aesthetica symposium
18 SEPTEMBER | YORK
WELCOME
The Future Now Symposium is a national platform for vision, collaboration, and action across art, culture, heritage and the creative industries. It brings together leading voices from architecture, art, design, digital innovation and publishing to explore urgent themes shaping our changing world – including the ethics of representation, AI, new technologies, diaspora and the climate emergency. It is the place to meet, connect and open your mind to fresh ideas. Contemporary art takes the temperature of society, building bridges between communities, unravelling histories and imagining alternate futures. This event, which comes at a pivotal moment in time, asks: What does the future of curation look like in a digital age? How can creatives build sustainable careers? What investment and infrastructure supports emerging talent nationally and internationally? These are the questions that will drive the day, answered, reshaped and reframed by the UK’s leading artists, galleries and key institutions.
This year’s sessions include Creative Business Toolkit, which looks at how you can develop and adapt amidst reduced public funding, shifting markets and pressure on arts education. The Future of Curation is an opportunity to look inside the programming of leading institutions, including Barbican, Design Museum, Serpentine and Whitworth. We also welcome Turner Prize-winning artist Paloma Strelitz of Assemble and Patch, who shares insights on collaborative practice and cultural innovation, and Robin McNicholas, co-founder of Marshmallow Laser Feast, a groundbreaking collective working with immersive media. Plus, meet the shortlist for the Aesthetica Art Prize 2025, who will introduce their diverse practices – film, painting, photography, sculpture and more. In addition to these discussions and debates, attendees can book 1-1 portfolio reviews with industry leaders and enjoy exclusive access to the Aesthetica Art Prize 2025 Private View and the Future Tense exhibition at York Art Gallery. Both shows highlight work engaging with the most pressing issues of our times.
Cherie Federico, Director, Aesthetica
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS: THURSDAY 18 SEPTEMBER
WELCOME ADDRESS 09:30 - 09:50 DOORS OPEN 09:00
SESSION 2 10:30 - 11:30 CREATIVE BUSINESS TOOLKIT
SESSION 3 11:45 - 12:45 THE FUTURE OF CURATION
SESSION 4 13:45 - 14:15 MEET THE AESTHETICA ART PRIZE FINALISTS
SESSION 5 14:15 - 15:15
IMMERSION AND IMAGINATION: MARSHMALLOW LASER FEAST
SESSION 6 15:30 - 16:30 CREATIVE PLACES AND COLLECTIVE AGENCY: PALOMA STRELITZ
SESSION 7 16:30 - 17:30
CLOSING WORDS, NETWORKING AND DRINKS
SESSION 1 09:50 - 10:30 MEET THE AESTHETICA ART PRIZE FINALISTS 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00
PRIVATE VIEW 18:00 - 20:00 YORK ART GALLERY, Y01 7EW LUNCH 12:45 - 13:45 GRAB YOUR OWN AT YSJU CANTEEN BREAK 17:30 - 18:00
WELCOME ADDRESS 09:30-09:50 (DOORS 09:00)
We are living through a defining moment. It’s an era of extraordinary transformation that is reshaping every aspect of society. Emerging technologies, evolving economies and global uncertainties are not only changing how we live, work and connect – they are redefining what is possible. Yet, within this disruption lies an unprecedented opportunity: the chance to imagine new systems, inspire bold ideas and build a future rooted in creativity and inclusion. At Aesthetica, we believe in the power of ideas and in championing the next generation of visionaries. That is why Future Now exists: to unite artists, thinkers, entrepreneurs and policymakers in meaningful dialogue and action. As Cherie Federico opens the 2025 Symposium, she invites us to embrace this pivotal moment. The future is here. Let’s shape it, together.
CHERIE FEDERICO
Cherie is the Editor of Aesthetica Magazine and the Director of the Aesthetica Film Festival, which is BAFTA-Qualifying. She is also the founder of the Aesthetica Art Prize and the Future Now Symposium. Originally from New York, Cherie moved to the UK to study for her Master’s degree and founded Aesthetica, which she has since developed into an international brand distributed in 1200 stores in the UK and exported to 20 countries. Cherie is a champion of creative talent across the arts, from film and literature to photography.
