Katie Popperwell

Chair of Manchester City of Literature

CET / Freelance

Speaker Biography

Katie Popperwell is Chair of Manchester City of Literature, part of UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network, which seeks to promote cooperation between cities that identify creativity as a strategic factor in sustainable urban development.

A multi-disciplinary arts and culture consultant with a varied background in executive production, public commissioning, placemaking strategy and international programme design, Katie has over 15-years’ experience working across the creative sector. She has designed programmes for major arts and cultural festivals including Manchester International Festival, 14-18 NOW and UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK where she headed up the International Engagement Programme, working in partnership with the British Council to lead a £1m programme of new commissions, public events and cultural diplomacy across more than twenty countries.

As a consultant Katie has produced cultural strategies and programmes for businesses, universities, charities and organisations including Innovate UK and the Royal Society of the Arts. A former journalist and cultural critic, she regularly contributes to a range of publications and programmes, and is a former presenter of BBC Radio 4’s flagship arts programme Front Row.

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