The British Council is pleased to launch an open call for the inaugural Shane Akeroyd Associate Curator of the British Pavilion at the 59th International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia, running April to November 2022.
The selected curator will support artist Sonia Boyce OBE RA in presenting a major solo exhibition of new work. Boyce, a Royal Academician and Professor at University of the Arts London, was announced earlier this year as the artist commissioned by British Council to represent the UK at the Biennale Arte 2022. She came to prominence as a key figure in the burgeoning Black-British art scene of the early 1980s and is known for her highly innovative, experimental and collaborative approach to art-making.
Following a British Council pilot open call in 2019 to widen opportunities for UK visual arts professionals, this is the first curatorial post to be sponsored by British philanthropist and contemporary art collector Shane Akeroyd. Akeroyd has pledged ten years’ worth of support for the Associate Curator of the British Pavilion art exhibitions in Venice.
The selected curator will work on all curatorial aspects of the exhibition, collaborating closely with Boyce and the British Council’s Visual Arts team. The post is open to UK-based contemporary visual arts professionals who can demonstrate strong curatorial experience but would still benefit from the international exposure and insights that the opportunity will bring. Experience of commissioning new work and supporting artists as they develop ideas is essential for those applying.
The deadline for submitting applications is 23.59 BST on Sunday 27 September and shortlisted applicants will be invited to interview in October. More information on how to apply can be found here.
Emma Dexter, Director of Visual Arts at the British Council and Commissioner of the British Pavilion, said:
“The British Council is thrilled that Shane Akeroyd is so generously supporting the post of Associate Curator of the British Pavilion over the next ten years. Building on the success of last year’s open call, we are delighted to offer this career-changing opportunity to work closely with Sonia Boyce, one of the UK’s most respected visual artists. It also opens up new international experiences and contacts and offers a unique insight into cultural relations and the interplay of contemporary culture and national identity at the core of the Biennale Arte.”
Shane Akeroyd, supporter of the Shane Akeroyd Associate Curator post, said:
“It is an honour to offer my support to the Associate Curator of the British Pavilion. Supporting visual arts is an important part of my life and the Biennale Arte is one of the highlights of the global arts calendar. The British Pavilion is always one of the most inspirational at the Biennale Arte and I am excited to be joining the British Council team in making it happen for the next decade.”
The British Council has been responsible for the British Pavilion at La Biennale di Venezia since 1937, showcasing the best of the UK's artists, architects, designers and curators. These exhibitions, and the British Council’s Venice Fellowships initiative introduced in 2016, help make the British Pavilion a major platform for discussion about contemporary art and architecture.
ENDS