Amanda Smethurst

Amanda is an independent consultant, coach and facilitator with a particular focus on organisational development, change and strategic planning within the cultural sector, and a passion for supporting people to understand what makes their heart sing.

The theme of working with individuals and organisations to support their development through a process of change has run through her career in a range of roles from Director of Artlink, Widening Participation Manager for a partnership of Yorkshire Universities, Head of the Arts Service for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and at Arts Council England as Director, London; as well as in her freelance work. Amanda has worked with a range of clients from Frieze and Streetwise Opera, to the University of Southampton, the Greater London Authority and Camden Arts Centre. She also supports the ongoing development and delivery of the Creative People and Places Programme as the National Peer Learning Manager. She is a Clore Fellow, and has also held a number of non-executive of board appointments.

Originally trained as a fine artist, she is still keen to retain her creative practice and enjoys exploring many mediums – including ceramics, printmaking, textiles and even gardening – all of which make her heart sing.