THG's Anna Aroussi - excellence in gallery education award

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Anna Aroussi, Thelma Hulbert Gallery (THG) Gallery Engagement Officer, has been awarded the prestigious Marsh Award for dedication and excellence in Gallery Education.

The 10th annual Marsh Awards for Excellence in Gallery Education celebrated the hard work and dedication of colleagues working within the sector of gallery, museum, and visual arts education.

Mission

The Awards are funded by the Marsh Christian Trust and run by Engage, the National Association for Gallery Education, whose mission is to give everyone the opportunity to learn and benefit from the arts.

Difficult year

This year’s awards were special as Engage acknowledged that 2020 has been a difficult year for those working in the arts. The winners were celebrated at an online ceremony on Thursday 28 January 2021.

This year nine people received awards, presented online by Professor Rod Bugg, Ambassador for the Marsh Christian Trust, at a virtual ceremony for the first time ever.

Extraordinary challenges

Jane Sillis director of Engage, said: “This round of the Marsh Awards for Excellence in Gallery Education celebrates colleagues who have delivered exceptional gallery and visual arts education practice in the UK and beyond. Many of the winners have responded to the extraordinary challenges presented by the pandemic in the most creative ways. Engage is very grateful for the support of the Marsh Christian Trust for these important awards.”

Education programme

Anna Aroussi is an artist and started her career at King Rollo Films where she worked for 10 years as a tracer, animator, and graphic designer. Anna’s work in gallery education began when she became involved with the education programme at Spacex Gallery delivering animation workshops before gaining a role as Visual Arts and Digital Media learning manager at Exeter Phoenix (EP). She’s now the Engagement Officer at Thelma Hulbert Gallery, Devon.

Partnerships

Through her work, she has established herself in the gallery education sector, developing strong partnerships with TATE, local AONB’s, Devon Recovery Learning Community and East Devon District Council frontline service team, to design activities to reach groups most in need.

Anna has shown dedication, tenacity, empathy, and commitment during the outbreak of Covid-19. Amongst other activities, she has played an invaluable role in developing and delivering the ‘Creative Cabin’ – a Covid-19 recovery project. This mobile creative space took nature and culture on tour in a ‘Recovery Roadshow’. Her aim was to share cultural activities with communities most in need in their own neighbourhoods.

Adaptability, positivity and drive

Ruth Gooding, curator and manager at Thelma Hulbert Gallery said: “It is Anna’s adaptability, positivity and drive to support communities in need to help them enjoy the benefits of art and culture that has made this project possible.“

Anna intends to use the prize money for training opportunities such as the Extend Leadership Programme with Engage, a digital skills course and/or diversity and inclusivity training for galleries and outdoor space.