Sam Thomson

Artist. Educator. Creative.

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Selected Projects

Bristol School of Art

Visiting Lecturer

Contextual Studies Programme

Individual Tutorials HE/FE

Sept - Dec 2023

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cz_MH9Ds3U_/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

My Community Festival

Creative Director/Partner MENCAP

Co-production of a creative celebration and disabled Artists festival, Bristol

18.5.2024

https://misfitstheatre.com/misfits-at-my-community-bristol-festival/

Bristol Parkhive

Project Director

Parkhive is UWE’s pioneering project with volunteer resident groups across Bristol working to protect public parks and green spaces in the city. Parkhive created a crowd sourced archive of photographs, a GPS-enabled app and a programme of exhibitions and events highlighting the city's parks and green spaces.

#digitalplacemaking #collaboration

1/1 - 31/12/2015

https://www.bristol247.com/spark/planet/the-parkhive-project-bristol/

https://advance-he.ac.uk/knowledge-hub/bristol-parkhive-interdisciplinary-approach-employability-arts-humanities-and

Project Ardagh

Founder/Project Lead

Longterm urban regeneration - socially-engaged arts project exploring community engagement and ownership of UK public parks and green spaces

2008 - 2024

www.theardagh.com

Art. Community. Engagement.

Studio Practice Exhibition 11/25

Draw Life Live, Studio JWS

www.thedevonbampton.com

Rural Arts Programme 2022 - 2025

Project Lead/Producer

www.thedevonbampton.com

Demanding Conmversations - Gina Lundy, 2010.jpg

Demanding Conversations, 2010

Artist/Chair

https://kwmc.org.uk/blog/demandingconversations/

https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/index.php/output/974958/socially-engaged-practice-higher-education-and-research-whats-the-future-in-demanding-conversations-socially-engaged-arts-practices-in-a-changing-political-climate-panel-chair

Horfield Common CIC, 2015 - 2025

Creative Social Enterprise, Campaigning, Community-Civic Engagement

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQVPSx_-qu0

University of Local Knowledge, 2011 - DATE

Suzanne Lacey/KWMC

Project Team

https://www.suzannelacy.com/university-of-local-knowledge

ENTRY LEVEL EMPLOYMENT IN BRISTOL'S CREATIVE INDUSTRIES SECTOR (ELEBCIS), 2014

Arts Council England, KWMC, UWE

Lead Researcher

https://elebcis.weebly.com/

Platinum Jubilee Celebrations, 2022

Community Arts Programme

Bampton, Devon, UK

Bampton Music Festival

2019 - 2025

Jersey Eisteddfod

2001 - 2026

https://jerseyeisteddfod.org.je/creative-arts/

Con Artists, 2011

Partnership: HMP Bristol Art Education, Prof. Shawn Sobers, Sam Thomson & UWE Staff & Students

Flick-Flip-Flick, 2011

The "Flick-Flip-Flick" project was an innovative professional development initiative for teachers, developed by the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) in partnership with local schools, colleges, and Aardman Animations.

Collaborative Project

Bristol Cultural Education Partnership

Academic Research
Family Friendly Arts
Place-Based Curriculum
Education & Skills (Lead)

The Institute:

A proposal for arts and cultural organisations in Bristol to work together to develop a new model of education and training for young people in the city (called 'The Institute) emerged through discussion, collaboration and research undertaken by BCEP members. This report presents the outcome of an initial scoping study for 'The Institute,' and a proposal to further progress the project in Bristol through 2014/15.

https://bristolculturaleducationstrands.weebly.com/skills-development

Bampton Creative Writing - Live Performance

2025

https://www.facebook.com/thedevonbampton/posts/pfbid0qEZ1cnqCiDzhaPvVPh3S73osBz8bpfUswShF3iHQvxHm5uoxuTEW3cfUQVjDbnCul

PROJECT

2001 - 2025

PROJECT 2

123-456-7890

Studio JWS

Life Drawing Classes
Exhibition Programme
Community Events & Activities
Project Development and Delivery

Project 4

XXXX

Teaching

Senior Teaching & Director Experience in Higher and Further Education, Community Arts & Culture Sector

Sam has a PGCTLHE specialising in Art & Design Education, an MA in Fine Arts (Studio) & BA (Hons) in Fine Art - Sculpture.

Sam taught Art & Design in formal education, across all levels in FE & HE from 1998 - 2017.

Her roles included lecturer, tutor, Programme Director in FE & HE, Head of Foundation Studies, Curriculum Developer and Director of Learning, Teaching & Assessment in Art & Design at a large regional University. Sam has significant experience of curriculum development, validation and assessment in Art, Design, Media & Performance.

Sam left the HE sector in 2017 to work as an independent researcher and to complete a longterm project developed through her Socially Engaged Arts Practice.

In 2024 she returned to a studio-based practice curently focused in drawing.

Sam relocated to Devon, UK in 2022.

Research

Various publications, 2010 - 2025

Partnerships with leading creative and culture sector partners

Sam has published on XX, XX & XX - reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of the work and learning.

Sam's research has contributed to national and international conferences focused on creative and cultural education/participatory practices and associated XX raised through practice. E.g Play & Boundaries & XXX & XXX & Supercomplex World

She has been Lead & Co-Lead Researcher on a range of projects and collaborsted with a wide range of partners including academic, arts & culture sector, civic and community.

Sam has expertise in creative education, community engagement, creative enterprise, business development and social enterprise.

Sam was Associate Editor for the International Journal of Gender Studies 200X - 200X &

Learning

#LearnEveryday

Sam has a BA(Hons) & MA in Fine Art, a PGCE in Teaching & Learning (Art & Design) in HE & an FAETC Teaching Qualification.

She has an ongoing research project exploring assessment of levels of learning in Art & Design education,

Sam engages in opportunities for creative learning in practice, developing new skills, understanding, growing networks and sharing knowledge and creativity ongoing,

Social, Environmental & Creative Enterprise

Founder/Director of creative, community businesses using Social Enterprise to achieve good.

Founder and Director of successful CIOs, CICs & Community Businesses