Ava Podgorski is a PGR student supervised by the Centre for Cultural Value within the School of Performance & Cultural Industries at the University of Leeds. Her PhD explores the issues of evaluation, learning and legacy in relation to Cities of Culture via a case study of LEEDS 2023, the city’s dedicated year of culture.

Ava was recently involved as a Research intern for a project within the Centre for Cultural Value, funded by the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, working with Emma McDowell and John Wright to develop content for an online evaluation learning space. She currently works as a Research Assistant for the Speak Up! project with the National Theatre. Ava’s PhD research is funded by a scholarship from the University’s Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures.

Ava is proud to be a trustee for Mahogany Opera. From September 2020 – July 2022, Ava was the Project Co-ordinator for the Royal Northern College of Music’s StART Entrepreneurship Project, in partnership Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and University of the Arts, London. She holds a MusM Music (distinction) and MusB Music (1st class) from the University of Manchester.