about nickibopp
Nicki ffrench Davis has written 2 posts in this blog.
I'm just going to quote myself from a recent application for a course if that's ok ...
Immediately on finishing my BMus in 1999 I began work in the craft sector, working for a small knitwear company, Dyed in the Wool. I fulfilled a number of roles including office administration, packaging, basic accounting, retail, wholesale sales representation (national and international) and product design, and was made a director. This gave me invaluable business experience.
In 2004 I returned to education for a Higher Diploma in Arts Administration. I went from there directly to work in Cork County Council’s Arts Office as Music Projects Administrator. The core of this role was to prepare and deliver a residency for the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland in Cork, which was primarily an education project (fundraising and logistics).
In the course of my work with Cork County Council I met Francis Humphrys of West Cork Music who runs an international chamber music festival. I have worked for this festival each year since, mostly in Stage Management and Front of House and also work for West Cork Music in various ad hoc capacities from time to time. (social, logistics)
In June 2005 I was engaged by Cork 2005: European Capital of Culture to start up and manage the programme’s Public Information Centre (social, research, management).
In 2006 I was employed by the East Cork Early Music Festival as their first professional administrator.
In September 2006 I began work for Civic Trust House as Building Administrator. This was a start-up project.
Starting in 2007 I have been sub-contracted by Cork City Council to provide administrative support to a number of Council-driven projects.
My work at Civic Trust House is essentially very practical and I work quite independently. I employed on a contract basis by the 8 arts organisations resident at Civic Trust House – each company has one representative member of the Management Committee which I answer to.
I am contracted to provide the following services:
1. All matters related to the initial set up of Civic Trust House for the use of the resident art groups (completed 2006).
2. Supervision and administration of shared space in the building.
3. Supervision and administration of the building’s utilities.
4. Liason with the landlord (Cork City Council), the building’s guardians (Cork Civic Trust) and other service organisations.
5. Receptionist duties, maintenance of financial records and accounts.
6. General administrative duties.
7. Support for the activities of the resident arts groups.
8. Monthly reports to the Management Committee.
9. Recording secretary at monthly Management Committee meetings.
10. Other duties necessary to ensure the successful carrying out of the terms of this contract as well as such duties as the Management Committee may from time to time direct.
In the course of my time here I have also taken on other roles.
- On a day-to-day basis I take care of practical house-keeping and waste management.
- I secured a €40,000 capital grant to improve our shared office facilities and provide film-making and editing equipment for the companies’ use. I built and maintain our website, www.civictrusthouse.ie .
- I arrange internal social events and in September 2008 managed our first public event for Cork’s first Culture Night (like Nuits Blanches).
- I keep a digital archive of any articles related to resident organizations that appear in our locally-produced national newspaper (in the absence of any other being available).
- In 2008 I conceived a delivered a new project for Civic Trust House: Culture Vouchers. This is a gift voucher which can be used in exchange for products and services provided by all the companies in the building. Culture Vouchers are presented in a gift pack which contains a 2009 Calendar/Diary full of high-quality images of previous productions and 2009 scheduled events marked in.
I approach my work from quite a defined ethical position which informs much of what I do, this means that I am strict about recycling, the products and services we use (fairly-traded and environmentally friendly whenever possible) and the suppliers I choose to provide them.
The next twelve months for us are quite crucial. One of the original resident companies had to finish up in 2008 due to lack of funding and one of the current resident companies are likely to have to finish in the coming months as their funding has been completely cut by the Arts Council. This means that we will have to try to find a replacement, which in today’s climate is a big challenge. I need to make having an office here in the house (which, with substantial overheads, is a considerable expense despite being rent-free). Our residency here is funded by Cork City Council and I do not feel that we should take it for granted that it will continue into the future come what may. Therefore I feel we need to look at providing extra value to the city in order to justify continued support. One way I see of doing this is to hold more public events, which can in turn raise the profile of our activities and attract more audiences – providing the double benefit of boosting box-office income.
