About Us
So who are we and why do we think we know anything about the arts, culture and creativity?
We are a small and personal business. We currently have a core of three people and an office dog, following the successful appointment of an Information and Project Administration Manager.
We create, manage and observe transformative projects linked to arts and culture.
But what does that mean? We work in the arts, creative industries, (that’s arts and creative businesses working with ideas) and cultural regeneration, helping improve places and communities through arts initiatives. We work in both rural and urban contexts and with a wide range of people.
We believe in a ‘hands on’ approach to project management. We like to get stuck in and really understand the context in which we are working. We do policy & strategy development; evaluation; advocacy (making the case for the arts); we manage publications and consultation. We can help you find the best answers.
Previous clients have included communities, voluntary and statutory agencies. Oh, and we have managed an exciting capital build on our own premises.
We have commissioned plays, toured international artists, managed and delivered conferences, events and award ceremonies, developed bids, strategies, business plans and evaluation studies. We even edit the national magazine on participatory arts in the UK.
Sue Robinson (Director)
Sue has had a wide and varied career in the arts to date. She has a degree in social ethics and community/youth work and a post graduate qualification in community arts. She has worked as a project manager at High Peak Community Arts, at Arts Council England North West, as the Arts and Regeneration Manager for Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council (Ashton Renewal). Sue has, amongst other cultural work, been developing Spot On, Lancashire’s Rural Touring Network for some years under various auspices. We now deliver it as a service for Lancashire County Council. We look forward to building the project in partnership with the County and a consortium of district arts officers over the next few years.
Apart from Spot On, Sue is co-editor of mailout. She is also currently involved in the International Village of Culture legacy project. Sue also manages various other smaller scale projects within Robinson Howell Partnership. Sue is pleased to be a trustee of Prescap and is on the Board of the National Rural Touring Forum.
Robert Howell (Director)
Read Robert's weekly notes here
Robert also has a post graduate qualification in community arts along with one in arts policy management. His degree was in textiles. He has worked as a director of Bannerworks Community Arts and as the Head of Arts for the award winning Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council. Robert was the project manager and line manager for Darwen Library Theatre which opened in 2000. He has worked extensively with schools and education promoting creative learning and has been instrumental in the development of creative industries initiatives. Rob also has extensive experience in public art.
Robert co-edits mailout, is coordinating the Creativityworks awards 2009 and acts as a producer for Creative Partnerships in East Lancashire. He is the business manager for Robinson Howell Partnership and leads on most of the smaller scale projects that the company undertakes.
Lyndsey Wilson (Information and Project Administration Manager)
Lyndsey has an MA in Audience Participation and a postgraduate qualification in Arts Project Management. Her degree was in Contemporary Performing Arts, and she has just graduated with an HNC in Graphic Design. Before coming to Robinson Howell, Lyndsey was Arts Award Regional Development Coordinator for the North West based at PRESCAP. She is an experienced Arts Administrator as well as a practitioner, running her own business as a freelance artist and doing some guest lecturing at the University of Central Lancashire.
Lyndsey will be working on a part time basis for Robinson Howell, assisting Rob and Sue in their work for mailout and Spot On as well as general administration for the partnership.
Charlie (Office Dog)
Charlie has no qualifications whatsoever but provides pet therapy and greets visitors enthusiastically. Click here to view Charlie's blog - a monthly round up of what's been going on.