Clare Reddington, CEO of Watershed in Bristol, has today been awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of the West England (UWE) in recognition of her leadership in the cultural sector and her contributions to Bristol’s creative ecology. 

This year Clare also celebrates 20 years of working at Watershed, having joined the organisation in 2004 - you can read Clare's reflections on her 20 years at Watershed here. After working in a number of roles, she soon focused on establishing  its creative technology programmes, including founding the Pervasive Media Studio (2008), a workspace for people developing new ideas using creative technology that gifts space, support and funding to a global community of over 200, and Playable City (2014), now a global movement reaching over one million people across the world.  Clare became Creative Director of Watershed in 2014, and was made CEO in 2018. 

Clare works with industry, academic and creative partners from around the world to champion inclusion, support talent and develop new ideas. Clare is a Visiting Professor at UWE Bristol and has collaborated with academics from across the university on large scale research programmes including, REACT (Research and Enterprise in Arts and Creative Technology), Bristol and Bath Creative R&D and South West Creative Technology Network.

Clare is also Chair of Wise Children and a trustee of the Royal Shakespeare Company and British Council, an international ambassador for Bristol and sits on the advisory boards of The Good Literary Agency, CARGO and The Bristol Digital Futures Institute.

Clare  says, 

“So much of my working life in Bristol has been in collaboration with the University of the West of England, so to be recognised in this way is an honour, a delight and beyond moving. One of the many things I have learned from 20 years at Watershed is that to make lasting, impactful change it is important to have trust and a deep connection with those you work with, and that has been the joy of working with UWE for so many years.”

“Early in the Pervasive Media studio’s history we began a close collaboration with UWE and University of Bristol. The Studio was born from a desire to invite and nurture innovation, powered by the spirit of academic John Seely Brown who said that to deliver something transformational in times of rapid change you have to collaborate with people who are not like you. It hasn’t always been easy - 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 - but I believe in the importance of what we do and am so incredibly proud of what we have achieved together.”

On behalf of everyone at Watershed we would like to say a MASSIVE THANK YOU to Clare for everything she does for Watershed and Bristol - we are so delighted to be able to celebrate Clare and her achievements. 

 

 

 

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