A Museum Freelance Network event for freelancers, by freelancers.

Join other museum freelancers for this insightful, valuable and practical day of training and networking, aimed at freelancers working across all disciplines in the museums and heritage sector and those considering embarking on a freelance career.

Speakers will share their journeys, practical lessons and tips and will explore many aspects of ‘change’ relevant to freelancers, including:

• How can freelancers who aren’t attached to any particular organisation inspire and deliver change as ‘outsiders’?
• How can individuals be the change they’d like to see? What power do they have?
• How can freelancers be more resilient and prepare for or learn to embrace change?
• How can freelancers cope and deal with change when it’s not change they were expecting, or perhaps wanting?

Speakers include:

• A welcome by Alistair Hudson, director of Manchester Art Gallery
• Jim Richardson, founder, MuseumNext: The worst day of my life and other stories
• Esme Ward, director of Manchester Museum
• Laura Weldon, creative director, StudioLWD: Using the power of branding for positive change
• Caroline Newns, business coach, Caroline Newns Consulting: Growing and sustaining your freelance business
• Simon Seligman, life coach and communications freelancer: The power of listening…to ourselves.

This year there is also a fringe conference programme which includes a group visit to the People’s History Museum and facilitated networking with coffee ‘in the sky’ at 20 Stories on Wednesday 13 March in the afternoon, and a pre-conference social at The Alchemist in the evening.

After the core conference programme on Thursday, we’ll move to The Refuge (Winter Garden) for drinks and we also have a special discount code for delegates for a cracking show that evening for anyone who is staying on.