Curiosity, creativity and new opportunities: Junior Ambassador Sienna visited the University of Leeds Brotherton Gallery as part of an RJC Dance Arts Award trip, where she enjoyed an inspiring morning of discovery.
Sienna shares her reflections on this memorable experience.

On Tuesday 14 April, I had the amazing opportunity to attend a visit to the University of Leeds Brotherton Gallery as an RJCD Junior Ambassador. As someone who is passionate about English Language and learning new things, this was a very exciting and inspiring experience.

During the visit, I had the chance to explore the gallery exhibitions, visit the University of Leeds library, and learn more about the resources available to students and researchers. It was fascinating to see the different exhibitions on display and to understand how much care and planning goes into creating them.

One of the most interesting parts of the visit was speaking with Wade, the Gallery Curator. Wade told us that they have worked at the Brotherton Gallery for 2 years, and have been in the profession for 13 years in total. They explained that the role of an exhibition curator is to care for the exhibitions and organise what goes into the different galleries, making sure that everything is in good condition.

Wade described how every day is varied. They usually start the day by reading and replying to emails, then planning what will be placed in the galleries and checking whether the objects and artefacts are safe to display. They also spend time doing community engagement and leading workshops, which helps bring people together and encourages learning.

Something I found especially interesting was learning that there are many different paths into becoming a curator. Wade explained that many people think curators only work in art galleries or museums, but they can also work in universities, which was something I had never considered before. They said it can be a challenging profession to break into, but it is definitely possible with passion and determination.

Wade shared that they originally trained to be an artist and only discovered the career of a curator later on after meeting people working in museums and exhibitions. They said that informative and supportive professionals helped guide them into this career.
I also learned that curators almost never work alone. Wade spoke highly of their amazing team, including those involved in collection care, who diagnose problems with artefacts and help preserve their physical condition. For example, they carefully control temperatures because statues and objects can crack, warp, or become damaged if conditions are too hot or too cold.

Wade said that their favourite part of the job is being “in the middle of things and people” and bringing people and objects together to create new experiences and knowledge. I found this really inspiring because it shows how much this role can influence people’s lives and encourage them to learn more about the world.
Their advice to young people who may want a similar career was to follow your passion, think about whether you enjoy broad or specific roles, talk to as many people as possible, and be ready to adapt and stay flexible.

I was also inspired by Wade’s belief that their work helps people realise that successful and influential people all started out as young people too, and that it is possible for anyone to go on to make transformational change in the world.
Another interesting fact we learned was that the gallery works with many universities across Leeds and with international countries, attracting visitors from around the world to come and see the archives.

Overall, this visit was extremely informative and inspiring. It has helped me understand more about careers in arts, culture, and education, and it has encouraged me to continue exploring different future possibilities.