2021 Emerging Curator in residence announced for Kilkenny Arts Office
The Kilkenny County Council Arts Office is delighted to announce that they have recently appointed Aoife Banks as the third curator to avail of the Emerging Curator in Residence Programme. This programme will enable Aoife to gain direct experience in the field of curating exhibitions with Kilkenny County Council Arts Office.
Three exhibitions or projects in total will be organised between June and December, providing Aoife with the platform to further develop her career, expand her artistic and creative networks and avail of a mentoring programme with Curator and Cultural consultant Eamonn Maxwell.
Aoife states that she is delighted to have been selected for the Kilkenny Arts Office Curator in Residence programme and is looking forward to engaging with the diverse communities and rich culture of Kilkenny and curating a series of exhibitions that speak to our current sociocultural climate
This programme will also enhance the cultural vibrancy of Kilkenny by showcasing the works of Kilkenny artists and that of artists from across Ireland. An outreach programme will coincide with each exhibition, seeking to involve communities in Kilkenny and diversifying audiences and engagement. All exhibitions and associated activities will be undertaken in line with relevant Covid-19 restrictions and permissions.
Aoife is an independent curator and arts manager based in Dublin. Her curatorial practice explores contemporary visual cultures through a queer and decolonial praxis. She was a recipient of Pallas Projects’ Artist Initiated Award in 2018, for which she curated the group exhibition and public engagement programme The Queeratorial. She has since curated multiple exhibitions and managed public engagement programmes for cultural institutions in Dublin City. Aoife received her joint BA in Fine Art and Visual Culture in 2018 and MFA in Visual Culture, Art in the Contemporary World, in 2020 at the National College of Art and Design.
Mary Butler, Arts Officer says ‘we are delighted to welcome Aoife to work with us over 2021 and to support this phase of her career. We are looking forward to working with Aoife for the three exhibitions and associated activities that will materialise over the coming months and to working with new artists. We also look forward to embracing new audiences and participants throughout the programme.
