Academic teaching
“I worked with Jenny on a range of Public and Cultural Engagement initiatives in connection with UCL Art Museum. She is organized, practical and supportive but also approaches events in a spirit of openness, enjoyment and inclusivity. I was particularly impressed by her excellent use of social media to publicize events and to maintain an ongoing social media profile.”
Dr Susannah Walker, Teaching Fellow, UCL Art History
Digital learning
“I worked with Jenny on several learning and digital projects at Historic Royal Palaces. She was a delight to work with, and I valued her proactive and professional approach. Jenny is a passionate educator and communicator, highly knowledgeable and creative, always thinking innovatively to create distinct learning experiences to engage audiences.”
Ina Pruegel, Digital Engagement Specialist, University of Cambridge Museums
Family learning
In April 2017 Jenny delivered our Easter family holiday ‘Robotics Challenge’ shortly after the museum had reopened to the public following a major redevelopment. I was so impressed by Jenny’s enthusiasm, energy and positivity that I invited her back to develop and deliver our half-term activity ‘Make Your Own Comic’. The feedback we have had about Jenny from the public speaks for itself. Make Your Own Comic workshops comments on Jenny’s facilitation: ‘very informative session which encouraged kids to imagine what life must be like. Very well thought out workshop. All the kids loved it’. ‘We really enjoyed today. We had a wonderful experience. Thank you to our incredible teacher’.
Katy Jackson, Public Programmes Manager, National Army Museum
Family trails
“I have worked with Jenny over the last few years as an illustrator and design on a number of family trails for places ranging from Kensington Palace to the V&A and the Petrie Museum (UCL). She has always been inspiring, incisive, collaborative and supremely well organized. Her briefs are clear and comprehensive, while leaving plenty of scope for me to use my imagination and add my own creative touches. Jenny is a complete pleasure to work with and I would recommend her to anyone.”
Jane Porter, Author and Illustrator at Janeporter.co.uk
Sector support training and CPD
“I work alongside Jenny in our volunteer capacity as GEM London Conveners. Jenny brings enthusiasm, passion and knowledge to this position and is full of fantastic ideas. Over the last two years, we have delivered a wide programme of CPD Twilight events and socials for GEM members, freelancers and heritage educators across London. Jenny has used her expertise to take the lead to plan training events on subjects that include health and well being, family-friendly exhibitions and inspiring audiences through archives.”
Sally Sculthorpe, Schools Learning Manager, The Postal Museum
Working with artists
“Jenny’s passion for museum and heritage education and creative learning is contagious. I have collaborated with Jenny on a variety of visual art focussed projects in relation to heritage sites and museum collections since we first met while I was Artist in Residence at Kensington Palace in 2011. As an artist, it is a joy to work with a museum professional who both listens to me and understands the artistic process while having the practical and strategic expertise to channel my ideas into a coherent and engaging education programme. I feel I can fully explore the artistic potential of a project and know I will have an audience and that everything will run smoothly. My residency at Kensington Palace was based around historical fragments of wallpaper found during building renovation works.
The scope of the education programme was ambitious. It involved working with different age groups and abilities and liaising with different departments at HRP. Jenny was my line manager through the process and was very efficient and also really involved in the planning of the classes, bring her ideas and heritage expertise to the project. I never had to worry about timelines or organisation, and she arranged visits to wallpaper experts and producers to add real depth to the research element of my residency.
She is also good at recruiting audiences, which is often what makes a project. I have subsequently attended events that Jenny has organised for adults and museum professionals and always enjoy these evenings. Jenny enthuses learning audiences because of her own genuine excitement for heritage learning and museum collections.”
Natalie Ryde, Visual Artist
Work-based learning
“Jenny Wedgbury is a skilled museum educator who has made an important contribution as a diploma assessor to the Culture& New Museum School curriculum. She is committed to diversity, is well connected in the heritage sector, a great team player and can formulate learning plans that address the skills and knowledge needed for the talent that our museums need to remain culturally and socially relevant.”
Dr Errol Francis, Chief Executive of Culture&
Jenny Pistella Associates 