Day 2: Camden Arts Centre (and market)

The exterior of the Camden Arts Centre

Thursday 29 October

If it's Thursday it must be a trip up North (London) to visit the pristine and tranquil environs of the Camden Arts Centre (that's the borough of Camden - it's actually located between Hampstead and Finchley Road tube stations).

On arrival, we're greeted by Andrew McGlynn, the Centre's Director of Fundraising and our host for the visit. Before our talk, we're given half an hour to enjoy Head-Wig, a brilliant exhibition curated by by Polish artist, Paulina Olowska.

Photographs by Cindy Sherman, an unscripted remake of E.T. and an amusing short video featuring a young woman at a rave with a watermelon shell on her head are the highlights.

Next, Andrew seats us in the resident artist's studio with his Head of Public Relations, Elisa Ruff. We hear a passionate presentation about PR for the arts focusing on the need for practitioners in this field to have a love for the subject and the ability to articulate the meaning and purpose of art in accessible terms.

Andrew and Elisa also discuss PR for the Camden Arts Centre's other functions: as an education centre and fulcrum for arts in the borough. We end with a discussion about how the Centre's name might affect public perceptions (is it a gallery or a more general arts centre) and offer some promotional ideas for the upcoming 20th anniversaries of the Centre's artist in residence programme and the Director's 20th year in charge.

Joanna's thoughts on Camden Arts Centre:

Camden Arts Centre was the first visit for Thursday. We were all very excited about this particular visit, because we had been discussing its 20^th anniversary and had undertaken research to come up with ideas.

When we arrived we were pleasantly surprised with the fascinating selection of books in the Centre’s bookshop, and fortunately we had some time to peruse the collection. The books covered a wide range of subjects: architecture, photography, children books and many more.

After a while we visited the current exhibition called Head-Wig, curated by the Polish artist, Paulina Olowska. She has brought together a number of works by international artists. Of all the artists in the exhibition, my favourite was the painting by Katharina Wulff, which illustrates two women, one of them sitting on a piano dressing the hair of the other.

Half an hour later we were greeted by the Centre’s Director of Fundraising, Andrew McGlynn. We walked to the Resident artist’s studio, where he introduced us the Head of Public Relations, Elisa Ruff. Firstly, they told us about the Centre, which has 65,000 visitors annually. Then Ms Ruff, explained her position in the organisation and how Public Relations for the arts really works. She highlighted the fact that the most crucial part for arts Public Relations is simply knowledge and she divided that in to two parts. Knowledge related with the history of arts and knowledge about the news. Her speech was meaningful and she also said that in the PR industry it is important to gain the confidence of your client.

Ending the visiting, we discussed the 20^th anniversary of the Centre. Some of the girls suggested some ideas they had. I was impressed when Andrew and Elisa asked to keep a board of ideas which Charlotte had produced.

My overall idea about it, was that the visit was beneficial and I might apply for placement during the summer period, because as Ms Ruff said, we have to do Public Relations in an area we are passionate about it, otherwise we will not succeed, and I am really interested and passionate about arts!