Symposium by the sea
Wednesday 21 October 2026
Speakers & Panellists
The voices shaping this year’s conversation
Our symposium brings together artists, curators, thinkers and cultural leaders whose work spans rural communities, major institutions and everything in between. Each brings a different perspective on what cultural access can — and should — look like.
Jago Cooper — Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts
Director of the Sainsbury Centre, Jago is known for his bold thinking about museums, audiences and the future of cultural institutions. His work explores how art can be reframed through global, local and ecological perspectives — and what it means for major institutions to genuinely serve the communities around them.
David Johnson — Arts Council England, Place Partnerships
David leads ACE’s Place Partnerships work, focusing on how investment can better support communities outside traditional cultural centres. He brings deep insight into funding, policy and the structural challenges facing rural and coastal places — and what it takes to shift national systems toward fairness.
Rosie Cooper — Wysing Arts Centre
Rosie leads one of the UK’s most innovative artist‑centred organisations, known for championing experimental practice far from the traditional metropolitan hubs. Her work at Wysing explores how rural contexts can nurture radical ideas, and how artists thrive when given space to think differently.
Sarah Lowndes — Independent Curator & Writer
Sarah’s career has been shaped by a deep commitment to socially engaged art, DIY culture and the politics of place. She brings a sharp, critical eye to how communities participate in culture — and how power, access and representation play out in real life, not just policy documents.
Helen Higgins — The Courtauld
At The Courtauld, Helen works across research, collections and public engagement, exploring how major institutions can build more equitable relationships with audiences beyond London. She brings insight into how national bodies can shift their practices to better serve diverse places.
Emily Medd — Towner Eastbourne
Emily is part of the curatorial team behind Towner’s acclaimed contemporary programme. Working on the edge of another coastal community, she understands how regional galleries can lead national conversations — and how place shapes both artistic practice and public engagement.
Mark Wilsher — Norwich University of the Arts
An artist, educator and writer, Mark has long explored how artists build sustainable practices outside metropolitan centres. His perspective bridges teaching, critical dialogue and hands‑on making, offering a grounded view of what creative life looks like in the East of England.
Hannah Widdington — The National Gallery
Hannah specialises in opening up one of the world’s most significant collections to wider audiences. Her work focuses on learning, participation and the practical realities of connecting national institutions with communities who may never set foot in central London.
Tom Emery — Tate Liverpool
Tom works across exhibitions, partnerships and civic engagement at Tate Liverpool, bringing experience from a major institution rooted in a post‑industrial coastal city. He offers a valuable perspective on how large organisations can collaborate meaningfully with local communities.
Lisa Newby — Norfolk Museums Service
Lisa’s work is grounded in community‑centred programming and local heritage. With deep knowledge of Norfolk’s rural and coastal contexts, she brings an essential understanding of what cultural access looks like on the ground — and what it takes to make it meaningful.
