Curriculum Vitae
SKILLS
Sculpting, Ceramics, Plaster, Installation, Sewing, Drawing, Painting, Adobe Software such as Photoshop, Photography and Floristry.
Curating, publishing, managing teams, creative imagination, negotiating designs and solving problems, pitching ideas, being organised and working to strict deadlines.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
o 11/05/23 - 03/06/23 Solo Exhibition, Symbiotic at AIR Gallery, Altrincham, Manchester.
o 24/03/19 - 30/03/19 Solo Exhibition, PolluShine, Is It Worth It? at AirSpace Gallery, Stoke on Trent.
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
o 21/06/2024 - 06/10/2024 'Twist My Arm' to be exhibited in MK Calling 2024, an exhibition to celebrate MK Gallery's 25th Anniversary, MK Gallery, 900 Midsummer Blvd, Milton Keynes.
o 11/01/2024 - 22/01/2024 exhibited in Manchester School of Art’s MA Show 2023, a showcase of Manchester School of Art's postgraduate students, the Benzie Building, Boundary St West, Manchester.
o 21/10/2022 - 12/02/2023 ‘Hand Boulder’ exhibited in Warrington Contemporary Arts Festival, Open Exhibition 2022, a showcase of North-West England artists in collaboration with Castlefield Gallery, located at Warrington Museum and Gallery, Bold Street, Warrington.
o 21/10/2022 - 10/11/2022 ‘Handsy Boulder’ exhibited in the 11th Venice Contemporary 2022 Exhibition, an international exhibition of art which analyses the relationship between body and space, the hybridization between identities and cultural, physical, social and urban settings in contemporary time, through two main sections: Mixing Identities and Future Landscapes. Palazzo Bembo, Riva del Carbon, Venice, Italy.
o 09/09/2022 - 16/09/2022 ‘Rock and Roll’, ‘Hand Boulder’, ‘Handsy Boulder’, ‘Reaching Rock’, ‘Curly Wurly’ and ‘Empty Arm’ exhibited in MA Show 2022 Exhibition, a showcase of Manchester School of Art's postgraduate students, the Holden Gallery, Cavendish St, Manchester.
o 18/09/2021 - 22/09/2021 ‘Toxic’ and ‘Sunset’ exhibited in Redemption Exhibition, a visual and auditory art showcase celebrating the works of 2020 graduates from Staffordshire University, Astley Walk, 23 High Street, Newcastle Town Centre.
o 26/08/2021 - 12/09/2021 ‘Isolation’ exhibited at Short Supply’s annual art prize and exhibition MADE IT! in partnership with Cass Art 1984, Castlefield Gallery and Rogue Artists’ Studio, Rogue Artists’ Studio, 4 Barrass Street, Openshaw, Manchester.
o 14/08/2021 - 15/08/2021 ‘Inside looking out’, a postcard artwork exhibited in ARTISTS RESPONDING TO …’s The Postcard Project Exhibition - 200 Artists, 200 Postcards, 200 Responses to one crazy year! Postcard artworks responding to experiences of COVID-19 as well as environmental, political and social issues from the year 2020. 147 Stoke Newington High Street, London.
o 28/05/2021 - 19/06/2021 'Isolation' exhibited at AIR Gallery's exhibition 2020 Graduate Show in partnership with Short Supply and Castlefield Gallery, AIR Gallery, Altrincham, Manchester.
o 20/11/20 - 20/01/21 ‘Nurture Nature’, ‘Toxic’ and ‘Latex Landscape’ exhibited at The Social Distance Art Project’s online exhibition Printed All Sorts.
o 24/09/2020 - ‘Nurture Nature’ exhibited in Curaty’s Pop-up Exhibition Resilience, 42 S Molten Street, Mayfair, London.
o 21/08/2020 - 21/10/2020 ‘Toxic’ exhibited in GRADCURATE’s Summer 2020 Exhibition of 4 virtual galleries via GRADCURATE’s website.
o 07/07/2020 - 06/10/2020 ‘Toxic’ exhibited in SHIM Art Network’s The SHIM/Bachelors Show via Artsy.net.
