My Mum delights in telling people that I dreamt of being an archaeology curator from an early age. World Museum Liverpool had certainly cast a spell on me, as had watching repeated television screenings of Harry Hamlin as Perseus in Clash of the Titans. By 15 I had my sights firmly set on becoming an archaeologist but the careers advisor wasn’t too convinced. I was politely asked to choose something seemingly more attainable for a working-class teenager from Skelmersdale: I opted for marketing because I had a passion for graphic art and had taken part in Young Enterprise. You’ve probably guessed by now that I wasn’t snapped up by Saatchi and Saatchi, instead I ended up excavating Roman roof tiles in Italy for a University of Edinburgh archaeology degree.
I don’t think any of those roof tiles ended up in a museum but contrary to my careers advice I eventually did. For 15 years I was a curator, creative producer and project manager at both the International Slavery Museum (2005–2007) and Manchester Museum (2007-2020), and sat on several committees including the Islamic Art and Material Culture Subject Specialist Network (2014–2018), the Royal Northern College of Music Collection of Historic Instruments (2010–2020) and the National Heritage Lottery Fund North (2016–present).
In 2020, I decided to take everything I'd learned and experienced as a queer working-class arts and culture worker and put it to work as a freelance curator, consultant and cultural practitioner to help the sector I love so much embed equitability and have greater social impact. In recognition of this work, I was reappointed to the National Heritage Lottery Fund North Committee and newly appointed as a mentor at Museum Futures (2021), a GLAM Research Hubs Advisory Board member (2021–2022) and a trustee at Homotopia (2021–2023). So, if you're looking to engage a wider range of people and ensure the great art, culture and heritage you and your organisation create is as equitable, inclusive and diverse as possible, I can help.
Stephen Welsh (he/him) • Cultural Practitioner
In the nineties, you’d often find me hanging around heritage sites; I was simply that cool. Here I am enjoying the delights of Quarry Bank Mill in Cheshire with my mum.