We’re delighted to announce that Ese Onojeruo has been selected as the Shane Akeroyd Associate Curator of the British Council Commission at the 61st International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia, where Lubaina Himid CBE RA will represent the UK with a solo exhibition at the British Pavilion.
About Ese Onojeruo
Ese Onojeruo is a curator and film and video producer based in London. She most recently served as Assistant Curator of the Young People’s Programme at Tate, where she delivered dynamic public programming and digital content to engage global audiences with Tate’s collection, including Late at Tate Britain, and ‘Creative Space’ – a year-long community project in response to Lubaina Himid’s solo exhibition at Tate Modern in 2021.
Previously, Onojeruo was Studio Associate for the artist Anthea Hamilton, where she produced primetime for the Hayward Gallery, 2022 and has produced films for artists including Evan Ifekoya, as well as collaborating with Black Obsidian Sound System on their Turner Prize-nominated film installation, The Only Good System is a Sound System (2021).
Her projects – including Curriculum (South London Gallery), Under the Skin (Tate), and History Reverberates (Tate Britain) – centre on collective study and explore how race, class and gender shape access to cultural spaces. Onojeruo uses curation as a tool to question who is seen, who is heard and how knowledge is produced within art institutions.
Onojeruo’s appointment reflects her expertise in developing inclusive, collaborative public programmes and her skill in mentoring young creatives. The role provides her with the opportunity to gain further experience while contributing to Lubaina Himid’s British Pavilion exhibition at La Biennale di Venezia and supporting our Venice Fellowships Programme.
'I am thrilled to be appointed ... Lubaina Himid’s practice has long shaped my approach to curating, foregrounding collective learning – drawing from knowledge, strategies and forms of care that emerge from the margins. I am deeply grateful to the British Council for the opportunity to contribute to this landmark project, and I look forward to learning from their team while also supporting the development of the programme. This role presents an opportunity to build bridges between local and global voices, between the artist and the public, and towards the next generation of creative practitioners in a way that reflects the British Council’s values of openness, equity and dialogue.'
Ese Onojeruo
Shane Akeroyd Associate Curator of the British Council Commission at the 61st International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia
'Ese impressed us with her great ideas and huge potential, alongside her range of experience of engaging with different audiences. We are delighted that, thanks to Shane Akeroyd, we can offer this unique opportunity for someone to expand their knowledge and experience and develop new skills and networks.'
Emma Dexter
Director of Visual Arts and British Council Collection and Commissioner of the British Pavilion
Associate Curators sponsored by Shane Akeroyd
This is the third time this post has been sponsored by British philanthropist and contemporary art collector Shane Akeroyd, who has generously pledged ten years’ worth of support for the Associate Curator of the British Pavilion art exhibitions in Venice.
In 2024, Tarini Malik was appointed as Associate Curator, supporting artist John Akomfrah RA with his installation, Listening All Night To The Rain. In 2022, Associate Curator Emma Ridgway worked with Sonia Boyce OBE RA on the presentation, Feeling Her Way, which was awarded the Golden Lion for Best National Participation.