CV
Karen Sherwood
______
Home address:
62 Vere Road Sheffield S6 1SB
Tel (home) 0114 – 327 0446 (work) 0114 285 2665 Mobile 07817 363310
Email :
@karencupola
@cupolagallery
Health: excellent
Driving Licence: full
Summary
Having established my own independent private gallery Cupola Gallery (now Cupola Contemporary Art Ltd) in 1991, with neither financial backing nor any previous experience, I have grown the business into one of the most respected commercial contemporary art galleries in the North of England.
In July 2016, as part of Cupola's 25th anniversary celebrations, I developed and delivered an ambitious arts & music festival in Hillsborough park, Sheffield.
In addition, between 2008-2011 as CEO of ROAR (Rotherham Open Art Renaissance) I fundraised and delivered creative retail space and Rotherham’s first Arts Centre & artists’ workspace in the town centre. Plus, I secured regular funding for ROAR from Arts Council England as an NPO. This was a first for Rotherham.
Whilst running Cupola, I have also worked on various projects for a number of private and publicly owned businesses and local authorities. I have delivered exhibition programmes, training and mentoring services, created artists networks, raised funds, worked as a freelance art consultant, delivered art workshops, delivered research work for local authorities and worked on regeneration initiatives.
Specialties: I excel in sales and am a highly networked arts professional & successful art consultant.
Responsibilities as director of Cupola Contemporary Art Ltd
- Strategic and financial planning & management
- Managing & training staff and volunteers
- Planning and programming Cupola’s full range of exhibitions and additional services
- Curating or overseeing the curation of all exhibitions and events at Cupola and at other locations where Cupola is responsible for this service
- Directing & managing publicity for exhibitions events and the general profile of Cupola
- Managing and supervising the high level of customer service.
- Forming and implementing an effective marketing strategy.
- Researching and developing e-commerce for the gallery
Further Information about Cupola
Cupola Contemporary Art Ltd is a privately run, non-funded commercial gallery that specialises in selling quality contemporary art. Cupola hosts between 8-10 solo or themed exhibitions per year alongside a constantly evolving collection of quality art and fine craft. Artists are represented from all over the country and abroad and work is of a national and international standard. Only original work is sold. Cupola acts as an agent for the works we hold and for the artists we represent.
In addition Cupola Framing was launched in April 2005 and specialises in the bespoke quality framing of original artwork. Cupola framing is an expansion of the framing service the gallery has always offered. Cupola framing is an independent shop as well as a framery and sells reproductions, cards and sundry items. All framing jobs (originals or reproductions) undertaken.
Board Memberships and Associations
FRSA2015 - present
ILM2014 – 2015 – member
CIQA*:2007 – present – director *Cultural Industries Quarter Agency
Who’s Who of Galleries & Dealers - 2002 – present
INSPIRAL:1999 – 2003 – director
Chamber of Trade: 1998 – 2001 – director
Sheffield Contemporary Arts Forum (SCAF) -2006
Member of the Sheffield City Centre marketing team: 2003-2004
Hillsborough Retailers Association – Chair: 2005 – 2006
Qualifications
Degree: Fine Art BA (Hons)
A Levels: Art, French, German, General Studies
Education
1987 – 1990Sheffield Hallam University
1985 – 86Loughborough College of Art and Design (art foundation course)
1978 – 85Loughborough High School, Loughborough, Leicestershire
Employment History
1991 – present Founder & Managing Director of Cupola Contemporary Art Ltd, Sheffield
1998 – 2005 Visiting lecturer for Sheffield Hallam University & Manchester
Metropolitan University
1999Consultant for ‘artists professional practice’ course - Sheffield
2000,2002 Invited guest speaker – business skills for artists – Loca – Kirklees
2000Invited guest speaker – artists professional development course – London
2000 Speaker for ‘Arts & Money’ conference, Sheffield
2001Freelance project manager for Art on Show (a sub section of a larger event CIQ on show) Sheffield
2001 Invited guest speaker for the Arts @ Work conference, Nottingham
2000 – 2002Project Manager / Exhibitions Co-ordinator of ‘Exhibit’, Sheffield
2001 – 2010Regular guest client for Sheffield University architects students – customer service/client liaison module – gallery build & child friendly studio projects
2002 Sponsorship officer for Lovebytes LTD – part time
2002Chair & consultant for the ‘Heart of Visual Arts’ conference, Sheffield – Key note speaker - Tracy Emin
2002 - 2006 Guest lecturer for ‘professional business practice in the ‘arts’ – Barnsley College
2002 – 2004Art tutor for a number of classes as part of community regeneration programmes within Sheffield – SPELL-NE.
2002 – 2012 Freelance business mentor. Clients include LOCA, Inspiral & CIDA
2002Founded (in partnership) Bessemer Gallery LTD opened Dec 2002
2002 – 2003 Director Bessemer Gallery Ltd
2003Freelance press officer for the Sheffield City wide open studio event ‘Open Up’
2003 – 2006 Freelance project manager & consultant for Sheffield’s specialist ‘Art Markets’
2003 – 2010 Mentor for SYFEN – South Yorkshire Female Entrepreneurs Network
2003 – 2004Project Manager for ‘Openings’ a network and training programme for artists disadvantaged in some way. I was employed by The Art House to deliver this project.
