Kerry Wilson
Humanities and Social Science
AHRC Leadership Fellow 2017-19
Kerry joined LJMU in 2008 as Senior Lecturer on the MA Cultural Leadership programme, based within the faculty of Arts, Professional and Social Studies. Since 2010, she has been Head of Research at the Institute of Cultural Capital, a leading cultural policy research centre jointly hosted by LJMU and the University of Liverpool.
Prior to joining LJMU in 2008 she held research posts at Leeds Business School; Department of Information Studies at the University of Sheffield; and the University of Liverpool Management School. She has led a number of research and evaluation projects covering varied aspects of cultural work, its value and impact, for a range of commissioning organisations and funding bodies including the British Council, MLA, Arts Council England, the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and Economic and Social Research Council. Kerry’s research interests, in a cultural sector context, include professional identities, ethics and codes of practice; instrumental value and public policy; and cross-sector communities of practice.
She began her academic career in the library and information management discipline, focusing on the organisational development and social value of public libraries, and continues to prioritise research with library and museum sectors. In 2017, her work in the field was recognised by the award of a mid-career Leadership Fellowship by the AHRC. The award funds a two-year study of ethical dimensions of collaborative practice between museum and library sectors and partner agencies working in two priority public policy areas, including public health and wellbeing and prison education reform.
Highlighted publications
Wilson KM. 2018. COLLABORATIVE LEADERSHIP IN PUBLIC LIBRARY SERVICE DEVELOPMENT Library Management, 39 :518-529 DOI Public Url
Wilson KM. 2015. The Political Value of Museums in Dementia Care Robertson H. The Caring Museum: New Models of Engagement with Ageing :360-385 Museums etc. Edinburgh 978-1-910144-62-6 Publisher Url
Wilson K, Corrall S. 2008. Developing public library managers as leaders: evaluation of national leadership training programme Library Management, 29 :473-488 DOI
Birdi B, Wilson K, Cocker J. 2008. The public library, exclusion and empathy: a literature review. Library Review, 57 :576-592 DOI
Wilson K, Halpin E. 2006. Convergence and professional identity in the academic library. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 38 :79-91 DOI
Chapters
Wilson K. 2021. House of Memories: Care and equality in the UK museum sector Chynoweth A. Museums and the Working Class :200-211 Routledge. Abingdon 978-0-367-46547-6 DOI
Wilson KM. 2015. The Political Value of Museums in Dementia Care Robertson H. The Caring Museum: New Models of Engagement with Ageing :360-385 Museums etc. Edinburgh 978-1-910144-62-6 Publisher Url
Wilson KM, Burns S. 2010. Trends in Leadership Writing and Research: a short review of the leadership literature Kay S, Venner K. A Cultural Leadership Reader :86-95 Cultural Leadership Programme. London 978-0-7287-1487-8 Publisher Url
Journal article
Ganga RN, Wilson K. 2020. Valuing family carers: the impact of House of Memories as a museum-led dementia awareness programme International Journal of Care and Caring, DOI Public Url
Wilson KM. 2018. COLLABORATIVE LEADERSHIP IN PUBLIC LIBRARY SERVICE DEVELOPMENT Library Management, 39 :518-529 DOI Public Url
Wilson KM. 2016. Empathy, Professionalism and Cultural Connections Journal of Heritage Interpretation, 21 :24-26
Wilson KM, Birdi B, Mansoor S. 2012. What we should strive for is Britishness: an attitudinal investigation of ethnic diversity and the public library. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 44 :118-128 DOI Author Url
Wilson K, Birdi B, Tso HM. 2009. 'The nature and role of empathy in Librarianship' Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 41 :81-89 DOI
Wilson KM, Birdi B. 2008. Public Libraries and Social Inclusion: How empathic are we? Library and Information Update, 7 :32-34
Wilson K, Corrall S. 2008. Developing public library managers as leaders: evaluation of national leadership training programme Library Management, 29 :473-488 DOI
