Case Study - Waking the Artist: Exhibition
Commissioner - LEEDS 2023 & ACE Funded
Freelance Curator

Responding to circa 3000 artworks submitted to LEEDS 2023 by the public for their opening ceremony 'The Awakening', The Waking the Artist Exhibition brought a selection of these artworks to life through an explorable, family friendly exhibition in a site-specific location, boasting 360° panoramic views of Leeds. In the lead up to the exhibition, the artworks were seeped into the fabric of the city through collaborations and activations, including a beer collaboration with North Brewing.

Subverting a typical exhibition format, the Waking the Artist Exhibition utilised smell, explorable set, bespoke props, interactive elements, media, sound (designed by NikNak), live interactive performance (The Lovely Boys), and real flora and fauna in it's make-up. Encouraging people to feel a sense of joy and wonder in their exploration of a usually off-limits space high above the city skyline.

The exhibition was experience by circa 2,500 members of the public over 4 days, with a wrap around engagement of circa 18,000 via activations and artwork across the city, a limited beer release across (UK France, Gurnsey & China) with North Brewing, circa 80,000 impressions via social pick-up (tiktok, instagram), and press coverage in the likes of Leeds List and BBC Radio Leeds.