Contemporary Community Textile Artist Derbyshire UK
Collaboration Kindness Carbon Sensitivity
Amanda Haran | Community Textile Artist CV | Amber Valley, Derbyshire
Artist CV
I specialise in creative listening, practice-based evaluation and place-based community engagement, bringing sustained attention to what is forming socially and culturally within participatory contexts.
I am a contemporary community textile artist based in Amber Valley, Derbyshire, with a practice grounded in collective making, heritage, fibre knowledge, and socially engaged creative work. My approach centres on co-creating projects that support community wellbeing, connection, civic pride and shared learning.
Further reflections on my practice can be found here.
Alongside my creative practice, I have built a strong foundation through formal education, professional development and specialist training in community engagement, sustainability and textiles. Selected highlights include:
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BSc (Hons) Textile Design & Design Management | UMIST
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Level 3 Certificate In Counselling (plus Adv Further Training)
Salford City College (qualified psychotherapist)
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IOSH Managing Safely | HSQE
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Carbon Literacy For Creatives | Creative Carbon UK
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Nature Connectedness & Wellbeing | University of Derby
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Sustainable Textile Practices & Flax Processing | Flaxland, Thrupp
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Evaluation For Arts, Culture & Heritage | University of Leeds & FutureLearn
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Community Engagement & Inclusivity | Make/Shift Programme
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Art Curation & Exhibition Management CPD | VAA
This learning is applied through a range of collaborative projects that use stitch, fibre, storytelling and creative facilitation to connect communities and celebrate place.
2026-Present | Derbyshire Makes Artist, Bolsover & Heanor
2026-Present | 'Factory Work' Manufacturing Heritage Story Gathering
2026-Present | Arts Council & National Lottery Funded Flax Research
2025-Present Creative Evaluator & Maker In Residence | Make/Shift & Derby Uni, Amber Valley, Derbyshire
2023-Present Freelance Contemporary Community Textile Artist
2021-2023 Community Engagement Co-ordinator |
Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry, Warwickshire
2018-2023 Freelance Community Participatory Artist
2012-2019 Self-Employed CAD Embroidery Designer, Essex
2015-2016 Website Co-ordinator | EYFS Resources
2004-2015 Company Secretary | TP Properties
(Complex Needs Housing Association), Lancashire
1995-2004 Rose from Activities Officer to Director of Operations | Paragon Care (Adult Complex Needs Community Support)
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Participatory arts facilitation
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Creative listener and qualitative insight gathering
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Artist in residence
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Textile and fibre-based practices (grow, process, reuse)
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Heritage-informed community engagement
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Creative wellbeing and trauma-aware approaches
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Workshop design and delivery
(in-person/remote)
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Project planning, delivery and evaluation
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Intergenerational co-creation
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Public speaking and artist talks
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Digital content creation
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Health and safety awareness
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Fundraising and partnership working
(ACE, Museums)
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Embedded evaluation through practice
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Creating work live in public spaces
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DBS checked (enhanced-lapsed)
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Public liability insurance (current)
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Former funded artist, Arts Council England
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Core Awareness In Safeguarding Children & Young People, Leicester Safeguarding Children Partnership Board
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Dementia Friend & Reminiscence Therapy, Alzheimer's Society
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NCFE Cache Level 2 Certificate Understanding Domestic Abuse
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Faith Awareness, Together In Action
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Addiction: A Community Issue, LinkedIn
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Adv Cert | Stress & Anxiety Management
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International Flax Guild | Member
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Culture, Health & Wellbeing Alliance | Member
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CVAN East Midlands | Member
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VAA | Member
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Culture Declares Emergency | Signatory
My featured work brings together flax heritage, community participation, creative evaluation, and contemporary textile practice. Each installation explores local identity, shared memory, and the role of co-created textiles in reawakening place-based stories.
