ensure the museums continued to operate in line with the Museum Accreditation standard. This combined consultancy elements with coaching and mentoring to enable the museums to problem solve. I moved into the role of Relationship Manager, Museums for Arts Council England which supported my career progression. Working with National Portfolio Organisations and the wider Midlands museum sector has given me a fascinating insight into the current challenges and opportunities in the sector. What I really enjoy is working with people, encouraging anyone I engage that we are resourceful and can come up with our solutions.
Why museums and heritage?
Museums and heritage are intrinsic within society. Understanding where we have come from helps to plan our route ahead. As a history graduate, I had that passion and through my first volunteering opportunity I felt engaged with museums and heritage and was encouraged to take my Postgraduate in Heritage Studies at Nottingham Trent University. After 28 years of working in the museums and heritage sector I still feel as passionate about what the sector gives. The focus on collections and people are the fundamental pillars by which museums and heritage can route their value in society. Our identity, who we are is entwined in the story’s museums tell and help to focus on wider equitable engagement.
What is your current role like? What about it makes you want to get up in the morning?
As Relationship Manager, Museums I represent Arts Council England which is the development agency for arts and culture. I work closely with the museums who form part of National Portfolio. I also work with colleagues to engage arts and culture organisations to develop creative opportunities to engage people, in terms of talent development and audiences. We are focused on demonstrating the value of arts and culture through the outputs from projects and programme which we fund.
For me the value of museums makes me get up each morning. Talking to people is essential. I know that in my own way I am part of a network of people who believe passionately about arts and culture. Since March 2020 I have been working from home which has its challenges. I miss going out to see work and meeting people however the technology has enabled me to keep in touch with colleagues and organisations. Maintaining open communications is essential. Every day I have meetings and each one gives me drive and energy.
What does an average week look like for you?
At the moment with home working, I am based in front of a computer every day. I log on our network and share a virtual good morning with colleagues. My days will be a mix of internal meetings with colleagues, and information sessions along with external conversations with the National Portfolio museums I engage with and the wider museum sector in the East Midlands.
What are the biggest challenges? What are the compromises in a museum and heritage career?
The biggest challenges facing the sector is sustainability and representation. Museums are responding to the periods of lock downs and measures in place around social distancing. This has impacted on museums in terms of their delivery models. As we have a range of museums, in terms of size, funding and collections, there is a need to consider what is next in terms of sustainable operation. Alongside that is ensuring museums empower people to explore, share and celebrate who we all are. Embedded within every museum is the human story and it needs to be told in an equitable and inclusive way. It is enabling these stories to be shared.
There are compromises in a museum and heritage career. However, you look at the museum sector the majority are termed small independent. The income is generated from tickets, donations and secondary spend. To focus of expenditure focuses on maintain the building and collections. Staffing can be at a minimum, with less than five staff. The salaries reflect what a museum can afford. For anyone looking at a career they will need to consider that job opportunities will take them all over the country. The salaries may considered on the lower side. Many people volunteer to get experience along with post graduate qualifications. So being prepared for volunteering, lower salaries and moving for work are compromises need to be considered.
What are your career aspirations?
I believe I am achieving my career aspiration by working with Culture Syndicates as Head of Workforce Inclusion. I enjoy engaging with people to enable them to understand what their options are and how they can achieve them. My work with Culture Syndicates will enable me to do this. I am passionate about coaching and mentoring as the foundations to build and establish a career. By embedding this into a model to support new sector entrants is really exciting. Combining the power of mentoring and coaching with people is so rewarding.
Do you feel like you are making a difference in your job?
I believe I am making a difference, through my job. At Arts Council England I am part of a national team of just under 600 staff. We collectively distribute public funding to arts and culture through our funded programmes. We supported the distribution of the Culture Recovery Fund enabling organisations to be able to secure their futures. Every conversation I have helps to provide guidance and support. Therefore, I believe every day I help make something happen which makes a difference to the sector.
Are there any expectations you had/have about this career path that you have found differed from reality, in both a good or bad way?
My aspirations were shaped by my career. What I have felt at the beginning of my career is I needed to do everything from collections management, exhibitions, events, marketing, learning and volunteer management. Progressing through my career I have continued to find skills across all areas of work to be useful especially working in smaller museums. I believe I am a generalist which means having a range of skills on which to use.
What skills are the most crucial do you think to succeeding in this career? What type of person do you need to be?
There is a whole raft of skills, both sector focused and soft skills. It is important to keep focusing on your tool kit of skills. I believe we all need to know about the sector in which we are working in and develop practical skills and experiences. Working in museums it is important to have the skills to work with collections and people to help explore and understand individual and community identity. Listening and communications skills are essential to be able to interact. For me active listening is by far the most important of these skills as it means you focus on the communication and understand other peoples' perspectives. Other skills such using IT are ones which you will keep developing. What I would suggest is looking at job descriptions and talking to sector professionals and see what the essential skills are. Then see to what level you have these skills and how you can improve them. Keep doing this as it is a good way to show yourself how much you are growing and what new skills you need to develop.
The type of person you need to be is someone who has passion about the value of culture, what it gives individuals and communities. You need to be prepared to face challenges in terms of rejections when you apply for jobs and are unsuccessful and embrace the opportunities as they arise. Keep focusing on what you want to achieve and how you will achieve it. Be someone who is actively connected through different networks and call on people to help support and guide you when the going gets tough whilst sharing your experiences so others can learn from and with you. Admit to what you do not know and plan how you can bridge the gaps in your knowledge. Adopt and embed critical thinking to help problem solve. Most importantly enjoy and believe in what you are doing.
What the best bit of advice you have for someone looking to move into this area?
To research the sector in terms of types of museums, job roles, attributes required and salaries. Then to think about the possibility of getting voluntary experience to help boost experience. Think about a lifetime commitment, in terms of what do you want to achieve, what will give you fulfilment and what will your legacy be? Keep talking with people in the sector with a sense of curiosity, so you can reflect on ideas and develop approaches to your ways of working. Finally seize every opportunity to try something new, to push you out of your comfort zone and to achieve your career goals.
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