NESTA-supported Clore 2008/09 Fellows announced

NESTA’s continuing commitment to forge links between the arts, culture, innovation and the economy while developing leadership skills is demonstrated through the naming of the two NESTA-backed Clore Fellows on Thursday 5 June.

Paul Cutts, Editorial Director, Impromptu Publishing, was named as the Creative Economy Fellow and will focus on the links between arts and culture, and innovation and creativity in the broader economy. Paul was previously News and Online Editor of Gramophone magazine and Editor of International Arts Manager. He is also a board member of Making Music – the national charity for voluntary and semi-professional music.

Paul said:  “I am absolutely thrilled to have been offered a Clore Fellowship in Creative Economy, funded by NESTA. Throughout my career as an international journalist, I have been interested in the links between culture and the wider world – economic, political, scientific and social. NESTA is a brilliant example of an organisation exploring exactly such broader connections and I can't think of a more appropriate fellowship to have as I embark on my own explorations as a Clore Fellow”.

Helga Henry, Managing Director of the Birmingham contemporary arts production company Fierce Earth, was named as the Entrepreneurial Cultural Organisations Fellow and will focus on the role entrepreneurialism can play in cultural organisations.

Helga was previously Associate Solicitor for Wragge & Co. (specialising in EU/Competition and then commercial law) and prior to that Business Development Manager for Second Sight and Administrator for Women & Theatre.  She is a board member of Creative Republic, Bright Space (UK) Ltd, and Geese Theatre. 

She said: “I’m very excited by the opportunity to look at how the creative and cultural offer in this country can be improved by any relevant lessons from entrepreneurs, both here and abroad.”

NESTA CEO Jonathan Kestenbaum said:  “These important Fellowships allow exceptional individuals to develop skills through secondment, research and training, fostering creativity and innovation both the non-profit and for-profit sectors and areas of the economy.”

The Clore Leadership Programme, an initiative of the Clore Duffield Foundation to strengthen leadership in the cultural sector, announced the 23 Clore Leadership Fellows for 2008/2009 at a Conference at the Southbank Centre held on Thursday 5th June 2008.

Notes to editors:                                                                
For further information or to request an interview, please contact Rona Levin, NESTA press office, on: 0207 438 2643 or email Rona.Levin@nesta.org.uk.

Photographs are available.

 
NESTA
NESTA is the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts - a unique and independent body with a mission to make the UK more innovative. It invests in early-stage companies, informs and shapes policy, and delivers practical programmes that inspire others to solve the big challenges of the future.