Projects
I have applied my innovative approach to roles across different sectors and disciplines, allowing me to deliver high impact work for cultural organisations, design studios and universities, among others. Below is more detail about a selection of past projects.
Creative Producer, Superflux
Superflux is a design and experiential futures company based in London. They create worlds, stories and tools that provoke and inspire people to engage with the precarity of our rapidly changing world; imagining and prototyping different possible futures to help people make better decisions today.
As Creative Producer for this small, dynamic studio I project managed and produced creative and experimental projects across public, private and cultural sectors. This included working with multiple international stakeholders on a large EU Horizon 2020-funded project, CreaTures, which is exploring best practice in creative processes that allow transformative and behavioural changes around environmental issues.
In addition to contributing to this academic research, and producing and project managing ambitious multimedia installations and speculative futures films (during the global COVID-19 pandemic!), the role also included writing, securing and managing grants from funding bodies including the National Lottery Community Fund (Emerging Futures Fund) and Festival UK* 2022.
This role required more than simply being a producer or project manager; each project had specific goals, objectives and milestones, but by not fixing how these were achieved I created spaces for greater innovation and creativity. This required an ability to be flexible and respond quickly to evolving processes. I worked closely with the studio team, contractors, partners and funders to understand the ebbs and flows of the work to continue to adapt systems to best support the creative rhythms of each person whilst still working towards high quality outcomes. The impacts of this can be seen in outcomes, including:
Senior Coordinator, Engagement
SensiLab
SensiLab is a creative technology research laboratory at Monash University (Melbourne, Aus) whose work ‘explores the untapped potential of technology, its impacts on society and the possibilities it presents’.
The work SensiLab is carrying out is an invaluable link between culture, arts and emerging technologies. In my role as Senior Coordinator of Engagement I was responsible for developing and delivering activities and programs that built on-going conversations about technology, its social impact, and ethical implications with diverse audiences.
When I joined the group only had a limited sphere of influence with minimal connections to culture and arts organisations. During my time in this role I developed the group’s inaugural engagement strategy and delivered a unique program of activities that not only engaged key audience demographics, but also opened up new research and collaboration opportunities for work in creative technologies, interactive media and media art.
My approach to engagement revealed opportunities the group hadn’t previously thought about. Due to the work I delivered across two years I put SensiLab on the map, allowing it to gain recognition for the cutting-edge work it is doing. My innovative work is exemplified through:
Gallery Producer
Science Gallery Melbourne
Part of the acclaimed Global Science Gallery Network, embedded in the University of Melbourne, Science Gallery Melbourne (SGM) will be a gallery that engages 15-25 year olds at the intersection of art and science. SGM ran a series of pop-up seasons in the lead up to the opening of their new home at a new innovation precinct in 2021; BLOOD was the inaugural season in 2017.
Curated by Creative Director Dr Ryan Jefferies, I produced the art-science exhibition. I oversaw the creation of a gallery space from an old student study hall and produced the exhibition’s content to create an immersive, engaging exhibit that explored key sub-themes around the overarching theme of blood.
Additionally, I led on the accompanying public program, which aimed to engage the target audience in curious conversations, and to raise brand awareness for future seasons. I developed a content strategy, season-specific narratives and innovative formats that provided opportunities to initiate such dialogue with key audiences; many of which will play a vital role in the continued success of the gallery.
Although limited in many ways (having to create a gallery, and no previous work or processes to build on), this was a great opportunity to push the boundaries of what is possible for engaging diverse audiences through the intersection of art and science. This approach led us to many innovative outcomes, including:
Season Producer
Science Gallery London
Science Gallery London is a dynamic new gallery at King’s College London (KCL) that opened in 2018. Prior to its opening, it ran a series of pop-up seasons in and around the university’s campuses. MOUTHY was its 2016 season.
Previous seasons had seen activity across KCL’s campuses, but MOUTHY aimed to focus on Guys Campus, located by London Bridge - the site of its permanent home. Drawing on learnings from previous pop-up seasons, I developed a strategy for delivering a season that meaningfully engaged not only key academic and student groups but local communities and organisations.
Leading on 19 commissioned projects, I delivered 12 weeks of programming (34 events, performances and workshops, 1 festival, 6 installations and 3 public art works) that far exceeded goals and expectations. Importantly, the season's audience was inspired and invigorated by the content.
As with Science Gallery Melbourne’s BLOOD season, limitations existed - from having no dedicated spaces for workshops or artworks to developing processes and relationships from scratch. But, as Creative Producer, I saw opportunities where these could have seen as constraints; bringing many creative approaches to making this a successful season.
Producer/Director, Health Check, BBC World News
Health Check TV was a program that grappled with health issues on a global scale; investigating discoveries and solutions in healthcare, and examining how to deliver a healthier world. A spin off from the radio show of the same name, it was primarily broadcast on BBC World News.
I commissioned, produced, and occasionally presented weekly short films and monthly compilation programmes, as well as written features for the BBC News website and presenter briefings for live World News segments.
