Dr Sarah Chapman

• Arts strategy, management and curation 

• Multi art-form and inter/cross-disciplinary art practice

• The benefits of a liberal arts education within H.E/ history and development of public art galleries/collections associated with UK Universities

• Critical cultural writing/reviews and commentary 

• Performance poetry/ writing

• Painting and photography

• Found photographs

Selected Projects:

2020: Co-curator with P. Hoare and A. Cockayne - The Ancient Mariner Big Read (April 2020), a new digital interpretation of Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s classic The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, featuring special readings from world renowned names and contributions from international artists. In partnership with The Box; John Hansard Gallery, University of Southampton; University of Bath; The Marine Institute, Plymouth. Funding from multiple sources.

2019 - 2020: Co-curator with P. Hoare and A. Cockayne - Mariner: A Painted Ship upon a Painted Ocean, a national touring exhibition including new commissions by Serena Korda, Grace Schwindt, Lucy + Jorge Orta and Mary Evans, alongside selected work by Nicola Bealing, Vija Celmins, Angela Cockayne, Naomi Frears, Ellen Gallagher & Edgar Cleijne, Justin Brice Guariglia, Nadav Kander, Linder, Joe Lyward, and Richard Wentworth. Delivered by The Arts Institute and The Box, Plymouth partnership, in association with Andrew Brownsword Gallery, University of Bath and John Hansard Gallery, University of Southampton. Supported by Arts Council England. This national touring exhibition was first presented at The Levinsky Gallery, Plymouth (17 September - 17 November, 2019), Andrew Brownsword Gallery, Bath (24 January - 23 March, 2020) and John Hansard Gallery, University of Southampton (2 May–4 July 2020).

2018: Curator - Great Artists / Great Teachers. Featuring Phyllida Barlow, David Batchelor, Anthony Caro, Michael Craig-Martin, Richard Hamilton, Lubaina Himid, Janice Kerbel, Rosalind Nashashibi, Wendy Pasmore, Victor Pasmore, Carl Plackman, Bob and Roberta Smith, Jon Thompson and Richard Wentworth. In partnership with the Arts Council Collection, Royal Academy of Arts, London and The Box.

Conceived and launched the Plymouth Contemporary (2015, 2017, 2021) in partnership with KARST and The Box. With a new artist award. Supported by multiple funders.

2017: Co-curator with B. Borthwick - Malcolm Le Grice: Present Moments and Passing Time. Dual sited exhibition in partnership with Plymouth Arts Centre.

2016-2019: Executive management of The Atlantic Project, a 3-week public art festival that commissioned new artwork within the public realm, bringing artists and performers of international standing to Plymouth. Part of a two-year multiple funded city-wide festival ‘Horizon’ supported by Arts Council England.

2016: Curator - Searching for Genius: Douglas Gordon and Sir Joshua Reynolds, Peninsula Arts Gallery in association with Arts Angel, London and the Gagosian, London.

2016 - to date: launched The Arts Institute artist film commission (previously Peninsula Arts) and the new film artist award. In partnership with the South West Film & Television archive. Successful artists include: Frances Scott, Bryony Gillard, Richard Broomhall, Chris Bailey and Ieuan Jones.

2013-2016: Executive management of the River Tamar Project, including It's All About the River film festival (September-October 2014). Funding from multiple sources.

2015: Co-curator - Soil Culture: Dig It, in partnership with the Centre for Contemporary Art and the Natural World (CCANW), featuring Canadian artist-in-residence Lisa Hirmer (Dodolab). Supported by the British Society of Soil Science and Arts Council England. Part of the touring exhibition - Deep Roots, with international artists: Paolo Barrile, Mel Chin, Herman de Vries, Richard Long, Ana Mendieta and Claire Pentecost with work by Chris Drury, Andy Goldsworthy, Sandra Masterson, Daro Montag, David Nash, Peter Ward and Adam White.

2015: PRESENT TENSE: Sarah Chapman & Karen Roulstone. Exhibition exploring the relationship between the codes of painting and photography. Alamo Projects, Plymouth.

2014: Co-curator with Plymouth City Museum & Art Gallery - Peter Randall-Page: New Sculpture and Works on Paper, first major exhibition in the region for twenty-five years. Including overseeing the temporary loan of three large scale sculptures - Fructus, Corpus and Phyllotaxus, on the University of Plymouth campus (2014-2017).

2012- 2014: Executive Director and co-curator of Moby-Dick Big Read www.mobydickbigread.com contributions from Tilda Swindon, David Attenborough, Stephen Fry, Benedict Cumberbatch amongst others, alongside a line-up of international artists. Also shown as part of Aquatopia at Nottingham Contemporary (2013) and TATE St Ives (2013-2014). Funding from multiple partners.

2012: Managed commission of new public art sculpture - Arrival and Departure by Ian McChesney (St James Square, University of Plymouth), as part of the University 150th anniversary celebrations.

2012: Curator - Knowledge Museum Kit and News After News: Dan Perjovschi and Lia Perjovschi exhibition and publication. Funding support from the Romanian Cultural Institute.

2009: Co-curator - (Re)Sounding signs: Polish Chopin Posters 1955-2006, including Henryk Tomaszewski, the Wroclaw Four group, Rafal Olbinski and Waldemar Swierzy, with funding from the Adam Mickiewicz Institute, Poland and the Polish Embassy, London.

2008: Curator - Art & Insects. Funded by the Royal Entomological Society (University of Plymouth). 

2008: Curator - Beryl Cook 1926-2008, A Retrospective exhibition and publication.