Photo of Valerie Barraclough

Valerie Barraclough

After completing her MA in 2008, Valerie worked at the charity "Youth Music" as the MusicLeader grants and web officer.

Main details

Year graduated 2008
Occupation MA Arts Administration and Cultural Policy.
Country Germany

After completing a BA in Cultural Design (Kulturgestaltung) in Germany and a PG certificate in Arts Management at Dartington College of Arts, Valerie felt it was time to embark on a new and bigger adventure in the cultural sector. Valerie decided to move to London and study at a university where she wouldn't only have access to challenging teaching but also an international community of students - Goldsmiths' MA of Arts Administration and Cultural Policy was the perfect choice.

Throughout the MA Valerie especially focused on European and UK cultural policy as well as the business planning aspects of arts organisations (as well as visiting a wide variety of galleries and theatre performances). During her internship at the National Campaign for the Arts (NCA), Valerie didn't only get to see how a small, independent arts organisation actually works but also got to dig deeper in the world of cultural policy and campaigning as the wonderful team at the NCA allowed Valerie to really get involved.

After completing the MA in 2008 Valerie decided to stay in London and was excited work at the charity Youth Music as the MusicLeader grants and web officer. From 2008 until late 2011, Valerie enjoyed being involved in funding England's music workforce development, assessing grants applications and reports, working with funded partners to strengthen the sector, build up an online resource and raise awareness of workforce development opportunities in this highly mobile workforce. The MA's teaching around arts marketing, business planning and about England's arts policy and funding gave me a solid foundation to develop further in this role.

Valerie has recently become a mum but is back in action at Youth Music with the biggest challenge yet: Working in the (ever-changing and now also over-streched) cultural sector while keeping up with a small child that is discovering the world anew each day.

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