Today I have the incredible honour of receiving an Honorary Doctor of Arts Award from the  University of the West of England, who Watershed has collaborated with for many years. I am also celebrating my 20th anniversary of working for Watershed – I started with Watershed in 2004 as a freelance producer working an early cloud computing project in collaboration with HP Labs. Moving on from that initial six month contract, I have worked in many roles across the building, becoming CEO in 2018.  

I used to be a bit embarrassed that I had been at Watershed so long – that perhaps I wasn’t ambitious or smart enough to move on to a ‘bigger’ role (I now understand that this is late-stage capitalism talking). I am aware of my privilege, of the space I am taking up, but I also conscious that to make lasting and impactful change you need trust and a deep connection with the people and place you are working.   

Working in partnership is the way I love to work – whether it was setting up Pervasive Media Studio, delivering creative economy research or making it through the pandemic – to paraphrase John Seely Brown, 

“to deliver something transformational in times of rapid change you have to collaborate with people who are not like you.” 

Today at the UWE graduation ceremony, I shared some thoughts on working in partnership or collaboration. Here they are, beautifully illustrated by Lucy J. Turner – an artist and Pervasive Media Studio Resident whose work I really admire and who made the beautiful 'Heart of Lightness' on the front of Watershed: 

1. It is important to take care of the health of the ecology, the community, the context you are working in

   A collaboration needs good soil. How we support, champion and look after the Pervasive Media Studio community is one of the most important parts of our job. It is also too easy to extract from a community you are part of – making sure you contribute more than you take from any community you are part of, is key.  
   
    

2. Understand yourself 

   Understand your privileges, your biases – this will help you to be inclusive. Understand your needs and advocate for them, this will help you be your best self. Be clear what your personal values are and the red lines you won't cross. I have been called terrifying, a tofu munching art clown, been trolled by Terfs and have been reminded by a man that I am not running a nuclear reactor. Sometimes change is hard. Be as kind to yourself as you would be to others and seek support from your partners as change is always easier together.  
   
   
    

3. Understand your collaborators – think about what makes them tick 

   When we work with academics we are thinking in different timescales, we are looking for different results, we have different types of power and we bring different skills – that’s the point.  
   
   

4. Cultivate an Abundance mindset

   (For those with power) Do not be worried about a scarcity of opportunities but be careful with resources. Do not be defensive or protective, worried about your logo, your ego, getting the right credit, If you are open and generous and behave like there is enough opportunities to go round, your work and relationships will thrive and you will make room for magic.  
   
   

5. Finally – Be hopeful

   Between the climate crisis, the situation in Palestine and Sudan, the cost of living and much more, there is lots to feel outraged, angry and uncertain about. But in collaboration comes solidarity and even in tough times we must try to centre hope.  
   
   

Thank you to the amazing Watershed staff, our partners, our funders the creatives we work with and our audiences who make my job such a joy.  

Thank you to Lucy J. Turner for the beautiful illustrations. Lucy is a Bristol based Artist, Digital Illustrator, Activist and Workshop Facilitator and a resident of Pervasive Media Studio.