ITP Goodbye from Jessica Juckes

Written by Jessica Juckes, International Training Programme Assistant

To the fabulous ITP fellows, partners and followers,

After an amazing year and a half on the ITP team, I am off to pastures new.

I am moving to Tate to work as the Coordinator of the British Art Network. This is a subject specialist network bringing together academics, researchers and curators – from universities as well as museums & galleries – who focus on British art. There is a lot of cross over with aspects of the ITP that I love, and I’m excited to take on this new challenge, starting on 7 May!

It is a bittersweet transition, however, as I have absolutely loved my time with the ITP.

It is a programme that broadens the horizons of all who come into contact with it. And while of course I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to catch up with contemporary art world gossip from fellows from across Africa (this being my previous professional sphere), I’ve also loved learning more about heritage sites and institutions in the UK and across the globe and have certainly increased my understanding and appreciation of archaeology.

Working on a project like this brings you so much professionally: opportunities to gain a deeper understanding of the museum sector & the specifics of the myriad roles that go into making it tick; to learn alongside and from fellows and partners; to attend conferences and more.

ITP network members – both fellows and UK partners – are so dedicated to the sector and to doing everything in their reach to develop professionally and help their museums to continue developing and innovating. This has been so inspiring & I will try to take this forward as I develop my own career.

Above all the ITP has been about the personal connections, and – whether at the BM, in Belfast, Manchester, Norfolk, Nottingham, Glasgow, Aswan or Mumbai – I have had so much fun!

A big thanks to Claire Messenger for giving me this opportunity. From the moment I met Claire at interview, she put me instantly at ease with her warmth and kindness. I’m sure ITP fellows would say the same. Thank you to the whole Egypt and Sudan Department at the British Museum where the ITP hub is housed, and to ITP supporters the Marie-Louise von Motesiczky Charitable Trust.

I think my presence has been inescapable on ITP social media over the past 20 months of prolific blogging, tweeting and facebooking, and I will keep following the various ITP accounts on these platforms and will keep connected. And hopefully there will be opportunities for more collaboration in the future!

Jess (your new Tate contact!) x