Jessica Hodge

Community Engagement Manager

The Barbican

​2017 - present

Developing a community engagement strategy with an emphasis on young people and adults from East London. Overseeing the Barbican's Community Ambassadors and their budgets and programme. Working with local community groups and stakeholders to build networks across the East of London and then to reflect the diverse communities' needs back into programming, marketing and audience development at the Barbican.

Visiting Lecturer

Goldsmiths, University of London

​2012 - present

Visiting tutor and lecturer for the Theatre and Performance (TaP) department. Roles have included: Running the TaP outreach summer school 2015, lecturing on Community theatre practice and Alumni guest speaking at event.

Youth Arts Manager

Croydon Council

​2011 - 2017

Created a bespoke youth arts strategy and programme for young people in Croydon which include arts activities borough-wide for ‘targeted’ and ‘universal’ groups. Responsible for leading drama activities and managing a staff team of part-time and freelance arts workers alongside interns and volunteers. Responsible for substantial annual budgets as well as income-generation targets. Negotiated and managed large and small scale partnerships - both internal and external, including 'Creative Croydon': a 4year strategic partnership with Croydon Music and Arts funded by A New Direction.

Freelance Facilitator and Evaluator

Various organisations

​2003-2011

Working in and around London as a freelance drama facilitator, participatory arts worker and internal and external project evaluator. Working with a range of communities including: females victims of human trafficking; homeless adults; young people in alternative forms of education and mainstream settings; elders, adults, young people and toddlers; and people with learning difficulties and disabilities. Although much work was with specific groups of people, a strong commitment was made to inclusive theatre, working whenever possible in a mixed and label free environment. Companies worked for as a facilitator are listed to the right, and included Oval House, Peckham Shed and Crisis. And evaluation work was for Peckham Shed, Oval House and London International Festival of Theatre (LIFT).

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