SARAH UNWIN +44 (0) 788 981 4839 / sarahunwin@gmail.com / sarahunwin.com I am an arts and events producer with a specialism in digital and new media projects, I am based in Manchester but happy to travel nationally and internationally for work. As an educator I deliver modules focusing on the future of events at BIMM Manchester, specialising in digital marketing, event design and entrepreneurship. A strand of my work also includes developing education and workshop programmes for festivals, arts organisations and community groups. In my freetime I volunteer as a mentor for Arts Emergency, working with young people to overcome barriers to participation in education and the creative industries.
ARTS PRODUCTION & PROJECT MANAGEMENT - Producer / Closed Hands, for Passenger Games & Dan Hett Manchester / November 2018 - To date I am currently working on the development of Closed Hands, an experimental and immersive video game which carefully explores difficult topics such as extremism, terrorism and victim experiences. The work will be released as a digital download and toured as a tangible work. - Producer / Naho Matsuda for The Great Exhibition of the North and FutureEverything Newcastle / October 2017 - September 2018 I produced the second iteration of ‘every thing every time’ a public realm artwork which created an output of poetry in real time in response to the city infrastructure sensor data. To accompany the work I also executively produced a podcast on the history of Newcastle as a smart city. This work was a part of a large scale outdoor art trail for the festival. - Producer / Fault Lines for FutureEverything Manchester / August 2017 - May 2018 As a part of my work on Fault Lines I was required to develop a series of commission opportunities and executively produced projects and art commissions. This included working with organisations such as FACT, STARTS, and SHIFT. - Producer / Naho Matsuda for FutureEverything & CityVerve Manchester / March 2017 - August 2017 I produced the first iteration of ‘every thing every time’ commissioned by the smart city project demonstrator CityVerve. The work included installing a series of 4 mechanical displays in the public realm across the city, In addition to producing an engagement programme of workshops and talk sessions to accompany the work. - Contemporary Science Programme Coordinator / Manchester Science Festival Manchester / September 2016 - October 2016 I led the production of Pi: Platform For Investigation, a seven-day event which invited partners such as Siemens and the Health e-research Centre to communicate cutting-edge ideas in science and engineering via a series of creative engagement activities. In addition, I produced an in conversation event with the Nobel Prize winner Andre Geim, and supported on the production of the festivals wider programme. - Producer / FutureEverything Festival Programmes Manchester, Moscow, Singapore / August 2014 - April 2016 For this digital culture and arts organisation I had the pleasure of working on multiple festivals across Manchester, Moscow and Singapore. The styles of projects and events I produced included showcases, conferences, art exhibitions, development labs and live music performances. Selected Projects as FutureEverything producer: Signals of Tomorrow Showcase, ArtScience Museum, Singapore This exhibition was a part of FutureEverything Singapore. I was the lead producer for the exhibition which showcased a series of near future prototypes developed by local communities, artists, designers and technologists in response to themes surrounding future smart nation scenarios of Singapore.
Quantum Entanglement, Laboratoria Art&Science Space, Moscow I was the lead producer for the exhibition which brought together leading UK and Russian digital artists and scientists commissioned to respond to the theory of quantum entanglement. The event was a part of FutureEverything Moscow in partnership with the British Council.
Memo Akten, Simple Harmonic Motion for 16 Percussionists, Manchester This was a new commission for FutureEverything in 2016. In the c apacity of a ssistant producer, I supported on the development of the experimental stage production which featured 16 percussion players and explored t he emergence of complex behaviour through the interaction of simple multi-layered rhythms.
Global Futr Lab, UK based international Project The project was an international innovation and creative talent showcase conducted in partnership with the British Council. The programme included an exhibition, talks, workshop programme and networking events.
E DUCATION ROLES / DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES - Tutor & Lecturer / British & Irish Modern Music Institute Manchester / October 2016 - To Date I lead the modules Event Concept & Design, Event Promotion & Digital Media and co-deliver Administration & Entrepreneurship for the courses BA Event Management and the BA Music Business. It’s a part-time role which requires me to design schemes of work, develop lesson plans, deliver seminars, create supplementary educational materials, and conduct tutorials for assignment writing.
- Cohort Manager / Fault Lines for FutureEverything Manchester / August 2017 - May 2018 As cohort manager I developed a bespoke development framework for the artists on the programme whilst working to appease the company aims of creating new opportunities for the artists to collaborate with technology companies.
- Facilitator / Creative Lab, Manchester International Festival Manchester / May - June 2019 The programme was concerned with supporting a cohort of creative practitioners to utilise digital and new technologies in their practice. Across two residential weekends I undertook a pastoral role supporting the cohort. In addition I designed and delivered a series of workshop session to assist the group with both their personal and creative development.
- Producer / Make Stuff, MadLab Manchester / July 2016 - March 2017 Make Stuff was an award-winning event series which toured across museums, libraries and community centres in Greater Manchester. The drop-in events enabled a diverse range of communities access to creative technology and digital skills development workshops.
- Facilitator / N18, Great Exhibition of the North Newcastle / June 2018 - August 2018 The programme was concerned with supporting a cohort of artists to utilise digital and new technologies in their practice. I designed a series of workshop sessions for the artists which included a session on defining digital in a creative context. In addition, as a part of the residential component of the programme I curated a day of presentations and panel discussions.
- Project Manager / FutureMakers for FutureEverything Manchester, Newcastle / November 2015 - April 2016 The programme was produced for Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums and delivered across five of its sites. The programme explored the future of art and heritage engagement for both young and adult audiences and focused on exploring the creative applications of collection data and new technologies.
EVENT DELIVERY ROLES In addition to working on the development of projects and events, I undertake freelance roles which require strictly event delivery. Clients have included the Museum of Science & Industry, Bradford Literature Festival, Sounds From The Other City festival, VIP Nation, Punchdrunk, Park Life, GUERRILLA EATS, Manchester Metropolitan University, Kendal Calling Festival, a nd The International Conference of Narrative.
MENTORING
PERSONAL PROJECTS
- Arts Emergency Manchester / December 2018- To Date The initiative works with young people from working-class backgrounds who are interested in developing a career in the arts. I am currently matched with a young person from Liverpool who I will be mentoring one-on-one for the next 12 months.
- Death Futures / O ngoing This is an ongoing personal project exploring how developments in technology, digital culture and the wider changing shape of the modern world is shaping our relationship with death. This includes speaking at events, curating a digital platform and producing events exploring the topic.
- N18 for The Great Exhibition of the North Newcastle & Manchester / June 2018 - August 2018 This was a two-month intense mentoring role working with a group of emerging artists. I guided them through the development of a series of micro-commissions to be displayed at the programmes concluding public showcase exhibition.
AWARDS - Make Stuff for MadLab: T he 'Best Tech for Good Project' award at the Big Chip awards in 2017 - Make Stuff for MadLab: T he Spirit of Manchester Volunteering Team of the Year Award 2017
EDUCATION - PgCert in Learning & Teaching: The University of Sussex, to complete in 2020 - MA Death, Religion & Culture: T he University of Winchester, to complete in 2021 - BA (Hons) Interactive Art: M anchester Metropolitan University - BTEC National Diploma in Fine Art: C ity College Manchester - 8 GCSE’s A-C: Plant Hill High School, Manchester