Sarah Perks is the Artistic Director for Cornerhouse and HOME in the Visual Art & Film department. An international curator and producer with over ten year’s experience in the field of contemporary visual art, independent film and engagement, Sarah is a specialist in artist feature length film, setting up the Cornerhouse Artist Film in 2011 with the aim of investigating new methods of production, distribution and exhibition for artist feature films.
Sarah has worked extensively with international established artists including Jeremy Deller, Rashid Rana, and David Shrigley, with her most recent curatorial credits including the group show “Anguish and Enthusiasm: What do you do with your revolution once you’ve got it?” and a solo exhibition featuring Los Angeles performance and video artist Stanya Kahn, entitled “It’s cool, I’m good”.
How did you begin to work in the art sector and how did this lead to your career as the artistic director at Cornerhouse?
I began with studying and teaching both film and visual art, which includes a period at Manchester Metropolitan University. I also had a number of jobs that built up my management and business skills before starting at Cornerhouse many years ago, as the Film Education Officer. Then, after being responsible for all education and engagement, I took over both the film and visual art programmes and worked hard to integrate all of our programmes for creative and strategic reasons.
What would you say your biggest role is as the artistic director?
Large-scale artists commissions across all media- there’s a lot of expectation put on one artist and I have to manage that successfully across everything and within parameters whilst making sure the artist can create amazing new work!
What is the process of creating an exhibition? Is it different depending on the artist and budget you’re working with or does each show work to a strict template?
It’s impossible to work to a template, everything is different and artists work in very different ways. I believe each project needs an individual approach to keep it fresh and open. Of course there’s a template in terms of budgets and certain practical aspects of the gallery space. Creating an exhibition takes a lot of time working with the artist, curator and the Cornerhouse team to develop all of the aspects from initial ideas to fundraising to marketing and press. It’s a team effort and also based on strong individual relationships between the key players.
How do you decide which artist to work with on a new exhibition or event?
Cornerhouse has a visual arts strategy and we use this to identify artists and themes, which might be desk research or going out to see new work. To put the strategy simply, it’s about the contemporary new international visual artists, who are either breakthrough (not shown at a UK public institution) or a mid-career artist doing something different. Then there’s a process of research, studio visits and getting to know artists before committing to an exhibition or project.
Is it important to challenge the audience’s perception of art at Cornerhouse by taking risks with exhibitions? Or is it important to keep to a formula that works for the broadest audience?
Part of our strategy is also to be risk taking and challenge audiences, so this is definitely part of our ethos. Other galleries often choose blockbuster shows and mid-career retrospectives, which can guarantee large audience numbers. But there has to be a space for work that is more challenging, though that might be more in its content rather than in terms of art. That said, we constantly consider how to make exhibitions accessible to the wider audiences possible but without making things too self-explanatory.
Do the opinions of the public affect the artists you pick and the exhibitions you chose to move forward with?
Yes of course, I have worked here for over eleven years so I know a lot of our audiences. I read all of the comments they leave for us and we often talk about audiences on a day-to-day basis.
The public is a large group but we do research to find out more about key groups. We also have lots of events and programmes that involve participants so they often are involved in creating the artworks. Although it is worth remembering that you can’t please everyone and you have to challenge and introduce new things too!
Is there an element of subjectivity when creating an exhibition? Is it difficult to maintain the artist’s vision when you have an idea of how you want to exhibit the work?
It’s more about a dialogue with the artists and then audiences and all stakeholders. Curating is not especially subjective nor should it be, but you need to discuss what’s best for the work and all of the people that encounter it. There are compromises but it’s probably better to approach it as creative problem solving!
Do the trends of other galleries and the shift in focus of the art market influence the decisions you make about moving forward with a particular exhibition?
There are definitely trends in the art world but I try to be ahead of them, creating them or at least be well informed about them! It’s vital to be aware of what everyone is doing. The art market is less useful but part of the ecology. Our artists are sometimes not represented; we don’t choose them on the basis of gallery representation or art market value.
What are your aims for the new gallery space ‘HOME’?
We’ve spent a lot of time developing a new visual arts strategy for HOME although it builds clearly on the legacy of Cornerhouse. There is a greater focus on new commissions and producing work. There is a greater focus on cross-art form, particularly exploring performance now we will have theatre spaces. It’s an incredibly exciting opportunity and so exciting for the city to have a dedicated international contemporary arts centre that will influence locally, nationally and around the world. I’m also delighted that the gallery is on the ground floor, very visible and not up several flights of stairs!
Art School Illustrated 