After two contracts and two extensions, my two years as Curator of the Parliamentary Art Collection has come to an end.

It was certainly challenging but undeniably rewarding. Now to reflect on all the positives whilst I settle back into my previous role, supporting the team with what lies ahead.

We are delighted to share the Call for Papers for our Spring Seminar Series 2026:

‘Parliament’s War Effort’ display is now in Westminster Hall at UK Parliament.

Its tells the story of 12 individuals – Members of both Houses, staff, and their families – who all contributed to Parliament’s War Effort during #WW2.

More here: heritagecollections.parliament.uk/exhibits/war...

#VE80

Back in September, I spent 3 days at Historic England’s new Emergency Planning Training Centre in Portsmouth.

The video speaks for itself about how fundamentally important the training that they offer is for anyone who works in heritage sites and with heritage collections

youtu.be/wPJExNfPnbM?...

‘You have to activate the artworks in your collection’

‘The curatorial voice is just one among many’

‘Museums are in a moment of reckoning’

‘Museums are consistently failing, because they have to fail’

A few of many highlights from YCBA’s ‘Art, Museum, Nation’
britishart.yale.edu/exhibitions-...

Happy #WorldArtDay from NCMME 🎨

'Keep the Pits Open', Protest by Marjorie Arnfield (1930–2001) is on display in our latest exhibition, 'From the Earth Comes Light'.

A Thread on Marjorie 🧵 (1/4)

Marjorie was born in Newcastle upon Tyne, she studied at Sunderland College of Art and Kings College.

The varied portraits of power…

A brilliant and creative day of display planning was had yesterday with our Collections Care Conservator and our Art Handling and Logistics Manager.

Feeling excited about this one!

Having The Ashington Group and the Pitman Painters represented, with the work of Jimmy Floyd on display in the big smoke will always make me happy.

‘Lives Less Ordinary: Working Class Britain Re-Seen’ at Two Temple Place

A work day that went completely sideways, but I managed to spend some unscheduled time with a selection of @ukparliament.parliament.uk’s #WW2 paintings.

Slowly returning to my PhD roots, I’m very much looking forward to spending some overdue scheduled time with these in the coming months🤞🏻

With #WomensHistoryMonth underway, it was brilliant to celebrate the work of colleagues at the Speaker’s House event @ukparliament.parliament.uk

Well done @lisaberrywaite.bsky.social and Penny McMahon for their display on the formidable women who contributed to Parliament’s War Effort during WW2 👏🏻

Politics and parliament intermingling with pop, punk and fashion photography at National Portrait Gallery’s new exhibition ‘The Face Magazine: Culture Shift’ 📸

A brilliantly compact (and free) exhibition with an international scope, putting the cartoonists front and centre 👏🏻

#WW2 #WarArt #ImperialWarMuseum

When the scrappiest, stained and smallest press cutting absolutely makes your archival dreams come true 🙌🏻

#WW2 #WarArtists

After hours at Parliament…

With 22 separate spotlight talks delivered by 8 of my brilliant colleagues (including @lisaberrywaite.bsky.social and @spoonsontrays.bsky.social)
sharing highlights of the Parliamentary Art Collection with more than 600 visitors, it’s been quite an evening 🖼️ 🙌🏻

An interesting first visit to Imperial War Museum’s Churchill War Rooms today… with a #WW2 Parliamentary research angle in mind

Oh these are brilliant examples, thank you for flagging!

Oh thank you for this Mari, not sure how I missed this at the time 🤔

I look forward to hearing more about it, thank you!

🙌🏻

Finding the funny…

Delving into curatorial approaches to political satire with the ‘Laughing Matters’ display at the V&A.

Can anyone point me in the direction of others they have come across? Past or present!

It was brilliant to support @lisaberrywaite.bsky.social @uk-parliament.bsky.social’s Disability History Month event last night.

Showcasing the photo of Jack Ashley MP from the Parliamentary Art Collection sparked many rich, powerful stories from MPs, Peers, guests and the Ashley family themselves.