Ruth B Kerr
engagement - interpretation - learning
#freelance #portfoliocareer #manyhats
Examples
of my work
I wear many hats for Museums and More, but all my work comes down
to people.
Engagement
Social Media Management - Pear Tree 400
freelance
Pear Tree Church, Southampton is the World's oldest Anglican church and September 2020 was their 400th Anniversary. Their NLHF-supported celebratory events were rolled into 2021. They were looking to social media to engage with the wider community, and to build interest and momentum around their events. I created their Facebook Page in November 2020, managing that and their existing Twitter account until September 2021.
Their Fb page grew at a rate of c25 Followers per month. I increased their Twitter following by 70%.
Trail & Trail Sheet - The Weaver Fairy Folk of Whitchurch Silk Mill
freelance
Whitchurch Silk Mill came to me with an idea for a permanent outdoor trail. I developed their concept, creating characters and biographies. I commissioned small slate doors and added bespoke icons linked to each character. The icons are painted in colours from the Mill's brand palette. The trail leaflet is double-sided, full colour;, reflecting the Mill's brand palette. The design of the leaflet reflects other permanent trails at the Mill.
Communications Manager -
The Gamekeepers' Welfare Trust
freelance
I volunteered for the GWT for c10 years, then moved to managing their social media in a freelance capacity. I later took on writing media releases. I currently manage 4 social media accounts, media releases, e-newsletters and a printed annual review. This includes creating and curating online content and designing and writing newsletters.
Learning
Discovery learning museum sessions for schools
freelance
St Barbe Museum & Art Gallery - local history sessions for KS1 and 2 pupils, including accompanying town trail.
The Earth Museum - guidance on content of new programmes for KS2 and 3. This was Isle of Wight museums working with The Earth Museum to enhance links between schools and museums on the island.
Andover's Museum of the Iron Age - STEM session for KS2 looking at materials.
Milestones' Audioguides for Schools
employee
Lead heritage professional working with Acoustiguide Ltd. to produce content for the first KS1 and 2 audioguides supporting the National Curriculum. The audioguides won an Interpret Britain Award. Milestones living history museum in Basingstoke is Hampshire Cultural Trust's flagship museum.
Farm Discovery Co-ordinator - The Country Trust
freelance
I arrange and support visits to working farms for school children in Hampshire. The visits help connect disadvantaged children with where their food comes from, and with the land that sustains us all.
Forest School
freelance
I'm qualified as a Forest School Leader and enjoy incorporating elements of this work in opportunities I deliver for schools and young people.
Interpretation
Interpretive Text - Licoricia of Winchester
freelance
Hampshire Cultural Trust (HCT) supported the Licoricia Trust's campaign for a statue to this medieval community leader. The resulting statue was planned to be unveiled 10 February 2022 by HRH The Prince of Wales. HCT commissioned me to produce interpretive text for a temporary exhibition which accompanied the new statue. I received notes on Licoricia and the experiences of medieval Jews from the Licoricia Trust, along with key messages. I produced a basic interpretive plan and empathy maps for the interpretive text.
Initial Text Edit -
A Different View: Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel
freelance
Hampshire Cultural Trust (HCT) hosted the UK premiere of this exhibition in The Gallery of Winchester Discovery Centre (now The Arc) and The Great Hall. The exhibitions team commissioned me to support their work in producing interpretive text for short panels. I used the audioguide transcript as the basis for doing a long edit for HCT; the exhibitions team used the long edit to create their shorter panels,
Interpretive Text, Curation, Labels, Images, Flipbooks, Interactives -
Eling Tide Mill Experience
part freelance, part employee
Eling Tide Mill and the nearby Totton & Eling Heritage Centre closed for the delivery of an NLHF project to improve visual access and update interpretation in the Mill, and to turn the Heritage Centre into a Visitor Centre with new activity room and permanent display about the Mill's history.
As the only heritage professional on the site and project teams, alongside the community engagement work I was employed to deliver I filled the gap of curator. I researched and wrote all interpretive text for both buildings; most of this was delivered as part of a freelance contact. I also curated all the displays and wrote the object labels, as well as writing all flipbooks and producing the content for the 3 digital displays in the Visitor Centre. I sourced all images used in both buildings, including commissioning photography, illustration and technical drawings.
Bespoke interactives were produced by a specialist company who I liaised with; I wrote the instructional text for the interactives. I also planned the low-tech interactives.
Visit England assessed the site's interpretation as 'excellent'.