SESSION 1 09:50-10:30
MEET THE AESTHETICA ART PRIZE FINALISTS
Get a closer look at some of the most exciting contemporary artists working today as eight Aesthetica Art Prize finalists take to the stage. Each artist speaks for five minutes, offering a window into their creative process and the stories behind their shortlisted works. This dynamic panel spans film, digital media, installation, photography and sculpture, showcasing the innovation shaping today’s art landscape. This spotlight session features Àsìkò, Bart Nelissen, Joanne Coates, Kate Hrynko, Liz Miller Kovacs, Michelle Blancke, Sam Metz and Sof. It’s the ideal way to set the tone for the day – and a perfect, thoughtprovoking introduction ahead of the evening’s Private View at York Art Gallery.
Michelle Blancke, Secret Garden , (2023).
SESSION 2 10:30 - 11:30
CREATIVE BUSINESS TOOLKIT: STRATEGIES FOR SUSTAINABLE PRACTICE
In today’s rapidly evolving landscape, creative professionals need more than talent – they need strategy. With reduced public funding, shifting markets and increasing pressure on arts education, developing a sustainable and adaptable practice has never been more urgent. In this session, hear from Cherie Federico, Director of Aesthetica, who co-founded the organisation with Dale Donley over 20 years ago while they were students. Together, they have grown Aesthetica into one of the UK’s leading arts organisations. Drawing on this experience, Cherie will explore how to cultivate entrepreneurial thinking, define clear goals, engage audiences and identify new revenue opportunities. The session will also address funding, representation and market expansion, offering a clear framework for building a resilient practice while staying true to your creative vision.
CHERIE FEDERICO
Cherie is the Editor of Aesthetica Magazine and the Director of the Aesthetica Film Festival, which is BAFTA-Qualifying. She is also the founder of the Aesthetica Art Prize and the Future Now Symposium.
Originally from New York, Cherie moved to the UK to study for her Master’s degree and founded Aesthetica, which she has since developed into an international brand distributed in 1200 stores in the UK and exported to 20 countries. Cherie is a champion of creative talent across the arts, from film and literature to photography.
HADEEL ELTAYEB
DISPLAYS CURATOR
DESIGN MUSEUM
HEAD OF ARTS TECHNOLOGIES
SERPENTINE GALLERIES
HEAD OF CREATIVE PROGRAMME & IMMERSIVE, BARBICAN CENTRE
NEPHERTITI OBOSHIE SCHANDORF
ENGAGEMENT & PARTICIPATION LEAD WELLCOME TRUST
POPPY BOWERS
SENIOR CURATOR THE WHITWORTH
KAY WATSON
LUKE KEMP
SESSION 3 11:45-12:45
THE FUTURE OF CURATION: RETHINKING PRACTICE, POWER & PUBLICS
Curation is evolving. As audiences shift, institutions are re-examining how stories are told, whose voices are heard, and what it means to create spaces that are truly inclusive and responsive. This session brings together leading curators from across the UK to explore the next chapter in curatorial practice – one that is collaborative, critical and conscious of its role in shaping cultural narratives. Chaired by Nephertiti Oboshie Schandorf of Wellcome Trust, this panel discussions features Hadeel Eltayeb, who is Displays Curator at The Design Museum; Kay Watson, Head of Arts Technologies at Serpentine Galleries; Barbican Centre’s Head of Creative Programme, Luke Kemp; and Poppy Bowers, Senior Curator at The Whitworth.
Serpentine Pavilion
Capsule in Time, designed by Marina Tabassum, Marina Tabassum Architects (MTA). Exterior view. © Marina Tabassum Architects (MTA), Photo Iwan Baan, Courtesy: Serpentine.
SESSION 4 13:45 - 14:15
MEET THE AESTHETICA ART PRIZE FINALISTS SESSIONS
Step inside the creative process as seven more finalists from the Aesthetica Art Prize take to the stage, each offering a short, sharp insight into their work and ideas. In just five minutes each, these artists will share what drives their practice –from early inspiration to execution – giving you a rare look behind the finished pieces. Spanning disciplines like digital media, installation, film, photography and sculpture, the finalists embody the diversity shaping contemporary art. You’ll hear from Brendan Dawes, Emma Scarafiotti, Peter Spanjer, Rayvenn Shaleigha D’Clark, Stephen Johnston, Sujata Setia and Susanna Wallin as they share the stories behind the artworks. Perfect for a burst of inspiration.
