Claire Doherty is an experienced senior cultural leader and former CEO with a long track record of shaping and delivering ambitious cultural programmes and complex public-facing projects. She now works in a discreet advisory capacity, supporting organisations, senior teams and leaders at key moments of strategic development, partnership-building and change.

Alongside directing and producing large-scale creative work, Claire has advised cultural organisations, universities and public institutions since 2019 on strategic vision, commissioning models, evaluation and place-based cultural development. Her advisory work draws on lived experience of founding and leading organisations, working with artists at scale, and navigating the realities of governance, funding, partnership and public accountability.

Clients have included: Grizedale Arts, LIFT (London International Festival of Theatre), Royal College of Art, Forestry England, Historic Royal Palaces, Historic England, LUX Artists’ Moving Image, London Sinfonietta, Norwich Theatres and Rich Mix.

Areas of advisory support

Claire’s consultancy work typically takes the form of short, clearly scoped commissions, evaluations, appraisals or light-touch retainers.

• Creative and cultural strategy
  Supporting organisations to clarify purpose, ambition and direction at moments of change or opportunity.

• Cross-sector commissioning and partnership design
  Helping organisations shape robust, credible partnerships across culture, higher education, civic bodies and industry.

• Commissioning and place-based programming
  Advice on commissioning approaches, programme architecture and working with artists in public and civic contexts.

• Feasibility and early-stage development
  Stress-testing ideas, narratives and delivery models to support decision-making and funding readiness.

• Strategic and organisational reviews
  Independent reviews of programmes, structures and resources, giving boards and senior teams a grounded view of where they stand and what comes next.

• Evaluation of contemporary art and public art programmes
  Assessing the significance, value and impact of artistic programmes, drawing on research into how audiences experience place-based culture.

• Governance and transition support
  Working with boards and executive teams through leadership change, restructuring and the transfer of assets and responsibilities.

Ways of working

Claire combines remote working with time on site and typically works across a small portfolio, offering a fresh independent perspective and critical support.