Curator and arts freelancer Mollie Barnes made waves in an uncertain art world when she founded online platform She Curates at the beginning of the pandemic. With a career that has included work in events, marketing, artist liaison and teaching, Barnes' passion and commitment to arts accessibility has set her practice apart. In this interview, she speaks to us about how to break through the sometimes alienating aspects of the creative industries, how 'being cheeky' has helped her build her career, and shares her experiences of entering the art world without a traditional arts background.
Mollie Barnes
MN: Could you tell us a little about yourself and your practice?
MB: Hello! Thank you so much for inviting me to speak to you. I’m Mollie, I am a Curator based in the UK, and I support my practice with Freelancing in the art world. I specialise in events, exhibitions, marketing and artist liaison work!
During the first lockdown in the UK I started She Curates. It began as a way to keep my mind busy, as well as a way to attempt to support the artists I had been working with, as all my exhibitions had been put on hold! It’s really transformed my practice and opened up so many contacts for me. I feel very lucky to have such wonderful support!
MN: You’ve said that your practice aims to dispel the ‘myth of the art world’ - could you tell us a little about this?
MB: There is an impenetrable veneer around the art world that alienates a lot of people. This can be as common as walking into a big gallery and feeling like you don’t belong. In a professional capacity, as with so many sectors, everybody seems to know everybody, and if you’re not one of those people, you sometimes feel you may as well not turn up.
I’ve worked in many different jobs in the arts since I was a teenager, and the myth and the pristine is changing. There are so many people working for an accessible, non-intimidating landscape. It can be dressed up with white walls and fluffy artistic language, but it is just like any other world, and people shouldn’t feel intimidated to join and be a part of it.
MN: What is the most rewarding part of your work?
MB: Honestly, the drink after the opening night of an exhibition with the artists and organisers. That sigh of relief over a pint!
After supporting an artist or group of artists through the process of creating an exhibition, the work and the curation, it’s nice to know it’s gone well, and to know the artist(s) will be being supported.
MN: You’ve mentioned that you don’t have a ‘traditional’ arts background - what challenges have you faced within your career because of this? What would your advice be to aspiring arts professionals without degrees/contacts?
MB: When you start trying to get your foot in the door, you realise people have huge upper hands with previous contacts, being able to afford unpaid or poorly paid internships, and a million other things. I didn’t have any contacts going in. My journey in the art world started when I was in the middle of school and started doing some work for a local art exhibition. I think it’s been non-traditional because of the work structure...I worked at a pub when leaving school, trained as a framer, managed an art shop, started running social media for different artists and galleries, was an art teacher...it’s been a long list of experiences but I’ve loved every one.
I think people are better now at respecting other voices in the room, but it’s definitely something that is still contended with! I only know a tiny percentage of it. I know many people need a first class degree, a masters and often more... I don’t have a degree yet (working on it currently!).
My advice is genuinely to reach out to everyone. It’s easy to say, but people aren’t anywhere near as intimidating as you think they are! You quickly learn if you’re approaching the wrong people, and there are so many amazing people who are so excited and eager to help connect you and work with you.
MN: I love your ‘be cheeky’ advice - what other ways can we collectively challenge the introspective focus of the art world to make it more accessible?
MB: Oh there are are so many ways, and so many things that NEED to be challenged.
I think a self-awareness is important, especially for people of privilege like myself. To give up your space, and highlight other people. To be a part of sustained movements and to work forwards together. Accessibility is a huge thing. Make your galleries accessible! Make sure there is wheelchair access. Ensure you include families, mothers, fathers, parents and carers. Don’t dismiss people for gaps in their CVs. Make every space a safe space. Respect everyone.
MN: You’ve had multiple arts jobs over your career, such as marketing, gallery administration, working on arts committees - how has this influenced your practice?
