This week I'm back in work after 12 days of travelling round the country visiting arts organisations, meeting inspiring people and working out the next steps I want to take and the skills I need to develop.

I'm still processing all the conversations and sights; I have pages of notes and pictures to develop. I'll be posting again with a round-up of what I've learnt, but I just wanted to say a quick thank you to Victoria, Clare and Dick at iShed and Watershed for allowing me the time to travel; Kate and Shona at the Jerwood DCMS Creative Bursary Scheme for making this job possible, and especially to all the organisations I visited. I managed to pack loads in, and visit a broad spectrum of places:

Shan Maclennan and Tamsin Ace of the Learning and Participation team at the Southbank
Molly Naylor in residence at the Battersea Arts Centre
Laura Milnes, Trainee Producer at Artsadmin
Laura Kriefman, Creative Producer at the Tristan Bates Theatre
Jo Wills and Ross McDouall who lead Drum Heads at the Barbican
Jonathan Lynch, Community Learning & Engagement Assistant at BALTIC
Beckie Darlington, Producer and half of Haus Projects
Luke Allan who runs Alec Finlay's Studio
Casey Spence, Communications Officer (Web and e-Marketing) at Northern Stage
Isabelle Croissant (Creative Industries Producer), Sarah Leech (Digital Content Producer) and Bren O'Callaghan (Visual Arts Programme Manager) at Cornerhouse
Toby Smith, Director of Performance and Programming at RNCM
Adam Sutherland, Alistair Hudson and Maria Benjamin at Grizedale Arts
Gemma Connell, Christine Gettins, Jennifer Cleary, Andrew Nairne and all the Jerwood/DCMS lot who made MIF so incredible