Event description:
Sara believes that Botanic Gardens are essentially museums with living collections, requiring appropriate research strategies, modern education and engagement outputs, and exceptional business modelling and political manoeuvring to thrive and flourish!
In this informative session, attendees will hear honest reflections about the ambitious capital redevelopment programme and how Birmingham Botanical Gardens has:
• Rebuilt the Birmingham Botanical Gardens research capabilities, learning and engagement strategies and environmental resilience from the ground up.
• Introduced an entrepreneurial commercial operation, whilst embedding mission, vision, values and sustainability.
• Taken the team, and the whole Gardens community, on this journey, while holding a space for risk, ambition and future-making.
About the speaker:
Proud to be born into the Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller (GRT) community, Sara is a visionary and creative leader of heritage and cultural visitor attractions and large-scale capital investment projects. She is a Board Member of both the WMCA Tourism and Hospitality Advisory Board, the Botanic Gardens Education Network, and The Greater Birmingham Chamber of Commerce, a University of Birmingham BISCA Associate (Birmingham Institute for Sustainability and Climate Action); and a regular guest lecturer on the Museum and Heritage Futures MA at Nottingham Trent University.
With over 37 years of ethical and sustainable leadership, she has been successful in establishing and managing effective, multi-disciplinary teams of staff and volunteers with a variety of lived experiences. She is passionate about diversity, inclusion and sustainability and has achieved success by working collaboratively with a wide range of stakeholders.
Sara demonstrates that a high quality, sustainable and accessible visitor offer leads to the long-term support of local assets and successful place making.