Stephen Johnston, Flowers in Jar no.11 (2024).
Of the Oak , by Marshmallow Laser Feast
SESSION 5 14:15 - 15:15
IMMERSION AND IMAGINATION WITH MARSHMALLOW LASER FEAST
Step into a world where the boundaries between art, technology and experience dissolve. In this keynote session, Robin McNicholas, Creative Director and Co-founder of the award-winning collective Marshmallow Laser Feast, offers an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the studio’s groundbreaking work – spanning large-scale installations, live performance, XR, virtual production and immersive cinema. Their innovative, multisensory storytelling reawakens our connection to the natural world, blending cutting-edge technology with human experiences. Marshmallow Laser Feast’s genre-defying projects have been showcased worldwide at prestigious venues and events such as Bradford 2025, the Barbican Centre, Kew Gardens, Lisbon Architecture Triennial, Sundance Festival and Phi Centre Montreal.
ROBIN MCNICHOLAS
As Co-founder and Director of award-winning creative studio Marshmallow Laser Feast (MLF), Robin has directed a myriad of immersive experiences, large-scale installations and live performances. His primary focus is on creating mixed reality storyworlds and developing narrative works for live virtual productions that explore tactile, multi-sensory interaction. MLF is an experiential artist collective blurring the lines between art, immersive experiences, XR and film. They create work that exposes, explores and expands our relationship with the living world.
SESSION 6 15:30 - 16:30
CREATIVE PLACES AND COLLECTIVE AGENCY: PALOMA STRELITZ
Paloma Strelitz is the Creative Director and Head of Product at Patch, a startup building a national network of spaces for work, culture and community, designed to revitalise town centres across the UK. Before joining Patch, Paloma co-founded the architecture and design studio Assemble, which is dedicated to civic and cultural development. Their work was awarded the Turner Prize in 2015, and they were appointed Royal Academicians in 2022. In this session, Strelitz reflects on her journey from Assemble’s radical, grassroots ethos to leading new models of civic and cultural space. The conversation explores how creative leaders can drive meaningful change through collaboration, sustainability and spatial justice. rethinking who gets to build, who design is for, and how we create systems and spaces that serve the wider public.
PALOMA STRELITZ
Paloma Strelitz is a British architect, strategist and creative entrepreneur. She studied architecture at the University of Cambridge and the Royal College of Art, later earning a Loeb Fellowship at Harvard University, where she explored how technology can scale inclusive civic and economic development. As a recognised voice in her field, she has served as a Design Advocate for the Mayor of London, judged the European Prize for Urban Public Space and regularly speaks internationally on topics at the intersection of cities, culture and equitable design.
The Cineroleum by Assemble. Photo by Zander Olsen.
SESSIONS
| THURSDAY 18 SEPTEMBER
SESSION 7 16:30 - 17:30
CLOSING WORDS, NETWORKING AND DRINKS
Join us for the final hour of Future Now 2025 as we gather to reflect on the ideas, insights and connections forged throughout the day. With a glass of prosecco in hand, this informal reception offers space to pause, digest and connect – bringing together delegates, speakers, artists and curators in a celebration of shared ambition. Today has been a catalyst. We’ve explored how creativity shapes society, how new models of engagement are forming, and how urgent ideas are being expressed through film, installation, digital practice and more. As we close, we take away not just inspiration, but a renewed sense of purpose. Raise a glass to collaboration, courage and the future we’re building.
PORTFOLIO REVIEWS
YORK ST JOHN UNIVERSITY, CC/011 & CC/019
These 1-1 sessions are for practitioners working across all genres, including painting, photography, digital media, sculpture, video and more. Our industry experts provide essential guidance on how to develop ideas and further artists’ careers, as well as providing insights on funding opportunities and exhibition. Each session lasts 20 minutes. This is an opportunity to get key advice on any number of topics: how to accelerate your practice through digital platforms, how to approach curators and galleries, or simply to discuss a particular portion of your portfolio in real time. The first review is free with your pass. Additional reviews can be booked for £25 per slot.
