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Visiting researcher brings innovative approaches to learning and participation

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The Centre for Critical Studies in Museums, Galleries and Heritage welcomes Natalie Walton as a new Visiting Research Fellow.

Natalie recently co-ordinated the participatory strand of the British Art Show on behalf of Hayward Touring before it left Leeds for its Edinburgh swing at the end of January.

Before working on British Art Show 8, Natalie was based at The Hepworth Wakefield for five years as Head of Learning. She has had a long and diverse career in learning and outreach, working with young people, community groups, schools, charitable trusts and as a partner on large scale Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) funded projects.

Natalie has had a long term working partnership with Abigail Harrison Moore through the ARTiculation Discovery Days with local schools. Natalie will continue to contribute to our teaching on the MA in Art Gallery and Museum Studies and will work with students and academics across the School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies. She will shape her research over the next three years in dialogue with the Centre's current research theme Status of Inclusion.

Abigail Harrison Moore said:

"Having worked with and learnt from Natalie Walton ever since we first met before The Hepworth Wakefield had even opened, I am delighted that our students and colleagues will be able to benefit from this opportunity to collaborate with Natalie while she is a Visiting Research Fellow in the School.

"I look forward to further developing our research plans and to partnering with Natalie on her learning and outreach projects. Many of our students are actively engaged with work to reach out to audiences who do not have the opportunity to visit museums and galleries and Natalie's support will help strengthen both their work and their understanding of its impact."

Natalie WaltonNatalie Walton said:

"Wherever I have worked, I have always made it my priority to develop university and gallery learning partnerships. It is vitally important for our sector to be integrated with research. We need to constantly evolve as a sector and nurture our future arts professionals through exciting partnerships in which theory and practice come together.

"As a freelancer, this opportunity is even more important as it offers me the opportunity to be more experimental and more rigorous. Moving forward I can truly combining profession and research to benefit the communities and organisations I work with."