About

Media and Arts Partnership was founded in Leeds, West Yorkshire in 2001, as a public art consultancy initiating and project managing large scale projects within the context of city regeneration.

Through the work of director Sue Ball, MAAP creates opportunities for artists to work in partnership with a diverse range of public and private sector organisations. Creative projects focus on bridging the gaps between disciplines to engender new ways of thinking about places, peoples and the spaces we occupy. By bringing developers, city planners and design teams together with artists, MAAP instigates dynamic collaboration, encouraging innovation and creative discourse around public space and the arts.

MAAP has experience in delivering a diverse range of projects that draw on an extensive background of work in contemporary art and the built environment, and in liaison with a multidisciplinary network of partners and collaborators in the region, the UK and internationally.

Sue Ball, Director

Sue Ball is the driving force behind MAAP and has been working in the arts and new media fields for over 15 years. Sue has extensive experience of initiation and project management of large scale arts and technology programmes in non-gallery settings, research and evaluation of arts programmes and public art strategy development.

Sue was director of Pavilion from 1996 to 2000, when she initiated and led a series of public art commissions for Photo98, Year of Photography and the Electronic Image with artists and architects including Pierre d’Avoine, Catherine Elwes, Janet Hodgeson and Susan Trangmar; and latterly, developed a programme of temporary public works as interventions within the construction of Leeds’ new Millennium Square. Also during this time, Pavilion, under Sue’s management, set up two community digital arts production spaces for emergent talent within local communities.

Alongside her work under the trading name of Media and Arts Partnership, Sue has pursued continuing professional development through training activities, giving talks based on her work, participating in workshops and forums and leading educational programmes.

Sue was also a director and co-founder of Leeds Love It Share It, a registered Community Interest Company that operates as an open forum for ideas, debate and action in Leeds, aiming to create new visions for how Leeds could be in the future through research into community skills, social networks and use of local assets.

MAAP Makers

MAAP liaises with many other organisations and individuals in order to initiate and develop projects. Some of these other associates include;

  • Lucy Barker: festival and events manager; video maker, specialising in participative video
  • Karen Houghton: consultant in creative regeneration and policy development
  • Dr David Bell: academic and writer on urban geography and culture
  • Bauman Lyons Architects who have an expertise in urban design and masterplanning projects
  • Anita Morris Associates; PR and marketing agency.
  • Liz Ainge: Designer
  • Yvonne Carmichael: Project Manager
  • Fran Graham: Social Media Consultant

Why do you need a MAAP?

MAAP provides the brokerage, learning and skills to facilitate social and physical change. We offer:

  • Initiation and project management of large scale commissions and cultural animation programmes
  • Public art and cultural strategy development
  • Initiation and project management of artist-led educational programmes
  • Cultural research programmes
  • Advice for key stakeholders in urban development
  • Strategic fundraising and procurement of private sector sponsorship
  • Developing commissioning framework guidelines
  • National and international artist selection and liaison
  • Project evaluation