About Nicola
Nicola Benge – Cultural Projects Manager
I am a professional cultural project manager, consultant and producer, with extensive experience devising, facilitating and delivering cultural projects across sectors including educational, health, heritage, social care, and the arts. I have 20 years experience in this field.
I deliver work in the following areas:
- Cultural & Heritage
- Project Management
- Oral History
- Reminiscence
- Consultancy
- Educational Engagement
- Intergenerational work
- Social Work
- Training & Facilitation
My work involves collaboration and design with partners to manage projects, activities and events for successful delivery. In these roles, I am confident, well-networked, and skilled in engaging creatively with development, fundraising, partnerships and products.
I am accomplished in supporting and motivating organisations and groups through participation and outreach, and ensuring complex organisational and logistical projects are delivered efficiently, whilst managing programmes to improve cultural heritage, engagement, and support social care and community development and skills.
This involves developing and collating existing information and materials, whilst forming a strategy to encourage the celebration and promotion of arts and heritage and cultural quarters. A key aim is to create new events and themes to showcase this heritage with dynamic schemes to engage audiences.
I am successful in fulfilling outcomes through exhibitions, resources and events for national organisations and charities, using these skills and my enthusiasm and focus to inform my work as a producer.
Qualifications and Training
I have a BA (Hons) degree in Humanities, an MSc in Social Work, and a Postgraduate qualification in Arts and Heritage Management. I am also qualified to teach in the higher education sector (NVQ L4), and have numerous other training and CPD certificates.
Professional Certifications
Group for Education in Museums member / Oral History Society Member / Social Work England Registered / BASW member / Enhanced DBS check / First Aid Trained / Public Liability Insurance – £5 million/ Professional Indemnity / Spanish speaker as a second language / Clean UK driving license
Freelance arts and heritage management
I also work as a freelance arts and heritage manager for national organisations and charities, using these skills and my enthusiasm and focus to inform my work as a producer – through exhibitions, resources and events.
I do this through funded activities, exhibitions, books, reminiscence and oral history, heritage, arts and crafts, and more strategically with: Audience development, evaluation, learning plans and schools’ engagement. I offer training, consultancy, and partnerships.
Through my work, I aim to encourage participation and outreach through projects involving reminiscence, oral history, and archive material to involve a wide range of communities in creative activities.
Clients include: Age Exchange, Brighton Festival, V&A Museum of Childhood, NHS, English Heritage, Independent Lives, Collected Works, Fabrica, QueenSpark Books, Oral History Society, Polka Theatre, Brighton Dome, Strike a Light – Arts & Heritage, Cultural Co-operation, Brighton & Hove City Council, Scarman Trust, Creative Partnerships, Arts Council, Adur District Council, Chichester Festivities, Camden Council, Royal Voluntary Service, Kingston Green Fair, South Bank Mosaics, WOMAD, The Rock Garden (India), Same Sky, Save the World Club, Brighton & Hove News, Equal Arts
Projects, activities and support
I deliver projects, activities and support for venues, arts organisations, archives, educational settings and local authorities, engaging groups including older people, intergenerational participants, children, and clients in creative and heritage activities.
You can view case studies of some of my projects on the section, and the Oral History page.
You can view other examples of my work as creative director with Strike a Light – Arts & Heritage.
MPG group at Emmaus
“Nicola worked at Save the World Club, a Kingston Charity as Arts Development Manager. She was instrumental in reviewing and establishing the charities management processes as well as developing the artistic direction with funders, partners and local companies. She contributed to the strategic management in partnership with Trustees. Her management and creative knowledge and experience were an asset during a very difficult time. “
“I can heartily recommend and speak of the highest terms of Nicola Benge from a knowledge extending some 4 years. Nicola trustworthy, conscientious, punctual and professional in her dealings with me. She is a kind-hearted person. I may add what I know of Nicola that you need have no hesitation in recommending her.”