JERWOOD SPACE, 171 UNION ST, LONDON SE1 0LN

26TH FEBRUARY 2020 | 7PM

Due to the sustainability-theme of tonight’s event, we’ve decided to do digital-only notes, to save paper and energy on printing.

Against a mood of growing concern about the threat of global climate change and a lack of faith in our political establishment to tackle the issue, the arts is uniquely equipped to inspire hope, provoke conversation and spur action. Join YPIA and a panel of arts professionals leading the conversation to discuss what arts organisations and creatives can do to demand change.

Our panellists this evening are:

• Lorenzo Belenguer, visual artist, curator and Extinction Rebellion Arts & Culture Media coordinator
• Katie Haines, Head of Marketing and Development at Artsadmin
• Bridget McKenzie, Director of Flow Associates and founding director of Climate Museum UK

Lorenzo Belenguer is a visual artist, curator and Extinction Rebellion Arts & Culture Media coordinator. His practice as an artist is constantly focused on reclaiming: be it repurposing discharged rusted metal for gallery spaces or copying traditional European paintings as symbols of imperial power. His work also deals with reclaiming the place of humans within the natural ecosystem, as ancient cultures perfectly knew. Belenguer ran a community art gallery in London for seven years and a project for the 2012 Olympics called Testimonies. His work has been exhibited or performed at spaces such as the Serpentine Gallery, Tate Modern and the Venice Biennale. He is a climate change activist and supports the power of the arts to communicate this climate and ecological emergency in powerful and visual terms to new audiences.

Bridget McKenzie is a researcher and creative curator working across culture, environment and public engagement. She has been director of Flow Associates since 2006, following 14 years’ in roles managing cultural education, including as Education Officer for Tate and Head of Learning at the British Library. She is a trustee for ONCA Gallery, advisor for Culture Unstained and a key initiator of Culture Declares Emergency. She presents and publishes internationally on climate action in the cultural sector and on possibilities of Regenerative Culture. She is founding director of Climate Museum UK, a new CIC which stirs and collects the emerging response to the Climate and Ecological Emergency.

Katie Haines is Head of Marketing and Development at Artsadmin, an arts organisation based in east London that enables artists to create without boundaries and supports artists with free advice and opportunities, and lead partner of Season for Change with Julie's Bicycle, a nationwide cultural campaign programme celebrating the environment and inspiring urgent action on the future of our planet. Prior to Artsadmin, Katie worked at the British Council on the Venice Biennale, the British Council Collection and Creative Europe, and the EU's creative funding programme. She has held marketing, press, digital and audience development roles at the South London Gallery, Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA), Whitechapel Gallery and Barbican.

Please do join us for drinks after the event at Jack’s Bar (96 Isabella St, South Bank, London SE1 8DD), where we have a space reserved for networking.