o 19/06/2020 University final project featured in the Fine Art Displaced Degree Show on The Student Gallery website. A virtual gallery dedicated to 2020’s creative graduates, providing a platform for sharing our work in the midst of cancelled Degree Shows due to Covid:19.
o 12/06/2020 University final project featured on The Social Distance Art Project website and Instagram page. A virtual gallery dedicated to 2020’s creative graduates, providing a platform for sharing our work in the midst of cancelled Degree Shows due to Covid:19.
o 20/01/20 - 26/01/20 collaborative artwork exhibited at PHILOTIMO, Pilgrims Pit, Stoke-on-Trent.
o 03/05/19 - 04/05/19 ‘Pollution Debris’ and ‘Plastic, The Slow Tsunami’ exhibited at the exhibition Amalgamation, Staffordshire University, Cadman Gallery.
o 05/11/18 - 06/11/18 ‘Social Pressure’ exhibited at the exhibition Antithetical Digital, Staffordshire University, Cadman Gallery.
o 20/04/18 - 21/04/18 ’Growing Old Is Mandatory’ installation exhibited at the exhibition Buoyed, Staffordshire University, Cadman Gallery.
o 08/03/18 - 09/03/18 ‘A Harsh Reality’ exhibited at the exhibition As Time Goes By, Staffordshire University, Cadman Gallery.
o 31/01/18 ‘Science Fiction’ exhibited at the exhibition Dispatches, Staffordshire University, Cadman Gallery.
o 06/06/17 - 10/06/17 ‘The Living Room’ installation exhibited at Foundation Year Final Exhibition, Staffordshire University, Cadman G133, Foundation Studios.
o 09/03/17 - 10/03/17 ‘Never Good Enough’ exhibited at the exhibition Rituals, Staffordshire University, Flaxman Building in The Cube.
INTERVIEWS
o ARTISTS RESPONDING TO… interviewed Polly about her solo exhibition ‘Symbiotic’ and sculptural practice. Available at: https://www.artistsrespondingto.co.uk/post/artists-in-conversation-interview-with-polly-bates
o Luca Curci, Director and Curator of ITSLIQUID GROUP interviewed Polly about her artistic practice and works exhibited within 11th Venice Contemporary 2022 Exhibition, Venice, Italy. Available at: https://www.itsliquid.com/interview-polly-bates.html
o TNG Magazine interviewed Polly about her artist-led initiative ARTISTS RESPONDING TO… and her curated exhibition The Postcard Project. Available at: https://www.artistnvirtual.com/interview-tng-magazine-talks-to-artists-responding-to-founder-polly-bates/
COMMISSIONS
o February 2020 ‘Flower Girl’ a sculpture commissioned by Undergrowth, a music events brand in Birmingham.
o September 2019 ‘Injustice Scales’ a sculpture commissioned by Extinction Rebellion for the International 2week movement at Trafalgar Square, London 07.10.19 – 20.10.19.
o May 2019 ‘Plastic, The Slow Tsunami’ a permanent public artwork commissioned by Staffordshire University’s Students Union reflecting on the quantity of plastic bottles consumed as a University.
COMPETITIONS
o September 2019 winner of Staffordshire University’s Green Week design competition, design printed and sold in Students Union shops across campus, encouraging reusable bags instead of plastic.
CURATION
o 25/08/2020 - 25/08/2021 Curator of ARTISTS RESPONDING TO … art publications, which include the current quarterly Magazine, The Postcard Project Book, and 11 monthly Zines.
o 14/08/2021 - 15/08/2021 Curator of ARTISTS RESPONDING TO … The Postcard Project Exhibition, 147 Stoke Newington High Street, London.
o 28/05/20 - 15/06/20 Curator and organiser for Staffordshire University’s Fine Art virtual online Degree Show Moment on Instagram.
o 24/03/19 - 30/03/19 Solo Exhibition, PolluShine, Is It Worth It?
o 05/11/18 - 06/11/18 Antithetical Digital, group curated exhibition.
o 08/03/18 - 09/03/18 As Time Goes By, group curated exhibition.
