Dr Jade French

Profile

I am a museum professional and practice-led researcher whose research interests emerge from practical experience of running inclusive and community-led projects in museums and galleries. My research broadly examines curatorial and museological practices in the arts and the evolution of the relationship between museums and communities, and over the past two years this has focussed on devising applied methods to enable public participation in the shaping of exhibitions, collections and artist commissions. I have particular expertise in collaborating with learning disabled people within the cultural sector, underpinned by experience in disability advocacy and social care roles.

I was appointed a Visiting Research Fellow in the School of Fine Art, History art and Cultural Studies where I am teaching and writing a monograph for Arc Humanities Press titled 'Inclusive Curating in Contemporary Art: A Practical Guide', as well as co-editing a second book 'Intellectual Disability and Visual Art: A Critical Enquiry' for publisher Palgrave Macmillan with Dr Melaneia Warwick.

In addition to my academic work, I am Community Engagement Coordinator at Catalyst Science Discovery Centre and Museum working on a Wellcome Trust funded project that focuses on developing the civic role of the museum in a location identified as in the 5% most deprived areas nationally. I have undertaken independent research evaluations and reporting for organisations such as DASH, Artlink and Hull City of Culture 2017 and in 2018 I undertook The Firestation Artist Studio's International Curator Residency in Dublin, Ireland.

Research interests

Areas of interest include;

• Inclusive, participatory and community-led approaches to curating, programming and collections development
• Museums, galleries and community engagement
• Inclusive and participatory art
• Disability, access and diversity in museums, galleries and heritage
• Art, museums and social justice
• Museum ethics
• Zines and DIY culture
• Action, participation and practice-led research methods

Qualifications

• PhD Curating
• MA Inclusive Arts Practice
• BA Photography

Student education

I teach and supervise dissertations across the MA Art Gallery and Museum Studies, MA Arts Management and Heritage Studies and BA History of Art and Museum Studies.