Curious Minds

Meet Curious Alice B

Continuing our series of introductions to the Curious Minds staff. We introduce you to Alice Birdwood, our Director of Programmes for the Creative Partnerships Programme. Alice has a particular fondness for speed walking, spotify and from her picture spectacles* as well. But find out more about what makes her tick below.

(* Although the height of fashion in the 1980's Alice no longer wears glasses like this).

 

 

1. What or who inspires you?

I am fortunate enough to meet people who inspire me every day: creative agents, teachers, young people, my colleagues. Or more boringly, I am inspired by a really long run in the rain - I make my biggest plans and solve lots of big problems out there.

 

2. What is ‘curious’ about your mind?

I am very curious about people and finding out how they tick; what has made them the way they are; what do they believe in; what will become of them. All really just a smokescreen for being a nosey parker! I am also curious to know where technology is going to end up in 20 years time. It's already pretty mindboggling.

 

3. Tell us a creative joke

“Knock Knock”

“Who’s there?”

“Granny”

“Granny who?”

“Granny in the car with Bella”

I made this joke up when I was 4, misunderstanding how jokes work  

Bad jokes unite people!

 

4. If you could be a famous artist/performer from present, past or future who would you be and why?

I’d love to have been Leonardo DaVinci’s apprentice -ok so not famous. To have learnt a craft from such an extraordinary and visionary character would have been amazing. I’d like to write a book from that perspective- observing his genius evolve and recording what onlookers might have thought.

 

5. Last film you saw?

‘The Hurt Locker’. War makes me sad.

 

6. Tell us about an adventure you have had on holiday 

My family holidays were all adventures- usually camping in France. My dad would start driving without any destination in mind and we’d just camp where we ended up. We would drive through rather suspect looking roads and occasionally the odd field. We often found ourselves somewhere obscure but always lovely, near a vineyard and swimming pool. 

 

7. What do you dislike the most?

Motorway service stations. Cultural black holes. I can feel the despair rising as I turn off the motorway!

 

8. Desert Island – three luxuries - what are they?

Running shoes

Sun cream

Wind up radio

 

9. If you didn’t work for Curious Minds where and what would you be doing?

Probably teaching in a primary school in an inner city. The path I was set for.

 

10. What do you like about working for Curious Minds?

I love that I work for an organisation whose purpose I wholeheartedly believe in. We are really fortunate to have our interests nurtured here. We also get on really well as a team. My colleagues are my friends too. 

 

Check out the next e-bulletin to find out a little bit more, curious, about the Curious Minds staff.