The Artist As… is a year-long lecture series co-presented with Curatorial Practice at MADA (Monash Art Design and Architecture), Melbourne, examining the multitude of roles artists occupy and adapt today.

Curator Emily Pethick will speak about the artist as collaborator through examples from The Showroom, a non-profit independent contemporary art space in London, UK. She will discuss some of the artists’ projects produced that have involved diverse forms of participation, as well as in relation to how the organisation works with artists through co-production.

Pethick is the director of The Showroom, London (2008–present); the former director of Casco, Office for Art, Design, and Theory in Utrecht, The Netherlands (2005–2008); and curator at Cubitt, London (2003–2004). At The Showroom, she has commissioned multiple artist projects, and initiated the long-term programme Communal Knowledge in 2010, involving collaborations between artists, residents, and local groups. She co-founded the London advocacy network Common Practice and the European network Cluster. Pethick has edited many books and frequently contributes to catalogues and publications including Artforum, frieze, Afterall, The Exhibitionist, and dot dot dot.

Emily Pethick’s research trip to Australia is generously supported by the Keir Foundation and organised by the IMA.