MB: This is a tricky one, and I hope that people I work with would answer it better. I’ve had a lot of artists say to me that I give them the time, space and respect they often don’t get from galleries. Which is sad, but I think that comes from working alongside them throughout. I hope it’s given me a broad understanding of practices and working with people!
MN: Could you tell us about the course you recently co-designed with Christie’s?
MB: That was a lovely 2020 experience. Honestly, the real work came from Glen Hardwick Bruce, the man behind the courses at Christie's, and he was such a pleasure to be speaking to! Glen and I met in 2019, and when lockdown hit, I approached him to discuss the possibility of the course. I’ve always been aware that many people in the early stages of their careers in the art-world - whatever age - can feel very isolated and excluded from this strange world. I wanted to work to design a course that included the pieces they don’t usually teach you, or are hard to learn especially at an early level. We also worked to make it as accessible as possible, through the course work, timings to make it internationally accessible, pricing structures and more.
MN: What advice would you give to aspiring freelance arts professionals? What advantages and disadvantages have you faced with freelancing?
MB: Like you say before - I always give the same piece of advice: “Be Cheeky”. And not just cheeky, but REALLY cheeky. Message that huge account on Instagram, reach out on LinkedIn to that Projects Manager, ask for a coffee date from the Artist. Just do it. The best experiences I’ve had are from the things I never believed would happen.
Advantages:
Choosing the people you work for when you become more established. In a permanent position, you can be stuck with a team you don’t gel with.
Flexibility. You can move about, try new things, work across the world even!
Disadvantages:
Frightening instability. I think this is why people find it so hard to get into. If you have a huge backing behind you, it is much easier. When I was first getting started I always had a steady job, then it would be at least 3 days a week, now everything is freelance. It takes a long time. I’ve worked throughout school, and have been working full time in one way or another since I was 18. It takes time to build but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it.
Not necessarily a disadvantage, but I would say the need to be kind to yourself. With a 9-5 job, it can be easy to leave things at work or at the end of the day. With freelancing it’s an entirely new set of skills, and one of those can be looking after yourself which is hard for so many. Try having another phone if you can afford it, to switch off your work phone. Make sure to have a separate account/ accounts for friends. Set a curfew. I also make it a practice to set in my personal time as if they were meetings. I block in a walk with my dog every day and never miss it.
MN: She Curates has shown an incredible ability to adapt to the conditions of the pandemic, while being a place of solace and inspiration for us as an audience throughout lockdown. How else have you adapted your practice in COVID-19?
MB: That’s incredibly kind thank you - so She Curates as a platform WAS my adapting to the conditions of the pandemic. Every event, exhibition or occasion I had planned was suddenly on pause of cancelled for the pandemic, and the artists I was supporting in ‘the physical world’ suddenly has plans put on hold too. She Curates had been on my mind for a long time, and a few days into the UK lockdown, I decided to implement it to support these artists.
Nothing has been planned for me with it, it’s been a true testimony to the kindness of people to me and each other during this time.
I’m glad the platform is a place of comfort and welcome to everyone. That’s exactly what I want. Everyone is welcome and everyone has a place.
MN: What has been your career highlight so far and where do you want to take your practice next?
MB: My career highlight through She Curates so far has definitely been the exhibition launch with Gillian Jason - Heart of the Matter, featuring Tracey Emin, Bridget Riley, Chantal Joffe, Jasmine Pradissitto, Sikelela Owen, Emma Prempeh, Layla Andrews, Eleanor Johnson, Sarah Jane Moon, Sahara Longe and Cecily Brown. It was a crazy thing to work on and I am so proud of the exhibition and to work with these PHENOMENAL artists.
I’m going to have to be a bit coy here - but I have some amazingly exciting projects coming up with Gillian Jason Gallery, UNIT Drops, Wilder Gallery, CURA Art and many more! It’s so exciting.
Generally speaking, I want to work on decentralising my practice. I’ve always been a regional Curator, and I want to do more of that - exhibiting around the country.
HOSTED BY MILLIE NORMAN
