TYPE OF WORK
Consultancy, project management, strategy development, planning monitoring evaluation, capacity building workshops, research, public speaking, project and programme management

AREAS OF WORK
Arts and culture for development, cultural policy for development, community and social development, rights and empowerment, cultural rights, migration displacement and integration, gender

TARGET GROUPS
Marginalised or disempowered groups, refugees and asylum seekers in the UK, organisations on a local, national and international scale (both governmental and NGOs)

GEOGRAPHICAL CONTEXT
UK, Latin America, Southern Africa, Asia

SCALE OF WORK
Consultancy at local, national, regional and international levels

PROFILE
Candida Blaker is a consultant and project manager with expertise in both arts and social development and the interface between them. Committed to strengthening links between practice and policy and promoting cross-sector and interdisciplinary approaches. Extensive experience with international NGOs on development from a rights perspective and in public policy advocacy. Also engaged with arts in the UK, with an international perspective and a focus on social inclusion and inter-cultural collaboration.

CASE STUDIES
A Sense of Place (UK, South Africa 2003)
Aim: A 4-day British Council event bringing together policy-makers and practitioners across arts, education, health and governance to examine the role of the arts, culture and media in reshaping societies and identities in Europe.
Input: Contributed to concept and framing of the event and produced supporting material.

Arts and Culture for Development, British Council Performing Arts initiative (2002)
Aim: To develop knowledge and expertise about ACD initiatives and practice amongst UK-based organisations.
Input: Advisory role and presentation to delegates on ACD planning and management and ACD strategy work in Vietnam.

Staging Human Rights (UK-Brazil 2002)
Aim: To train prison education staff in forum theatre techniques and raise awareness and understanding of human rights issues with prisoners and prison staff in Brazil.
Input: Research and translation of materials for training manual. Produced publicity and report.

Senses of the City – London Arts support to refugees (UK, 2001)
Aim: To assess outcomes for the participating refugee-led arts organisations and communities, as well as the wider impact on host venues, audiences and both arts and social policy.
Input: Built on previous experience of launching Artists in Exile, a pioneering multi-disciplinary movement of London-based professional artists from around the globe, and as a steering group member of the Refugee and the Arts Initiative to assess this project.

Guide to artists in schools (UK, 2001)
Aim: To maximise the positive contribution of arts across the school curriculum and to develop partnerships between arts and educational bodies.
Input: Produced a  guide for schools including case studies of successful practice, guidance on identifying needs and capacities, as well as tools for planning, engaging artists, budgeting, monitoring and evaluation, plus contacts lists for arts organisations and funding sources.

‘Southern’ Advocacy – Capacity building (1994-6)
Aim: To assist organisations to advocate for structural changes necessary to alleviate poverty and injustice, from a rights perspective.
Input: Co-authored a Guide to Advocacy Planning as Southern Advocacy Advisor for Oxfam GB and ran capacity building workshops for staff and partners in several parts of the world, including Bangladesh, Nepal (for all Asia staff), Mozambique, Angola and Burkina Faso.

T +44 (0)1608 646892
M +44 (0)7712 042104
E candida@ethel.clara.net