Sally Folkard, formerly head of Film Hub North, has joined Bradford’s National Science and Media Museum as head of screen and cultural engagement.
Folkard is one half of a pair of high-profile appointments alongside science and technology historian Charlotte Connelly, who joins as head curator.
Folkard brings over 15 years’ experience in the film industry to the museum, with extensive expertise in audience development, cultural regeneration and organisational change. While at Film Hub North, in partnership with the British Film Institute (BFI), Sally championed the work of the North’s screen organisations and film talent through a suite of National Lottery funded programmes. Her new role will find her overseeing the museum’s festivals and cinema programme including the annual film festival, Widescreen Weekend, while championing screen opportunities to engage new and diverse audiences.
Connelly, meanwhile, was most recently museum curator at The Polar Museum at the Scott Polar Research Institute, which holds material including Captain Scott and Herbert Ponting’s photographs of Antarctica. She has also previously worked at the Science Museum as part of the team that delivered the Information Age gallery, developing content for sections on TV, radio and mobile phone technology.
As head curator, Connelly will lead a team shaping stories through exhibitions and public programmes, while overseeing the museum’s world class collections of photography, film, television, animation, video games and sound technologies.
The appointments come as the museum embarks on its ambitious Sound and Vision project to futureproof the museum for decades to come. The transformative project will see the National Science and Media Museum temporarily close from, June 2023 to summer 2024, although the Pictureville Cinema and Bar will remain open seven-days a week with an enhanced programme of films and events.
Jo Quinton-Tulloch, director of the National Science and Media Museum commented: “Charlotte and Sally bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the museum at a very exciting time. They will be instrumental in ensuring that we are delivering on our mission of exploring the science and culture of image and sound technologies, while we undergo a major transformation through our Sound and Vision project.”
Folkard added: “I’m delighted to be joining the team at the National Science and Media Museum at such an exciting time for both the museum and Bradford. Bradford has a rich film heritage, and the museum is home to the iconic Pictureville Cinema, and the last remaining public Cinerama screen in the world, so it really is a perfect time to champion all the incredible opportunities in the screen industry.”
