Laura O'Leary Email & Phone Number

United Kingdom

Birmingham, England, United Kingdom

Supporting the management and coordination across the Commonwealth Games Legacy Enhancement Fund to deliver an inclusive Legacy programme.

East Midlands

Arts Council England (ACE) is the national developmental agency for creativity and culture. At ACE, I work closely with a portfolio of Midlands-based organisations that ACE funds through its various investment programmes, acting as the primary conduit and point of contact between these organisations and ACE. I am also responsible for contributing to ACE's developmental work across England.

I worked across two parts of the Photoworks programme. Firstly as Curator of the Picturing High Streets programme, a nationwide project produced with Historic England that will create an unofficial photographic archive of England’s high streets. Partners include GRAIN Projects, Impressions Gallery, Open Eye Gallery, Photofusion Photography Centre, QUAD/FORMAT, Redeye, ReFramed, the Photography and Archive Research Centre (PARC), and the Photographer’s Gallery. Also responsible for the management and redevelopment of the Photoworks Friends membership programme. This new role aims to achieve richer engagement with Photoworks subscribers while contributing positively to various projects.

Birmingham, England, United Kingdom

Responsible for curating and coordinating Centrala’s annual programme of five major exhibitions (main gallery) and six exhibitions for emerging practitioners (gallery two). Responsible for researching and delivering the arts programme, including fundraising, artist support, technical installations, production of contextual events (physical and online), and exhibition administration. Key contact for all exhibitions and budgets, building positive relationships with stakeholders and the Centrala board while ensuring effective communication throughout all internal and external projects. Collaborated with the Community Engagement Officer and broader team to create an inclusive arts programme and contributed to funding applications.

Coventry, England, United Kingdom

Assistant Curator for three exhibitions (UnNatural Histories, the Turner Prize, and a Daniel Lismore solo exhibition) delivered as part of the City of Culture series of events. My main area of responsibility was the delivery of the Turner Prize from inception through to completion, working with nominees Black Obsidian Sound System and Project Art Works. I managed the planning and production of the exhibition, supporting the curator and acting as the key point of contact throughout. Attended regular stakeholder meetings with the City of Culture, Herbert Art Gallery and Museum, and Tate and reported on areas such as public programme, catalogue production, artist profile videos, management of the installation, and production budgets.

A key contributor to QUAD’s digitally-focussed programme and the FORMAT International Photography Festival. Curated all of QUAD’s Extra Gallery Space exhibitions and co-curated an exhibition within QUAD Gallery, in addition to many FORMAT19 and FORMAT21 city-wide exhibitions. Also co-curated the first virtual iteration of FORMAT in partnership with New Art City (Los Angeles). Coordinated FORMAT’s exhibition at Lishui Photography Festival in China, supporting the Artistic Director and Senior Curator and hosting resident artists from China, Hong Kong, Nigeria, Pakistan, and South Africa across various partnership projects. Also supported and produced the public programme, including the largest portfolio review in Europe, FORMAT Portfolio Review, and the East Meets West masterclass series in partnership with GRAIN Projects (Birmingham).

Mlitt Curatorial Practice (Contemporary Art)

Ba (Hons)