I am a writer and artist. I am co-editor, with Bob Stanley, of the book Excavate: The Wonderful and Frightening World of The Fall (Faber, 2021), and I am currently working on my second music book for Faber. I have written about arts and culture for various publications including The Wire, Corridor 8, Tribune and Burlington Contemporary.
As an artist I work across text, film and installation. I was a FACT x Jerwood Fellow in 2020-21 working on a film commission about Anglo-Indian identity. My art work has appeared in exhibitions and events at galleries including FACT, Rough Trade, Wysing Arts Centre, The Tetley, Liverpool Biennial, Flat Time House, and has been reviewed in The Guardian, The Times, Front Row and more.
I also work as a freelance communications and marketing consultant with 20 years' experience, specialising in the arts. I have advised numerous arts organisations and charities, large and small, on communications, marketing and fundraising. Recently, I've written copy and content for youth music charity AMP, Nesta’s Arts & Culture Finance, Arts Professional and Corridor 8, and advised organisations from The Modernist Society to Siobhan Davies Dance on communications and audience development. I've worked in senior marketing, communications and fundraising roles at leading charities and arts organisations, including the London School of Economics and Cecil Sharp House. From 2017-23, I was on the board of trustees at LUX, the artists’ film organisation.
I am Director of Overnight Sensation, a creative copywriting and content studio founded on the principle that if you want something doing well, you should ask an artist.
Projects
- Overnight SensationOvernight Sensation is a creative studio specialising in the arts and non-profit sectors. We believe that artists are resilient, multi-talented and interesting people, so you’d be better off hiring them instead of some faceless consultants. Need something writing? Hire a writer. Need some video content? Hire a film-maker. We’re from the arts and for the arts so we understand how you work and what you need. https://overnightsensation.co.uk/
- Excavate: The Wonderful & Frightening World of The FallFaber Social announce acquisition of Excavate: The Wonderful and Frightening World of The Fall, edited by Tessa Norton and Bob Stanley, for publication in March 2021. Over the course of their forty-year career, which ended abruptly forever on 24 January 2018, The Fall were consistently one of the most fascinating and unique groups Britain has ever produced, and frontman Mark E Smith was arguably the country’s sharpest lyricist. This will be the definitive book on The Fall’s world. Excavate: Th
- All His Ghosts Must Do My BiddingWysing Arts Centre, 7 July - 25 August 2019 I've produced an artists book containing the experimental essay I wrote on my residency at Wysing, which will be launching at the gallery's 30th anniversary summer exhibition in July, alongside many terrific beauties and legends - Elizabeth Price! Tai Shani! Heather Phillipson! A dream tbh x
- Cecil Sharp HouseI work part time as Development Director at award-winning venue Cecil Sharp House and its parent charity, the English Folk Dance and Song Society. As head of department, I write all the organisation's fundraising copy, spanning print, online, social media and paid advertising. I am leading on a flagship project funded by Arts Council England's catalyst fundraising scheme - on course to unlock over £100k worth of extra funding for the folk arts by Autumn 2019.
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Work history
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Communications consultantSelf Employed
United KingdomFreelance
Clients include: AMP, Tyne & Wear Archives and Museums, FORGE, Corridor 8, The Modernist Society, Yorkshire Sculpture International, Arts & Culture Finance, Arts Marketing Association, Heavenly Records, Siobhan Davies Dance, Baltic Gateshead
WriterFaber and Faber
London, United KingdomFreelance
Co-Editor with Bob Stanley of a major book about The Fall: https://fabersocial.co.uk/2019/04/09/excavate-the-wonderful-and-frightening-world-of-the-fall/
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Skills
- Writing
- Arts
- Music
- Cultural Criticism
- Editing
- Copywiting
- Social Media
- Marketing
- Marketing Strategy
- Copywriting
- Ad Copywriting
- Media Relations
- Strategy
- Public Relations
- Press
- Art Criticism
- Art Writing
- Print Management
- Communications Strategy
- Strategic Communications
Education