2004 Freelance PR/Publicity consultant for Some Versions of Light, North Yorkshire - International artists
2004Freelance project manager/consultant for The Hillsborough Christmas Festival - (Arts Activity)
2004 – 2005Freelance project manager - delivering ongoing projects for The Art House.
2005 - 2006Consultant / manager for a private publicly sited memorial sculpture.
2005 – 2006Freelance project co-ordinator – to develop a new / existing visual artist group / network in Doncaster, offer bespoke development and training programmes, deliver artistic activities and put in place an infrastructure for future and continuing artist led activities, employed by The Art House
2005 – 2008Public Art Consultant for new developments in Burngreave, Sheffield, working with Burngreave New Deal for Communities.
2006 - 2009Project Manager for continued development of the Doncaster artists network, employed by Doncaster Borough Council (DMBC)
2006Consultant and Host for a community art exhibition ‘Flowers in the Frame’ working with Eventus
2006Consultant and host for the WEA 50th anniversary exhibition.
2006 Consultant forDMBC working with CIDA to deliver recommendations regarding the conversion of the old art college site into studio space and business starter or incubation units for ‘creative industries’.
Channel – an exhibition of international artists in partnership with
The University of Sheffield
2007Professional Development workshop for South Square Gallery, Bradford
2007Professional Development workshops for ARTWORKS in ‘marketing’ and ‘approaching galleries’, Bradford
2007Guest Speaker for the launch of a new Artists’ Network FABRIC, Bradford
2007Public Art Consultant for ‘Surestart’ Children’s Centre, Sheffield
2007Guest Speaker – North Lincs Community Champions Awards Ceremony
2007Consultant and Project Manager for Gallery 37 in conjunction with Working Woodlands Trust, Sheffield
2008 Consultant for Working Woodlands Trust – new gallery project, Sheffield
2008Invited Judge for the North Lincs Open Art Exhibition held at 20/21, North Lincolnshire
2008PR consultant for Junction Arts
2008PR consultant for the launch of DeltaSave.com
2008 Consulted regarding the development of a new MA course in ‘curating’ for Doncaster College
2008Member of BIG –offering free entrepreneurial advice to individuals or organisations, in the business community and within schools.
Employment History Continued
2008 – 2009CEO of ROAR (Rotherham Open Arts Renaissance). My role was to develop the organisation and deliver a new independent, sustainable, independent arts centre in Rotherham town centre.
2010 – 2011CEO of ROAR (part time). By December 2011 Westgate Art Space was launched to compliment ROAR’s already previously established mini arts hub in Imperial Buildings. In addition, due to the successful development of ROAR and the successful delivery of numerous projects during my tenure, ROAR applied for and was successful in becoming the first organisation in Rotherham’s history to achieve regular funding from Arts Council England as a National Portfolio Organisation (2012-2015).
2010Established Cupola Contemporary Art (South Yorkshire) Ltd – a social enterprise – which aims to deliver education and outreach projects in the community
2011-12Delivered ‘Bringing Learning to Life’ an education and outreach project with the social enterprise
2012Guest Speaker at launch event for Art in the Pens, Skipton
2012Consultant for the ‘New Fringe’ – delivering mentoring and fundraising support for the development of the group
2012Invited speaker and programme partner for the European funded Italian based ‘Museum Communicator’ project.
2013 Consultant for a public ‘donor recognition’ artwork for St Luke’s Hospice, Sheffield
2013Mentor on the CEP (Cultural Entrepreneur Programme) run by YVAN (Yorkshire Visual Arts Network)
2014 GraduateMentor for Sheffield Hallam University
2014Guest speaker for Sheffield Hallam University, Careers and Employability Department
2014 Guest Speaker for Art Connections, Chrysalis Arts – CPD programme – Approaching Galleries.
2014Guest Speaker for University of Sheffield – Springboard for women – programme of personal and professional development
2014 – 2105Invited guest speaker for Sheffield Hallam University – Professional Arts Practice module
2015 Co-founder of a cutting edge new initiative for Barnsely College on how to set up and run a sustainable private contemporary art gallery. This HND/HNC course will be delivered through the hands on running of a new town centre gallery space. This course launched in January 2015.
2014-2015Industry expert for Real Creative Futures, NEA, New Art Exchange Nottingham.
2016Developed and deliveredan ambitious free arts & music festival in Hillsborough park, Sheffield.
Freelance Work
- Lecturing
- Artists Professional Development Training
- Marketing Training
- Sales Training
- Mentoring
- Art workshops
- Project management
- Art consultancy
- Research
- Public Speaking
I work happily with both the public and private sector.
Practising Artist
I continue my own art practice as a painter.
Other Relevant Skills
Confident computer skills with both Applemac & PC.
Tea & CoffeeCan make a fabulous tea or coffee (even for the very fussy) and my cakes aren’t bad either..
Other Slightly irrelevant Skills
DivingI took up diving to raise money for St Luke’s Hospice and after winning a silver medal (so proud) I have kept it up…
References
Supplied on request.
174 - 178a Middlewood Road, Sheffield, S6 1TD.
Gallery Tel/Fax: 0114 285 2665
Framing:0114 201 1023
COMPANY REG: 05253880
VAT REG No: 715 8937 02