DIVISION OF LABOUR: Regional Visual Arts Development through Gallery Practice

Pitt works as a curator and gallerist with a commitment to regional art collection and art markets. This multi-component research output comprises the curation of over 20 exhibitions and related presentations at international art fairs and festivals. This curatorial practice is documented through photography, film, social media and a working archive of exhibitions on the gallery website. Pitt primarily curates work at the galleries PITT Studio and Division of Labour. Exhibitions in the main have taken place in Worcester, London and Salford. Division of Labour also exhibits at around 10 international events annually. Pitt’s curatorial methodology places emphasis on supporting and presenting art outside the traditional art centres like London or other international centres. Division of Labour specialises in critically engaged art supporting artists whose work is difficult to market but nevertheless deals with important social and socio-economic issues. It supports diversity and widening access and participation, and aims to encourage and educate new audiences in the regions. Division of Labour provides a conduit for emerging artists from the regions to access museum and private collection exposure. The hypothesis is that by strengthening local ecologies in art we can increase subscription and improve regional art collections.

The key research questions underpinning this multi-component output are:

• How might art curation as a strategic practice be explored through an action research methodology of exhibitions. The issues being explored in this search include the geograph-ic distribution of funding in the arts and the effects upon learning from contemporary art curation due to access to progressive curatorial practice?

• How might the art market and the ecology of contemporary fine art in regions outside London be supported by curatorial practice?