VOLUNTARY WORKS
o 29/05/2019 Creating and leading ‘Plastic Pollution’ workshops with nursery and primary school children at Staffordshire University’s Students Union, teaching them the importance of recycling and creating fish artwork out of plastic bottle tops.
o 10/11/2018 Assistant to the scenic artist with Claybody Theatre’s show Hot Lane.
o 22 - 24/11/2017 for Staffordshire University’s theatre arts level 5 show produced a painting for the set.
FEATURES & PUBLICATIONS
o 01/01/2022 - Present Curator and Publisher ARTISTS RESPONDING TO … Magazine. A quarterly publication, available to purchase digitally and in print, combining contemporary art, culture and activism. The Magazine includes international artists responding to environmental, political and social issues, as well as interviews, must-see exhibitions, advice columns, articles, reviews and essays.
o 25/08/2020 - 25/08/2021 Curator and Publisher ARTISTS RESPONDING TO … monthly Zine. A monthly publication, free online and available to purchase in print, using creative depictions and literature to highlight current world issues, news and movements that aren't getting the attention that they deserve. A political and environmental platform to help ignite conversations and spread awareness through visual and written poetic responses.
o 06/08/2021 Hackney Gazette Newspaper, article on ARTISTS RESPONDING TO …’s exhibition I curated, The Postcard Project in Stoke Newington, London. Available at: https://www.hackneygazette.co.uk/news/23012042.200-postcard-artworks-reflecting-unique-year/
o 18/03/2021 1 of 35 selected artists featured in The Social Distance Art Project’s hardback catalogue New Graduates 2020 Edition page 29-30.
o 20/01/2021 The Sentinel Staffordshire Newspaper, Cover Story of Sentinel People, page 1, about ARTISTS RESPONDING TO … The Postcard Project.
o 17/12/2020 Curator and Publisher of ARTISTS RESPONDING TO … The Postcard Project Book - a book of artworks created as part of the Postcard Project. 200 Postcards, 200 Artists, 200 Responses, to one crazy year.
o 10/08/2020 featured artist in Art Hole Magazine Issue 3.
o 31/07/2020 featured artist - Lurid Landscapes, 2020 in MASS! July’s issue MOVEMENTS page 71-72.
o 29/06/2020 interview article with The Student Gallery and chosen as one of their Featured Artists. Available on their website and Instagram page.
o 26/06/2020 Vlogs for Staffordshire University’s website discussing my experience of the Art and Design Foundation Year and the Fine Art Degree course. These vlogs were also used on social media platforms.
o 24/06/2020 featured on Shim Art Network’s Instagram page. Chosen by The Social Distance Art Project to be one of the artists to promote their virtual exhibition.
o 12/06/20 - 13/06/20 Staffordshire University’s Fine Art Instagram Takeover. A series of vlogs about my time at the university and my final project.
o 05/06/2020 - The Sentinel Staffordshire Newspaper, ‘Local and Proud’ article Share this Moment with students: graduates staging ‘virtual exhibition’ page 22. An article about the Degree Show I organised.
o 17/05/2020 Saatchi Gallery’s Instagram Takeover submission winner. 1 of 10 chosen artists to feature on Saatchi’s Instagram account from the one week challenge theme of Line Drawing.
o 28/03/2019 - The Sentinel Staffordshire Newspaper, ‘Local and Proud’ article PLASTIC NOT FANTASTIC about my solo exhibition PolluShine, Is It Worth It? at AirSpace Gallery, Stoke on Trent.
QUALIFICATIONS
2021 - 2023 MFA Fine Art, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester.
2017 – 2020 BA (Honours) Fine Art, Staffordshire University, Stoke-on-Trent. Awarded 2:1 Upper Second Class Honours.
2016 – 2017 Foundation Art and Design, Staffordshire University, Stoke-on-Trent.
2015 – 2016 GRADE A, ART CRAFT AND DESIGN, A Level EDEXCEL GCE, Dame Alice Owens School, Potters Bar
References are available on request.