Vita Shaw
- Age: 21
- Borough: Hackney
- Placement: Bow Arts
- Role: Gallery Trainee
I have always been interested in visual art and cultural heritage, which is something that led me to pursue a degree in art history and has equipped me with a working knowledge of 19th and 20th century European and International Contemporary Art.
I have previously volunteered across the museum sector, first as a visitor assistant at the Sir John Soane’s Museum, then more recently as an accessibility researcher at the Mental Health Museum in Wakefield.
Beyond the arts, I have worked as an event assistant and gained experience in a number of high-end corporate and cultural organisations across Central and East London.
Something that excites me about STEP is the opportunity it presents for me to positively contribute to the regeneration and cultural life of my own city in a way that embraces the multiculturalism and diversity of the local area.
Growing up in Hackney, I have seen the borough transform in my lifetime. Many of these changes are positive and have brought investment and new opportunity, however, I have also witnessed the negative impacts of gentrification when it creates spaces that are inaccessible to the people who live around them.
By participating in this scheme, I can see that these organisations are demonstrating a real commitment to bring new perspectives to their workforce and engage with their local community, which is something I am really excited about!
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