Cicely Robinson
- Studied: PhD in History of Art (2014, Wentworth College)
- Current Position: Assistant Curator (British Sporting Art) at The National Horseracing Museum, Newmarket
What have you been doing since you graduated?
"After finishing a collaborative PhD with the University of York and the National Maritime Museum last autumn, I have been working at the National Horseracing Museum as the Assistant Curator for British Sporting Art. We are currently working on a major redevelopment project in the centre of Newmarket to convert the remaining portion of Charles II’s racing palace and stables into a National Heritage Centre for Horseracing and Sporting Art. The new site will provide an enlarged home for the National Horseracing Museum, a flagship yard for the Retraining of Racehorses charity and a national gallery of British sporting art.
I am working on the development of this new sporting art gallery. Housed within the remaining portion of the Palace, the art gallery will contain a major loan display consisting of sporting art from Tate Britain and the British Sporting Art Trust as well as other major public institutions and private donors. It is set to open in the spring, 2016. The first exhibition that I curated, Sporting Art of the Dukes of Grafton, opened at the National Horseracing Museum in March and runs until the end of this year."
What transferable skills do you feel you gained from your degree?
"The process of working toward a PhD in History of Art allowed me to develop a broad range of skills that are invaluable to my current role in a museum. The ability to conduct focused research and analyse both visual and written material is essential on a day-to-day basis. In addition, within a museum it’s vital that you are able to communicate this material to a variety of audiences. Presenting conference papers and participating in academic discussion throughout my time at York has definitely helped to prepare me for this. In addition, the basic organisation skills you develop during the PhD are hugely useful in any other environment."
What advice would you give to current students?
"Make the most of the opportunity by participating in all that is on offer both at York and at other institutions. Museums and galleries also have a wide range of events, lectures and seminars on offer. Also, while presenting your research at conferences may initially seem daunting it’s a fantastic opportunity to hone your presentation skills, get some invaluable feedback on your work and meet other students from all sorts of disciplines. Finally, make sure you make the most of any extra-curricular activities on offer – it’s important to have a good work/life balance!"
