The Arts Development Team, seconded by the Culture & Leisure Department of the States of Guernsey, supports the activities of the Guernsey Arts Commission. The team’s work is focused on accessibility, new ways of engaging with the audience, developing opportunities for self-expression, and bringing a wide range of arts to all parts of the community.
Our Community Arts Officer, whose post has been sponsored by the Lloyds TSB Foundation for the Channel Islands, is specifically charged with taking the arts out of their usual venues and into the community and promoting the philosophy that the arts are for all.
About us – Arts Development Team
Venue for the arts
The Arts Development team is also responsible for delivering the programme for the greenhouse, the GAC’s exhibition and project space.
Arts Development Office Location and opening hours
The Arts Development Office is situated in the Guernsey Information Centre, North Esplanade, St Peter Port. Office opening hours are Monday to Friday: 9am-5pm
Contact the Arts Development team with any questions you may have.
Joanna Littlejohns – Head of Arts Development
Joanna relished the chance of developing the first Arts Strategy for Guernsey when she was appointed Arts Development Officer, within the Culture & Leisure Department, in 2005. This newly created role drew not only from her work at the Royal Academy and the Museum of Modern Art (New York) but, more specifically from her work as a freelance art curator and the deliverer of festivals in three continents, during several decades. Over the last four years Joanna has set up and directs the greenhouse project space, and her team has grown to three and is augmented by placements working on specific projects. In 2007, it was decided to create a Guernsey Arts Commission and Joanna was instrumental in setting this up and writing its mandate. Joanna is also the Chair of the Conference sub-committee who this year delivered the combined 6th International Small Island Cultures Conference and 2nd Art & Islands Conference. Joanna has an MA in Arts & Cultural Management, is an International Member of the Association of Art Critics and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.
Jo Morrissey – Arts Development Officer
Jo Morrissey is our Arts Development Officer, she joined us in January 2010 before which she worked in Cardiff at the National Concert Hall of Wales in their Marketing and Press department. Her role here is to raise the profile of the Commission and develop relationships between the Commission, Artists and Organizations.
Laura Simpson – Community Arts Development Officer
Laura Simpson is our Community Arts Development Officer, and it is her job to make opportunities for our Island community to become involved in exciting creative experiences. She was educated locally before training at the Liverpool Institute for the Performing Arts on their specialist Community Arts degree programme. After LIPA, Laura ran her own Theatre and Education Company, worked for the Really Useful Group and LiveNation, and produced radio for BBC Guernsey before joining us.
Justiene Boughey – Arts Assistant
Justiene Boughey is our Arts Assistant, it is thanks to her that the rest of us are organized. Also locally educated, Justiene studied Art and Visual Culture at UWE in Bristol. Before joining the team in December 2009, Justiene embarked on a life changing round the world trip in which she soaked up many new cultures and experiences.