Denise Courcoux

Denise is a Chester alumni student who graduated with a BA Fine Art & English Literature. Using the Careers service at Chester, she got her first gallery job as an Information Assistant at the Bluecoat. As Denise had gained public experience working in other jobs such as shops and bars, she was able to successfully assist customers at the Bluecoat. She then went on to be the Exhibitions Officer, organising exhibitions and working with artists and partners.

Denise then went on to study a Masters Degree in Art Galleries and Museum Studies in Manchester. This gave her opportunities to develop more professional practice skills and led her down an art curation route, which allowed her to progress further. Denise's ambitions led her to working as a Museum Manager at both the Nantwich and Port Sunlight Museums, which house various exhibitions and installments- Denise was in charge of these collections and organising events and volunteers, as well as other aspects of the Museums.

Going on to working for the Wired Ariel Theatre, Denise had another change in profession; she became the Company Administrator which allowed her to gain skills in managing accounts and marketing. Although this wasn't a job she was looking for, she saw the value in taking up the role as it allowed her to gain more experience.

Denise has also worked for the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) in Manchester as the Exhibitions Production Coordinator, looking after the large scale exhibitions and working on how to improve permanent displays, as well as taking the lead on some smaller exhibitions. She also managed contractors who collaborate with the Museum.

Denise has had a huge variation of jobs which has allowed her to gain experience and skills which has helped her progress in her career. From starting at the Bluecoat Gallery in Liverpool to working in a number of galleries across the North West. Denise's journey has particularly inspired me to think about looking for jobs that don't necessarily require me to be working in a design office- she has inspired me to look further into art and design careers where I can pick up additional skills.

Pictured above is an installation that Denise led from MOSI- "Deckchairs with a link to the past."