Lesley Cherry Email & Phone Number

Belfast, Gb

Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom

Bedford Street, Belfast

I am a practising visual & public artist and programme manager, based at Flax Studios, Belfast. Between 2009 and 2022 I managed and curated 6 Arts and Older People's programmes for the Golden Thread Gallery funded by the Arts Council of NI, the UK Processions/ #1418Now project, Woodvale, Planning for Real a £400,000 public realm project with the NI Housing Executive, addressing peace wall/security gates in North Belfast and the Art in the Eastside billboard project, as well as numerous Re-Imaging public and socially engaged creative projects addressing paramilitary mural removal, social housing, women's rights, education, and mental health/well being through the creative process.I managed several ACNI Re-Imaging projects including 'Remember, Respect, Resolution' a large scale public art commission in the Shankill Estate Belfast, removing several paramilitary murals, through negotiation and community engagement, Visual Arts Coordinator, for Draw Down the Wall Cultural Olympiad commission 'Ambulatorio' & socially aware installations with Kabosh Theatre Company, addressing the Ceasefires in NI.I have maintained my artistic practice and In 2021/22 I was invited to exhibit my work in the WE US THEM exchange programme with the Contemporary Centre of Photography, Melbourne & Belfast Exposed, addressing stories, images and audio work around Irish Traveller women & indigenous people. The group exhibitions and programmes were funded by the British Council.I have been an invited speaker at several conferences including the Towards Peace, Monogram Foundation and British Council funded Erno Tolvaly Residency in Fule, Hungary, The Engage Summer School, Padua, Italy, The ARCH Anacostia Residency and at the National Buildings Museum, both in Washington DC, as well as ACNI conferences/staff training days, Belfast City Council and Gateshead Conferences on social and creative regeneration.

Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom

As Good Relations Officer I delivered countrywide cultural identity programmes, such as Trailblazers and ChangeMakers, to young people and adults, using the arts and creativity as a catalyst for change. The programmes addressed unconscious bias, cultural empowerment, mentoring and coaching, community pride, social actions and creative output. I prepared and evaluated funding applications, mainly Executive Office NI, as well as trusts and foundations. I was responsible for all governance, safeguarding, budgets/finance, sustainability and programme content. I managed all facilitators employed for the programmes and liaised with them on a weekly basis. https://www.wheelworksarts.com/about

Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom

As Community Engagement Officer for Belfast Exposed Photography I delivered their Academy Youth Programme and related engagement projects and events, prepared funding applications, assisted with marketing, exhibitions, promotion, social engagement and audience development/hospitality.Belfast Exposed is Northern Irelands premier photographic organisation. They are an independent, non-profit organisation and registered charity situated in the Cathedral Quarter, Belfast. Founded in 1983 by a group of local photographers as a challenge to media representation of Belfast’s experience of conflict, their work continues to reflect a socially engaged ethos, while responding to contemporary currents in photography and politics further afield.

Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom

As Community Engagement Officer I managed the Linen Hall Libraries engagement programme for the Making The Future programme, in collaboration with PRONI, the Nerve Centre and the National Museums NI. Making the Future used significant objects, collections and archives available to the project, as a stimulus to pose challenging questions about the past, and created a manifesto for our future. My role involved designing and managing in person and on line projects, bringing together participants from different communities, cultural and religious backgrounds, providing them with multiple opportunities to have their voices heard, to tell stories relevant to their lives, to be creative and to gain new skills. These stories and creative responses were curated in shared spaces – including high profile exhibitions and events, digital content and social media channels.Making the Future was a cross-border, Northern Ireland wide, cultural programme which empowered people to use museum collections and archives to explore the past and create a powerful vision for future change. The regional programme was delivered by a consortium of leading cultural organisations including the Nerve Centre, National Museums NI, Public Record Office of Northern Ireland and Linen Hall Library, supported through €1.82m of EU funding under the PEACE IV Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB).

Portstewart, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom

I was responsible for the marketing, publicity, audience development and engagement initiatives for Roe Valley Arts and Cultural Centre, Flowerfield Arts Centre and associated cultural services programmes in Northern Ireland. This included a full programme of gigs, arts events, exhibitions, community engagment, workshops and public talks, across both art centres. I also led the True Confession project in partnership with Flowerfield Arts Centre, The Golden Thread Gallery and the Over the Hill Music Project.I was responsible for department compliance with all statutory and legislative requirements by adhering to, and working in accordance with good governance, equality and health and safety requirements.

Belfast, United Kingdom

Golden Thread Gallery is Belfast’s leading contemporary visual art gallery. They work to broaden access to and improve public experience of visual art in Northern Ireland. Their purpose is to present innovative artistic programmes of high quality that embrace the breadth and variety of contemporary arts practice, and to develop, support and promote the work of contemporary Northern Irish artists and creative practice.Their mission statement is “Creating a context, challenging perceptions, promoting creativity, delivering contemporary visual art for all. We strive to be a destination where each and every visitor is engaged, educated, challenged and inspired by visual art."

Bangor, Northern Ireland

From 2005-2009, I managed the £340,000 Art of Regeneration project, addressing and removing paramilitary murals, memorials and slogans within the Kilcooley and Loughview Estates, replacing them with community inspired, contemporary artworks. The project was funded by the Arts Council of NI, DSD, NIHE, Peace II and NDBC.

Master Of Fine Arts (M.F.A.), Visual And Performing Arts

BAHons Fine & Applied Art Master of Fine Art

Education record