Watershed chief executive recognised with honorary doctorate from UWE Bristol

The chief executive of one of Bristol’s leading cultural organisations has been awarded an honorary doctorate.

Clare Reddington, chief executive at Watershed, has received the honour from UWE Bristol in recognition of her leadership in the cultural sector and her contributions to Bristol’s creative ecology.

She was named an Honorary Doctor of Art on 15 July as part of the University’s summer series of graduation ceremonies held at Bristol Beacon.

Clare is among nine individuals receiving honorary degrees at the ceremonies, in recognition of outstanding achievements in their chosen fields and significant contributions to Bristol.

Deeply rooted in Bristol, but working across the world, Watershed is recognised for its internationally distinctive programme of cinema, creative technology and talent development. Clare joined Watershed in 2004, establishing its creative technology programmes including the Pervasive Media Studio, a collaboration with UWE Bristol and the University of Bristol.

Clare works with industry, academic and creative partners from around the world to champion inclusion, support talent and develop new ideas. Clare is a Visiting Professor at UWE Bristol and has collaborated with academics from across the university on large scale research programmes including REACT (Research and Enterprise in Arts and Creative Technology), Bristol and Bath Creative R&D and South West Creative Technology network. She is chair of Emma Rice's Wise Children, and a trustee of the Royal Shakespeare Company and the British Council.

Clare is an international ambassador for Bristol and sits on the advisory boards of The Good Literary Agency, CARGO and The Bristol Digital Futures Institute.

Clare grew up in Nailsea and is passionate about increasing equity and opportunity in Bristol, the city she loves.

She said: “Much of my working life in Bristol has been in collaboration with UWE Bristol, and in particular Jon Dovey, and to be recognised with this incredible honour is beyond moving. It is testament to the beloved place Watershed holds in Bristol, and I would like to thank the incredible staff of Watershed I have the privilege of working with.

“Watershed’s mission is to produce accessible and inclusive cultural experiences that fire up the imagination and bring people together. One of the things I admire about partnering with UWE Bristol to achieve this mission is that its strengths are in both research and in practice. This combination makes it both a brilliantly accessible partner and an asset for Bristol.”