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Staff Profile

Dr Alison Clarke

Research Associate

Background

I’m a linguist, translator, (art) historian, project manager and specialist in knowledge exchange. As you can tell from that list, I’ve had quite a squiggly career to date!

I joined Insights North East as Research Associate (Capacity & Capabilities) in early 2023. My role focuses on establishing and supporting connections between academic researchers and policymakers across the North East of England. I’m particularly interested in identifying gaps in skills or shared understanding, and working out how to close these.

I hold an AHRC-funded Collaborative Doctoral Partnership PhD (2018) from the University of Liverpool and the National Gallery, London. My thesis focused on connoisseurship as practised by art dealers and museum professionals between the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The monograph based on my thesis was published by Brill in 2022.

Following my PhD, I held postdoctoral fellowships at the Frick Collection, New York, and the Paul Mellon Centre for the Study of British Art. I also hold MAs in Applied Translation Studies (Leeds, 2008) and Art History, Curatorship & Renaissance Culture (Warburg Institute, University of London, 2014).

Research

My research interests lie in the broad fields of connoisseurship and visual expertise, knowledge exchange, research engagement, evidence-informed policymaking.

I am currently exploring the ways in which theories of translation and connoisseurship could help us communicate better between different disciplines and job areas. I am also working on improving career path support for ‘hybrid’ academic/policy/professional services careers.

Please do get in touch if you are interesting in discussing any of the above or in working together!

Publications