How to… Curate with Communities

Elinor Morgan has been Senior Curator at Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art (MIMA) since June 2015 where she has worked to develop it as an institution that is led by its context and publics. Since 2008 she has curated public art projects, residencies, exhibitions, public and education programmes across the UK working at institutions in Norwich, Cambridge, Birmingham and on independent projects in London. From 2012, she was ESP and Public Programmer at Eastside Projects, Birmingham, and worked on a large public art commission for the city. Prior to this, she was Artists and Programmes Curator at Wysing Arts Centre, Cambridge and advisor on the public art programme in Great Kneighton, Cambridgeshire.

She has written numerous reviews and essays for magazines and publications. She co-edited ‘The Constituent Museum’ (2018), a reader on how arts institutions might work differently with their publics. She has contributed to various undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Elinor is on the Board of Grand Union, Birmingham, and is a Trustee for Investing in People and Culture, a northeast charity that promotes the social and economic inclusion of new and emerging communities.

Renee Odjidja is the Swarovski Foundation Curator: Youth Programme at Whitechapel Gallery and is responsible for organising and developing projects, workshops and events with young people. Recent exhibitions and projects with the Gallery’s youth forum (Duchamp & Sons) include Alone Together with Seth Pimlott (2018); Duchamp & Sons Manifesto (2017); William Kentridge: Thick Time (2016-17), exploring cross disciplinary making with English National Opera practitioners and filmmaker, Chiara Ambrosio.

Renee has previously worked as Swarovski Foundation Curator: Youth and Community Programmes (Maternity Cover), Project Assistant: Youth Programme and Education Trainee at the Gallery. She was an advisory group member for Centre for London’s research project “Culture Club” (2018-19) investigating social mobility in the creative and cultural industries. She is a Visiting Tutor on the BA Drawing course at Camberwell College of Arts, University of the Arts London and was part of “Levelling the Playing Field” (2017-18), a research project addressing BAME (Black, Asian and minority ethnic) students’ experiences within fine art.

Sofia Victorino is the Daskalopoulos Director of Education and Public Programmes at the Whitechapel Gallery leading a programme of artists’ residencies and commissions; community projects; public programmes, performance and film. Previously Head of Education and Public Programmes at Serralves Museum of Contemporary art, Porto (2002-2011), her research interests focus on art, peformativity and social practice. Selected curatorial projects and commissions at Whitechapel Gallery include Mikhail Karikis: “No Ordinary Protest” (2018); Emanuel Almborg: “Learning Matter” (2017) Assemble: “Brickfield” (2017), Samson Kambalu: “Introduction to Nyau Cinema” (2016), Rivane Neuenschwander: “The Name of Fear” (2015). Sofia is on the Advisory Committee for the William Townsend Memorial Lecture Series at the Slade School of Fine Art; and on the advisory board for the Documents of Contemporary Art series, co-published by Whitechapel Gallery and The MIT Press. She has lectured on the MA Curating the Contemporary (London Metropolitan University) and the MA in Contemporary Art and Education (Goldsmiths).