Further Qualifications & Experience
Full professional history, training and recommendations can be found on LinkedIn profile
Beneath Our Feet | 2025-Present | Creative Connections, Alfreton, Heanor & Bolsover Derbyshire Makes Festival
VAA OpenSpaces flax installation exploring Amber Valley fibre heritage and civic pride. Includes growing, community story gathering, processing and engagement
Riddings Community Flax Project | 2024-Present
Front Garden, Riddings, Alfreton, Derbyshire
Community flax growing, processing, and research inspired by local rope making, mining heritage and major employer British Hemp & Flax Development Co. Ltd, Ripley
Creative Agents Evaluation Tool | 2025-2026
Rural Enterprise Centre, Furnace, Derbyshire
Community project evaluation tool using Stephen Willat's methodology, acting as a Creative Listener to the experiment, participatory programme evaluation
The Turner Prize Array's Legacy (Winners) | 2021
Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry (City of Culture)
Community-led banner project part of Turner Prize 2021 civic programme. Developed with over 280 local groups and individuals for Turner-winning Array Collective. Explored identity, place, concerns and collective storytelling through collaborative textile making
Festival Of Quilts (Community) | 2021 | NEC, Birmingham
Selected for national exhibition in the community category for women's textile project concerning stitched responses, shared narratives, wellbeing and collaborative making
Selected Artist | Lean On | 2025-2026
Professional development programme for self-employed women in the community and creative sectors
Selected Creative Listener | Make/Shift Creative Agents Programme | 2025–2026
Chosen for the Make/Shift Creative Agents Programme, delivered by the University of Derby with a consortium of community partners to evaluate creative development, socially engaged practice and place based cultural work
Selected Artist | VAA Open Spaces Global Art Exhibition | 2025
Selected for the first international Open Spaces exhibition with Beneath Our Feet community flax project
BBC Radio Derby Feature | Secret Derbyshire Interview | 2025
Featured on BBC Radio Derby to speak about community and industrial flax heritage work in Amber Valley
Selected Artist | Coventry Open | 2025 (Shortlisted 2023)
Selected to exhibit solo contemporary textile work in the Coventry Open
Social Works? Journal Of Social Art Practice | Project Feature | Issue 3, Spring 2023
'What is Social Prescribing? The Coventry Banner Project' published in the peer reviewed Social Works? Journal of Social Art Practice, authored by Dr Rachel Marsden. Explored how the Turner Prize banner project supported creative health and community wellbeing, building the legacy of the Turner Prize 2021 season
Mentor | UNBOXED: Creativity In The UK | 2022
Selected as a mentor for emerging socially engaged artists as part of the nationwide UNBOXED programme, supporting creative development and collaborative community practice
Shortlisted Team | Family Friendly Museum Award | Kids In Museums | 2022
Part of the team shortlisted for the national Family Friendly Museum Award, recognising inclusive, family centred community engagement within museum practice
Finalist | Coventry Cares Awards (CovCares) | 2022
Shortlisted for the Community Culture Award in recognition of socially engaged community textile projects
Finalist | Cultural Award | Coventry Business Awards | 2022
Shortlisted for the Cultural Award at the Coventry Business Awards for the Coventry Banner project’s community impact
Considered For Youth Voice Talent Pipeline Steering Group | Coventry CCEP | 2022
Identified as a potential steering group member for the Coventry Cultural Education Partnership’s Youth Voice Talent Pipeline in recognition of youth centred creative practice
Explorers Network Member | Project Art Works | 2021–2023
Invited to join the Explorers Network following the Turner Prize season, contributing to national conversations on inclusive and socially engaged creative practice
Turner Prize Season Community Projects | Cited in Research (Midlands Art Papers Issues 6 & 7) | 2024
Community textiles and co production projects led at Herbert Art Gallery & Museum were documented as case studies of best practice in socially engaged gallery work
Selected Artist | Coventry UK City Of Culture Programme | 2021
Contributed community textile work during the Turner Prize season at Herbert Art Gallery and as an independent artist
Arts Council England Grant Award | 2021
Awarded National Lottery funding to support community focused textile practice
Second Year Course Prize | Textile Design & Design Management BSc (Hons), UMIST | 1993
Awarded for exceptional achievement during the second year of degree at UMIST
Susan Mary Simpson Art Prize | Bolton School | 1991
Awarded for outstanding artistic achievement
Bolton School Prize For Textiles & Full Scholarship Award | 1991
Recognised for excellence in textiles and awarded full secondary educational scholarship