18:00 - 20:00
AESTHETICA ART PRIZE EXHIBITION: PRIVATE VIEW AND AWARDS, YORK ART GALLERY (YO1 7EW)
Future Now Symposium ticket holders are invited to attend the exclusive Private View of the Aesthetica Art Prize 2025 at York Art Gallery. This evening event is a highlight of the programme, offering a first look at the shortlisted works from some of today’s most innovative and thought-provoking contemporary artists. The exhibition showcases pioneering practices across installation, film, photography, sculpture, performance and digital media. The pieces explore timely and vital themes – from climate justice and AI ethics to diasporic identity, memory, gender and global power structures –reflecting the complexity of our world and the transformative power of art.
Sarah Maple, Mother Tongue (2024).
SESSIONS & EVENTS | THURSDAY 18 SEPTEMBER
Sujata
Setia, A Thousand Cuts (2023).
DAMON JACKSON-WALDOCK
Damon Jackson-Waldock is a Curator, Creative Producer and arts programmer based in Yorkshire. He joined The Art House, Wakefield, as Programme Director in 2021. Damon’s role is to support the wide range of creative talent regionally and internationally without barriers and steer exciting exhibitions and residences in The Art House’s galleries and within the community. He worked at YSP for 11 years.
ELEANOR SUTHERLAND
Eleanor joined Aesthetica in 2017. As Creative Producer, she works across the magazine’s print and digital platforms, researching and writing on contemporary art. She loves discovering creatives and sharing their work with global readers. Eleanor strives to make art accessible through clear, engaging and assumption-free language. She studied Art History & English at University of York and is passionate about computer science.
DR GABRIELLE BARKESS-KERR
Dr Gabrielle Barkess-Kerr is Founder of The Curatorial Ethics Network for Contemporary Art Curators, dedicated to fostering integrity, accountability and inclusivity within the arts. She is a Teaching Fellow at Edinburgh College of Art. Her curatorial practice spans exhibitions, films and public programming, and places emphasis on innovative ideas and concepts, multimedia projects and narratives that resonate with a diversity of audiences.
GRISELDA GOLDSBROUGH
Griselda Goldsbrough is a visual artist and writer. She is committed to cultural and creative activity in community engagement projects within heritage, science, museums, galleries and healthcare. She is also Art and Design Development Manager at York Hospital, where she’s worked since 2016. Griselda has been involved in the Aesthetica Art Prize for 10-years, working alongside the team to recognise and champion new talent.
FUTURE NOW 2025 | PORTFOLIO REVIEWERS
HADEEL ELTAYEB
Hadeel Eltayeb is a curator who explores identity and cultural production. She is Displays Curator at The Design Museum. Past roles include Associate Curator at The Media Majlis at Northwestern University in Qatar, and Curator and Arts Manager at Al Riwaq Art Space in Bahrain. She was a 2019 Research fellow of the British Council at Venice Biennale. She specialises in oral history and art from South West Asia and North Africa.
HANNAH STARKEY
Photographer Hannah Starkey has had numerous solo exhibitions across the world. Her work has been included in Tate Modern, London; Tanya Bonakdar Gallery, New York; Turner Contemporary, Margate; Huis Marseille, Amsterdam; Schirn Kunsthalle, Frankfurt; the V&A, London; and The Hepworth Wakefield. She has received coverage in Aesthetica, The Guardian, The Telegraph and The New York Times, amongst many others.
KAY WATSON
Kay Watson is a Producer and Curator specialising in art, advanced technologies, photography and video games. In addition to serving as Head of Arts Technologies at London’s Serpentine Galleries, Kay is a Trustee for Brighton Photo Fringe, Mediale and The Photographers’ Gallery, London. She has worked at the Contemporary Art Society and with the ICA. Kay is a committed advocate of innovation and experimentation in the arts.
