Hope London

Can artists and arts organisations leverage a media frenzy to their benefit? (2014)

The former and current directors of Manchester’s Castlefield Gallery discuss. In February this year, a Tony Matelli sculpture called Sleepwalker appeared on a snow-covered roadside at Wellesley College in Massachusetts. The hyper-realist depiction of a man in underwear walking with outstretched...

Transforming Communities: Stranraer, Scotland (2008)

Transforming Communities: Stranraer, Scotland The past few months have been some of the most rewarding of my career, thanks to working with young people in rural South West Scotland. Stranraer is a port town, but, despite the ferries and fabulous views, the town suffers economic decline and...

Arts administrators: Hiring employees (2003)

Arts administrator and recruitment consultant Hope London offers advice. There is an old saying that you’d better watch out what you ask for, because you might get it. Although this bit of wisdom has probably been around a lot longer than most arts managers have, it could have been invented...

Arts administrators: How to negotiate contracts and win friends (2003)

Written specifically for arts managers, this article offers good advice for any contract negotiations. Much of the life of an arts administrator is spent negotiating contracts. Whether you are the manager of a theatre, orchestra or art gallery, or the head of arts and leisure at a local...

Castlefield Gallery, Manchester: Jumping hurdles (2002)

Jumping hurdles, spinning plates and chasing moving goalposts are vivid metaphors for the skills demanded of arts managers. They all apply when it comes to managing a new building or major refurbishment project. The Board of Manchester’s Castlefield Gallery engaged me as a consultant in early...

Artist marketing plan (1994)

YOU: Being clear about what you want to achieve. On seizing opportunities “Sometimes your excitement covers any fear, like finding this rare opportunity of a 3500 foot studio— in an old mill building which I talked my way into and cleaned up; it was derelict. I got myself a good deal by being...