A Bristol "cultural entrepreneur" has won a £300,000 grant to continue her innovative work.

Claire Doherty, director of Situations, which is based at the University of the West of England, has been awarded the money from the Paul Hamlyn Breakthrough Fund for Exceptional Cultural Entrepreneurs. This was set up last year to help individuals who are determined to make a difference to the cultural landscape in which they work.

Claire, best known in Bristol for arranging an art installation on the Centre three years ago in which a jack-knifed lorry spilled its load of flowers, has secured the largest amount of any of the five national award winners.

The grant will enable her to expand Situations' contemporary art commissioning and international research programme over the next three years.

Claire worked as a curator at IKON Gallery (Birmingham), Spike Island (Bristol) and FACT (Liverpool), before setting up Situations at UWE six years ago.

She said her aim was to open up new and surprising encounters with the work of contemporary artists in unexpected places.

"This grant means that I am no longer alone, but can embark upon a new series of ambitious temporary public art commissions with an expanded staff," she said.

For further information, visit www.situations.org.uk.