THORPE, Lala

Lala Thorpe is a Cultural Producer and Education Curator with over 20 years experience of Arts Project Management and Arts Education with a wide range of UK and international artists, arts organisations, galleries, arts venues and schools. She has worked with organisations including: Arts Catalyst, Parasol unit foundation for Contemporary Art, Royal Opera House, Performing Arts Lab, Artangel, Southbank Centre and the ICA. She also works as a Freelance Arts Educator, with Somerset House, The Design Museum Education Dept, and as a workshop facilitator and consultant for various educational projects.

Lala is also Director of Artescape Ltd, an independent Saturday art programme for children based in Islington. For the past twelve years Lala has developed the programme content extensively. She is responsible for leading the programme, manages artist-led workshops and numerous gallery visits and exhibitions of the children’s work with both children and parents.

Lala is passionate about contemporary art, arts education, public engagement and her own practice as an artist teacher; and problem solving and inspiring people she works with, across a broad range of experiences and exploration of concepts, materials and approaches. Her interests specifically lie in exploring aspects of pedagogy through informal learning and socially engaged art practices and its impact in a wide variety of contexts and environments. Summarising her background in the arts as fieldwork in networking, places, spaces and experiences with both local and wider communities, organisations and audiences.

LinkedIn | Lala Thorpe

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FIELDWORK Q&A – January 2018

What interests you about fieldwork in artistic and/or geographic practice?
I am interested in fieldwork in the notion that it can be anything to do with people and how they interact across spaces and places, different contexts, informal and formal.

How is fieldwork part of your research and/or work?
I think fieldwork is integral to my work, research and practices as a teacher/educator, curator and producer, as it is important to factor in the networks of all the people I encounter, work with and participate with, whether they are whole schools, teachers, artists, environments/sites or streets. The fieldwork for these activities form a framework for what I do.

How would you describe your fieldwork activity?
As described, I use fieldwork to map and orientate my work. Using networks to trigger new collaborations, partnerships and relationships across all the aspects of the arts, life and society which informs my practice in teaching, producing and curating.

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