Birdi B, Wilson K, Cocker J. 2008. The public library, exclusion and empathy: a literature review. Library Review, 57 :576-592 DOI
Wilson K, Train B. 2006. Business information service delivery within a regional context - The role of public libraries: Report of research projects in Yorkshire and the North West Business Information Review, 23 :50-57 DOI
Wilson K, Halpin E. 2006. Convergence and professional identity in the academic library. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 38 :79-91 DOI
Wilson K, Train B. 2006. Marketing library services to children and young people: the role of Schools Library Services. New Review of Children’s Literature and Librarianship, 12 :147-161 DOI
Wilson K, Train B. 2006. The lifelong impact of lifelong learning: using qualitative evaluation to measure the less tangible outcomes of adult basic education. Journal of Widening Participation and Lifelong Learning, 8 :14-26
Wilson K, Train B. 2006. Business Information Service delivery within a regional context: the role of public libraries. Business Information Review, 23 :50-57
Wilson KM, Usherwood B, Bryson J. 2005. Perceptions of archives, libraries and museums in modern Britain. Library & Information Research, 29 :50-57 Publisher Url
Wilson KM, Train B. 2005. Give me a Break: Championing the development of reader-centred initiatives Public Library Journal, 20 :22-25
Usherwood B, Wilson K, Bryson J. 2005. Relevant repositories of public knowledge? Libraries, museums and archives in 'the information age' Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 37 :89-98 DOI
Usherwood B, Wilson K, Bryson J. 2005. Relevant repositories of public knowledge? Libraries, museums and archives in the ‘information age’. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 37 :91-100
LLewellyn DJ, Wilson K. 2003. The controversial role of personality traits in entrepreneurial psychology. Education + Training, 45 :341-345
Neiva Ganga R, Wilson K. Valuing Carers: The impact of House of Memories as a museum-led dementia awareness programme for family caregivers International Journal of Care and Caring,
Report
Wilson KM, Whelan G. 2016. Developing Tier 2 Skills for Good Dementia Care: An Evaluation of House of Memories Pilot Train the Trainer Programme 2016 Publisher Url
Wilson KM, Whelan G. 2014. An Evaluation of House of Memories Dementia Training Programme: Midlands Model Publisher Url
Wilson KM, Grindrod L. 2013. An evaluation of House of Memories dementia training programme: Northern Model Publisher Url
Wilson KM, O'Brien D. 2012. It's not the Winning: Reconsidering the Cultural City Publisher Url
Conference publication
Wilson KM. 2015. Social Prescribing and the Cultural Determinants of Wellbeing in the UK 7th Annual International Arts and Health Conference
Wilson KM. 2013. House of Memories: The contextual value of museums in dementia care Museums Association Conference & Exhibition
Wilson KM. 2013. Instrumental Culture: the challenge of digitizing cultural values, experience and social impact 39th International Conference on Social Theory, Politics & the Arts
Macpherson A, Antonacopoulou E, Wilson K. 2010. Practicing Communities of Practice: Translating Strategy into Situated Learning. International Conference on Organizational Learning, Knowledge and Capabilities (OLKC). Publisher Url
Wilson K. 2009. Rhetoric and Reality in Social Inclusion Policy and Practice: experiences and attitudes of public service sector staff. Beyond Social Inclusion: Towards a More Equal Society? Centre for Research in Social Policy (CRSP) 25th Anniversary International Conference
Wilson K. 2009. Impact of the Non-inclusive Organisation on the Delivery of Socially Inclusive Public Services Australian Social Policy Conference
Macpherson A, Antonacopoulou E, Wilson K. 2009. Managing Communities of Practice for Organizational Learning: Measuring Maturity ‘Learning across Levels: Creating capability through building belief’ Symposium: Academy of Management Conference
Wilson KM. A question of ethics: careful communities of practice and affective cultural work Care in the Media and Cultural Industries: CAMEo Conference 2018
