Jonathan Sawyer is the Development Project Manager at The Bishop’s Palace. I recently sat down to chat to Jonathan about his role and the work he does behind the scenes.
How long have you been working at the Bishop’s Palace, and what made you decide to join the team?
I have been working at The Bishop’s Palace for 4 years and 4 months to be precise! I moved from London to Glastonbury in 2013 having previously worked at Tate and Southbank Centre. Arriving in Glastonbury after 6 months of travel, I jumped at the opportunity to work for The Bishop’s Palace when the opportunity arose.
Describe the main activities of your role and what that involves?
My role is to manage development projects for the Palace, which has been an evolving process. In my first couple of years, we recruited a consultant to examine the interpretation of the Palace, which led to the creation of a continually growing ‘Interpretation Strategy’. As part of this, I have worked with the Palace team to create a Development Plan that outlines possible improvements to the site, along with areas that will need improving as we get busier.
How does your role fit within the overall operation of the Bishop’s Palace?
My role focuses on the future development of the Palace site, which will hopefully improve our visitor’s awareness and appreciation of our 800 years of history. The re-interpretation of the Palace buildings will increase what our visitors can see and do during their time here, how they perceive the Palace and what messages they take away with them.
What is the most satisfying thing about working at The Bishop’s Palace?
Working in such a historical site with such natural beauty and a rich past! There are so many stories we can tell, so being able to develop what visitors see and how they use the site is immensely rewarding.
If you could give advice to people looking to work in heritage what would that advice be?
Take every opportunity and try everything! There are a whole variety of roles in the heritage sector, some of which are clearly defined and others less so. Try to experience as many different opportunities as you can.