arts

National Science And Media Museum Makes Two Senior Appointments

The National Science and Media Museum has appointed Charlotte Connelly as Head Curator and Sally Folkard as Head of Screen and Cultural Engagement.

Charlotte Connelly

Charlotte Connelly, a historian of science and technology has been appointed as the museum’s Head Curator, bringing over a decade of experience working with science and technology collections. Most recently, Charlotte was Museum Curator at The Polar Museum at the Scott Polar Research Institute, which holds material including Captain Scott and Herbert Ponting’s photographs of Antarctica. Charlotte also previously worked at the Science Museum as part of the team that delivered the Information Age gallery, developing content for sections on TV, radio and mobile phone technology. As Head Curator, Charlotte will lead a team of curators to shape stories through exhibitions and public programme, while overseeing the museum’s world class collections of photography, film, television, animation, video games and sound technologies.

Sally Folkard

Sally Folkard has been appointed as the museum’s Head of Screen and Cultural Engagement. Previously, Head of Film Hub North, Sally brings over 15 years' experience in the film industry with extensive expertise in audience development, cultural regeneration and organisational change. While Head of Film Hub North, in partnership with the British Film Institute (BFI), Sally championed the work of the North’s screen organisations and film talent through a suite of National Lottery funded programmes. In her role as Head of Screen and Cultural Engagement, Sally will oversee the museum’s festivals and cinema programme including the annual film festival, Widescreen Weekend, while championing screen opportunities to engage new and diverse audiences.

The appointments come at an exciting time as the museum embarks on its ambitious Sound and Vision project that will futureproof the museum for decades to come. The transformative project will see the creation of two new galleries to showcase the museums world class collections and an additional passenger lift, making the museum accessible to many more visitors.

To facilitate the capital works, the National Science and Media Museum has announced a period of temporary closure from June 2023 to summer 2024, with Pictureville Cinema and Bar remaining open seven-days a week with an enhanced programme of films and events.

Jo Quinton-Tulloch, Director of the National Science and Media Museum commented:
“Both Charlotte and Sally bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the museum at a very exciting time. They will be instrumental in ensuring that we are delivering on our mission of exploring the science and culture of image and sound technologies, while we undergo a major transformation through our Sound and Vision project.”

Commenting on their appointments, Charlotte Connelly, said:
“I’m thrilled to be joining the National Science and Media Museum at such an important moment. The development of our new Sound and Vision galleries promises to transform the museum, making our wonderful collections more accessible to visitors for decades to come, and they will arrive just as Bradford celebrates its year as City of Culture.”

Sally Folkard added:
“I’m delighted to be joining the team at the National Science and Media Museum especially at such an exciting time for both the museum and Bradford. Bradford has a rich film heritage, and the museum is home to the iconic Pictureville Cinema, and the last remaining public Cinerama screen in the world, so it really is a perfect time to champion all the incredible opportunities in the screen industry.”