Wilson KM, Whelan G. Beyond the Ratio: Researching the social value of arts on prescription 1st International Social Prescribing Research Conference Publisher Url
Highlighted activities
Research Grants Awarded:
Arts and Humanities Research Council: Leadership Fellows [mid-career], Instrumental Values: Professional ethics in collaborative cultural work, Grant value (£): 142,675, Duration of research project: 18 months. 2017
Arts and Humanities Research Council, The Art of Social Prescribing: Informing policy on creative interventions in mental health care, Grant value (£): 23,405, Duration of research project: 12 months. 2015
Arts Council England, Evaluation of national Libraries Development Initiative, Grant value (£): £49,875, Duration of research project: 15 months. 2013
Professional activities
Research Grants Awarded:
National Museums Liverpool, Evaluation of Connecting Yemeni Elders Heritage project - funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund Innovation and Engagement, Grant value (£): 10,000, Duration of research project: 18 months. 2021
LJMU Global Challenge Research Fund 2018, The value of museums in meeting the global dementia challenge, Grant value (£): 7088, Duration of research project: 3 months. 2018
Arts and Humanities Research Council: Leadership Fellows [mid-career], Instrumental Values: Professional ethics in collaborative cultural work, Grant value (£): 142,675, Duration of research project: 18 months. 2017
National Museums Liverpool, Evaluation of the Pilot House of Memories Train the Trainer Programme, Grant value (£): 2,500, Duration of research project: 6 months. 2015
Arts and Humanities Research Council, The Art of Social Prescribing: Informing policy on creative interventions in mental health care, Grant value (£): 23,405, Duration of research project: 12 months. 2015
National Museums Liverpool, Evaluation of House of Memories dementia training programme: Midlands Model, Grant value (£): 5,000, Duration of research project: 5 months. 2014
Arts and Humanities Research Council, In Harmony Liverpool Research Network, Grant value (£): £31,697, Duration of research project: 12 months. 2013
Arts Council England, Evaluation of national Libraries Development Initiative, Grant value (£): £49,875, Duration of research project: 15 months. 2013
National Museums Liverpool, Evaluation of House of Memories dementia training programme: Northern Model, Grant value (£): 5,000, Duration of research project: 4 months. 2013
Arts and Humanities Research Council, Connecting communities via culture-led regeneration - exploring incentive and momentum with UK City of Culture 2013 shortlisted candidates, Grant value (£): £29,811, Duration of research project: 12 months. 2012
North West Development Agency, Continuing Professional Development in Liverpool City Region’s Arts and Cultural Sector, Grant value (£): 10,000, Duration of research project: 8 months. 2011
External committees:
Peer Review College, Arts and Humanities Research Council, member, https://ahrc.ukri.org/peerreview/peer-review-college-membership/. 2020
Membership of professional bodies:
Fellow (FRSA), RSA (Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce), https://www.thersa.org/fellowship. 2018
Fellowships:
Instrumental Values: Professional ethics in collaborative cultural work (mid-career AHRC Leadership Fellowship), Arts and Humanities Research Council, http://iccliverpool.ac.uk/?research=instrumental-values-professional-ethics-in-collaborative-cultural-work. 2017
Award:
HEFCE Promising Researcher Fellowship Scheme: collaborative research minor sabbatical award, £5,000. Funded Visiting Fellowship with Social Policy Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Australia January-February 2010, to conduct comparative research on experiences of cultural sector leaders in Australia and UK (‘Social Policy, Belief and Responsibility in the Arts’)., Liverpool John Moores University. 2009
The Alexander Wilson Outstanding Paper Award: Library Management, 29 (6/7). 2009 Awards for Excellence, Emerald Literati Network.. 2009
The R.D. MacLeod Outstanding Paper Award: Library Review, 57 (8). 2009 Awards for Excellence, Emerald Literati Network.. 2009