Sunday, October 6, 2024

The Goldsmiths’ Centre Initiates Community Advisory Group

Ruth Brown
Trang Do

The Goldsmiths’ Centre will host its first bi-annual Community Advisory Group meeting in December 2021 with four newly appointed industry and equity representatives: Dr Kelly Lang, Ruth Brown, Melissa Lawrence and Trang Do. The group members will provide guidance and expertise on how the charity can broaden access and raise visibility of its work amongst young people and underrepresented communities.

The Community Advisory Group, consisting of ten members, will bring together experience from across education, outreach, grant giving, diversity, programming, and marketing. The group’s aim is to help the Goldsmiths’ Centre to develop funding initiatives and programmes that improve equity, diversity, and inclusion. All members have been chosen based on their level of expertise, industry insight and commitment to create positive change in the jewellery, silversmithing and allied industries.

The Community Advisory Group members include:
Ruth Brown, originally from Glasgow, studied Silversmithing and Jewellery design at The Glasgow School of Art. Since graduating in 2016, she has worked as an independent designer maker, alongside several roles for other independent makers. In 2021, she gained her PGCE in Secondary Education from the University of Sussex, in conjunction with Hurstpierpoint College in West Sussex. Having originally begun her career at the college as Jeweller in Residence in 2017, she is now a teacher of Design and Technology for Year 7- Sixth Form.
Ruth explains: “My background as a designer maker has cemented my passion for the promotion of crafts and craftspeople, whether that be through the education of young people and the teaching of traditional hand skills, or the promotion of other independent makers’ work. ”

Dr Kelly Meng
Melissa Lawrence

Trang Do has spent over a decade in the fine jewellery sector, working in operation and strategic roles for world famous brands Cartier and Graff Diamonds and setting up her own consultancy (with clients including House of Garrard) before launching her own award-winning fine jewellery brand, Kimjoux. Besides running her own brand, Trang loves helping other businesses thrive and elevate them to the next level through consulting on business strategies and setting up processes that best suits them. She wants to be part of a modern and thriving jewellery industry.
Trang says: “I am thrilled to be part of the Goldsmith’s Centre Community Advisory Group. Both my personal and professional experience aligns well with the Centre’s initiative, as well as my values and passion for nourishing personal growth and improving our practices within the industry.”

Dr Kelly Meng currently leads the MA programme in Luxury Brand Management at Goldsmiths, University of London, which was introduced in 2017. Kelly read for her MA and PhD at the University of Leeds, and her doctoral research was one of the first studies of inward investment into China from South Africa. Since completing her PhD, Kelly’s research has focused on international business development and strategic management in the luxury sector. This includes more recent research on market opportunities and sustainability within the high-end traditional Chinese crafts sector, with an emphasis on mobilising and preserving traditional craftsmanship.
Kelly says: “As an immigrant to the UK, I have a deep appreciation of the challenges faced by ‘outsiders’, but also the empowering virtues of opportunity and self-expression. The Community Advisory Group offers a platform for me to use my skill set and experience to help craftspeople from a diversity of backgrounds to take their first steps into the craft community, and thereafter thrive within the crafts business sector.”

Melissa Lawrence is Chief Executive of a diversity charity and has worked in the not-for-profit sector for over twenty years, developing impactful and educational programmes for businesses. She is a passionate advocate for Equity and Inclusion.
Melissa comments: “I am looking forward to joining the Community Advisory Group because of the Goldsmiths’ Centre’s ambitious plans to improve Diversity and Inclusion across the Centre, community and industry overall.”

The Goldsmiths’ Centre is now seeking six, proactive individuals to complete the Community Advisory Group. The next application round closes on Friday 28th January 2022 and further information about this initiative and how to apply, can be found at www.goldsmiths-centre.org/about-us/job-opportunities.

More information:
W: www.goldsmiths-centre.org

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