KIT MONKMAN
Kit Monkman is a leading innovator in screen-based art and interactive media. He is a Director and Founder at Viridian FX, one of the leading VFX houses in the North of England – with credits like House of the Dragon. Kit directed Macbeth (2018) and the five-channel video The People We Love (2020). He is co-founder of KMA, transforming public spaces across the world. Kit has worked with big names, from Netflix to Sky.
FUTURE NOW 2025 | PORTFOLIO REVIEWERS
LENNIE VARVARIDES
Lennie Varvarides is the Founder and Director of DYSPLA, a studio producing the work of Neurodivergent storymakers. Lennie runs DYSPLA_Chat, a peer-to-peer monthly gathering of like-minded Neurodivergent creatives. She is keen to support those who identify as Neurodivergent. DYSPLA makes short form, narrative-based digital art, and so Lennie is particularly interested in hybrid, film, experimental or avant-garde artwork.
LUKE KEMP
Luke Kemp is Head of Creative Programme, Immersive, at Barbican Centre. His most recent productions include leading on the curation and development of Feel the Sound (2025), Our Time on Earth (2022) and AI: More than Human (2019). Prior to the Barbican, Luke worked with galleries and organisations across the world on programming and projects including for the Venice Biennale and The Armory Show, amongst others.
NEPHERTITI OBOSHIE SCHANDORF
Nephertiti Oboshie Schandorf is a British-Ghanaian producer of site-responsive performance, audio and moving image in non-gallery contexts. She seeks collaboration and is inspired by cultural archives. Nephertiti serves on the Art on the Underground Advisory Panel and is Engagement and Participation Lead at Wellcome Trust. She is also a Trustee of Artichoke, and Former Artistic Director of Peckham Platform.
DR OPE LORI
Dr Ope Lori is the Founder and CEO of Pre-Image Learning and Action, an arts and diversity consultancy. She was a Lecturer at Chelsea School of Arts, Leeds Arts University and a guest Lecturer at the RCA. She specialises in lens-based media, on race, gender and desire in her political practice. She is author of the boundary-breaking book Beyond the Feminine: The Politics of Skin Colour and Gender in Visual Culture (Bloomsbury).
SADIE CLAYTON
Sadie Clayton is an award-winning artist and innovator who explores the creative boundaries between art and technology. Sadie is fascinated by innovation, has presented work at the Royal Academy of the Arts, Tate and the V&A, and has created content with Adobe films. In 2019, Sadie became the first artist to create works with the robot Ai-Da at Tate Modern, as part of the Tate Exchange’s exploration of new technology and the self.
SAMMARA ABBASI
Sammara Abbasi is the former Curatorial Assistant, Exhibitions & Live Programmes, at Modern Art Oxford. Born and raised in West London, she graduated with a BA in Art History and an MA in Museum Studies from UCL, where she was a Research Assistant to the Socialist Anthropocene in the Visual Arts project. Sammara is interested in culture, curation and heritage, and has held roles at the Whitechapel Gallery.
SARAH PERKS
Sarah Perks is an interdisciplinary curator and writer based in the Tees Valley, creating exhibitions, books and projects across contemporary art, design, science and film. She is Professor of Curating at MIMA x School of Arts and Creative Industries at Teesside University. Previous roles include Artistic Director at HOME and Cornerhouse in Manchester. Sarah is Programme Advisor for the renowned BFI London Film Festival.
FROM MEMORY TO POSSIBILITY: THE AESTHETICA ART PRIZE EXHIBITION 2025
JOIN US FOR THE PRIVATE VIEW AT YORK ART GALLERY (18:00 - 20:00)
Art is a powerful catalyst for change – breaking down walls, shaking up narratives, and sparking urgent conversations that question the world as we know it. At a time when the future feels uncertain, The Aesthetica Art Prize brings together 25 international visionaries who confront the biggest issues facing humanity today.
A REFRESHED WELCOME AWAITS AT HILTON YORK
Conveniently located within the city walls overlooking the medieval Clifford’s Tower, and only 10 minutes’ walk from York Railway Station, Hilton York offers enhanced comfort with newly updated guest rooms and great amenities making it the perfect base to explore the heart of the city!
HILTON YORK
hilton.com/york 1 Tower Street, York, Y01 9WD T: 01 904 648 111 | E: events.york@hilton.com