This required a thorough understanding of the scientific content, and its validity, in order to ensure this was communicated in an accessible way to audiences with diverse backgrounds, cultures and scientific literacy. I worked closely with correspondents and journalists around the world (with varying experience) to ensure this was done to a high standard.
Ever increasing time pressures and reduced budgets encouraged me to ‘think outside the box’ to delivered high quality outcomes:
Interim Engagement Executive, Kew Gardens
The Royal Botanic Gardens’ mission to unlock the potential of plants and fungi, through the power of scientific discovery and research. In addition to their world leading scientific work, they welcome millions of visitors each year to their sites at Kew and Wakehurst.
Each year the site at Kew hosts an orchid festival as part of the public programming offer. Held during the winter month of February inside the heritage listed Princess of Wales glasshouse, it is vital in maintaining visitation during a time when going to an outdoor venue might not be so appealing.
In late 2014 the organisation was undergoing a restructure due to funding cuts, and I stepped in on a short contract to lead on the development and delivery of the 2015 orchids festival Alluring Orchids. This included the research and development of original content, programming of the month long festival, and project management of festival delivery.
I brought a fresh approach to the festival, seeing opportunities to add to the existing program to bring in new audiences, and promote more in-depth engagement in existing ones:
Producer, Greg Foot
Greg Foot is a Science Presenter on TV & Radio, a successful Podcaster, and a popular YouTuber.
I collaborated with Greg across a number of projects. Most notable of these was his 2016 tour, Caution! Safety Goggles required. This saw Greg tour the venues across the UK exploring curious questions and explosive answers. I coordinated the team and oversaw the logistics of tour as well as working as a creative collaborator on the content of this ambitious show.
Additionally, I worked with Greg to develop strategies for developing his work in science communication and engagement, enabling his to make the most of current opportunities and build new ones, all within a brand plan and within a wider context of where we thought the field should be developing for the greater good.
Producer/Director, Jacobs Foundation
Sarah-Jayne Blakemore is Professor of Psychology at the University of Cambridge, UK, and leader of the Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Group. Her pioneering research focuses on the development of social cognition and decision making in the human adolescent brain, and adolescent mental health.
In 2015 this was recognised by the Jacobs Foundation, one of the world's leading charitable foundations dedicated to facilitating innovations for children and youth.
I produced and directed a short film that profiled Professor Blakemore, and her research, which was shown at the awards ceremony for the prize.
Co-founder, Design Science
In 2011, I co-founded Design Science, a collaboration between professional designers and science communicators.
Under the leadership of co-founder Anne Odling-Smee, who took on the running of the company after the other co-founders moved on, this has evolved into a communication consultancy of designers, writers, scientists, healthcare professionals, educators and other creative professionals who bring knowledge to life through design in science, health and education.
Whilst working with Design Science, I delivered a number of projects including the re-design and production of the daily on-site newspaper for the Cheltenham Science Festival and a medical research open day at the Royal Free Hospital London. The team also examined the opportunities that bringing design and sciences out of their silos creates through a series of workshops and talks.
I remain an Associate of Design Science.
Co-Producer, Patient 39
"When a soldier known only as Patient 39 awakes from a coma with no memory, so begins the search to discover his identity and past."
Patient 39 is a short film adaptation of William Boyd's short story 'Ghost of a Bird', starring Mark Bazeley and Alfie Stewart. Working with award-winning producer/director Dan Clifton, I co-produced the film.
In addition to ensuring the successful development and production of the film, I coordinated a successful crowd-funding campaign that raised thousands of Pounds, and organised public facing screenings and panels, including one at the Royal Institution.
TV Production
I started my career in specialist factual television production, and have intermittently worked in production roles after broadening my portfolio of work following the completion of my Masters.
Working on productions produced predominantly for major UK channels, BBC1, BBC2 and Channel 4, I have researched and developed content suitable for a range of audiences, as well as setting up domestic and international filming trips with multiple contributors and locations.
This has not only required the ability to understand and build compelling narratives from complex scientific information, but the skills to be a flexible, dynamic problem solver who can form good professional working relationships with a diverse range of people to achieve ambitious film shoots!
Highlights have included;
Inside Incredible Athletes - a feature length documentary that launched Channel 4’s programming for the London 2012 Paralympic Games
Horizon: How you really make decisions - part of the BBC's flagship science strand, a documentary that explored the mental shortcuts behind automatic decision making with Nobel Laureate Daniel Kahneman.
Consultancy and content development
I have undertaken a number of consultancy roles throughout my career. This has included diverse projects for Engaging Science team at the Wellcome Trust where, among other things, I managed a collaboration with games designers Codemasters, and analysed audience demographics for scientific content on television.
Previous work also includes content development for the Science Museum London‘s Lates programme, the re-design of Lord Winstonʼs personal website, and working with actor, comedian and presenter Ben Miller to research and develop chapters of his book, The Aliens are Coming!
All work © 2021 Lizzie Crouch