ing... Jo Meacock, Curator of British Art, Glasgow Museums

ing... Jo Meacock, Curator of British Art, Glasgow Museums

For Art UK's 'Being...' series, we take a look at a day in the life of a professional working in the arts, heritage or museum sector.

Jo Meacock is Curator of British Art at Glasgow Museums, responsible for painting, sculpture, prints and drawings, pre-1960.

What's your role?

Somehow or other I’ve landed in a role that encapsulates my main areas of interest: art, historical research and social justice. I am passionate about art for the many, not the few, and believe in the importance of museums in enriching communities, improving health and well-being and promoting access and equality. Glasgow Museums has a wonderful historic collection, and is particularly strong in nineteenth-century British art, my specialism, but it is primarily concerned to use that collection to enhance the lives of the people of Glasgow and visitors to the city. How inspiring is that!

As a curator for Glasgow Museums, I am not responsible for art in just one location but work across the nine different venues that make up the local authority museum service. However, I am usually based in one of two buildings – Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, where most of the British Art collection is on public display, and Glasgow Museums Resource Centre (GMRC), where the majority of staff are based and where all artworks not on display or on loan are stored.

What's your morning routine?

If I’m going to be at Kelvingrove, I don’t have such a lengthy commute and can squeeze in a run before work. So I get up at 5.45am – which I confess is difficult on dark mornings, but the kids are up and clattering about from 5.30am anyway – and I feed the cats, then go for a roughly 10k run. For me, it’s all about how much you can cram into very little time, and so I usually have a load of washing going at the same time. Breakfast is eaten standing up, while listening to the news on the radio and making packed lunches for everyone.

What's your journey to work like?

After dropping my two boys, Elliot (10) and Theo (7), off at school at 8.45am, I cycle to Kelvingrove – a lovely three-mile ride along the Forth and Clyde canal and River Kelvin and through Kelvingrove Park. It is over 10 miles to GMRC, so that journey takes about an hour on my bike. Therefore, if I’m at GMRC the kids have to go to breakfast club at their school at 8am, so I can be in work for 9am – that is most days.

What's a typical day at work for you?

If I’m at Kelvingrove it is likely that I am giving a talk, have a project team meeting or am involved in installing or deinstalling an artwork. Sometimes only four people might attend a talk, sometimes 20 – very occasionally 50! However, the talks are filmed and posted on social media and the amazing thing is how many people view remotely – the average is 1,500. This is fantastic in terms of access, meaning that people who can’t get to the museum, whether due to geographic, economic, physical or social factors, can still be part of our programme. I really enjoy giving these talks; they are a brilliant opportunity to engage with our visitors and get excited about our collection.

Photo credit: CSG CIC Glasgow Museums Collection

Jo bringing out First World War objects for delegates at creative symposium Doubtful Occasion

GMRC, 5th October 2017, also part of the Borland First World War centenary art commission

At Kelvingrove, I might also have a meeting with our Learning and Access team about an upcoming display