Peter Heslip – Director of Visual Arts, Arts Council England – reflects on ActionSpace’s Symposium in his Arts Council Blog

On 26 March 2026, Curating and Coalition: Challenging and Expanding the Art World in the Wake of Nnena Kalu’s Turner Prize Win brought together curators, scholars, disability advocates and cultural leaders at Kingston University’s Town House.

Peter Heslip – Director of Visual Arts, Arts Council England – joined us as one of the guest speakers, and made a very poignant introduction, which you can listen to HERE.

This week, he’s reflected on the day in the Arts Council Blog, and how supported studios sit at the heart of the questions posed and, importantly, are the models for success. He says: “They are not simply spaces of access or support but also environments where sustained artistic practice develops over time. They foster powerful relationships between artists and skilled facilitators which create the conditions for ambitious work.”

For our full digest of this important day, head to our webpage Symposium 2026.

Symposium 2026: Curation and Coalition could not have happened without our partners, Lisa Slominski and Stanley Picker Gallery, and we’re grateful for the support of the Arts Council.

Photo by Denis Colebourne, courtesy of Stanley Picker Gallery.