Evidence of Practice

Jennifer Gilbert applying on behalf of Art et al.

Jennifer Gilbert is a co-founder of Art et al.

Jennifer is a Manchester-based gallerist, freelance producer, and curator, working with self-taught, disabled, neurodivergent, deaf and overlooked artists. In 2017 she launched the Jennifer Lauren Gallery to showcase and empower artists internationally, having previously managed a national arts charity for under-represented artists for seven years. Through her work, Jennifer hopes to: demystify what is regarded as art, continue to challenge the stigma surrounding this field, and to re-look at how work is displayed and written about within contemporary art.

In her freelance role, Jennifer helps disabled, deaf and neurodivergent artists (and thier supported studios) with their professional development, alongside providing mentoring and more general support. Jennifer also does consultancy work alongside galleries, museums and organisations, recently working on a Toolkit to be launched by TATE about how galleries and museums can better work with and support deaf, disabled and neurodivergent artists. Jennifer co-founded Art et al. in 2020 alongside Slominski Project and Arts Project Australia.

Jennifer Lauren Gallery website

Art et al.

Art et is an inclusive, curated international art platform that commissions and presents collaborations between artists from supported studios, artist peers and arts professionals. We elevate diverse voices and creative practices. Art et al.’s global collaborations and partnerships result in commissioned critical writing, exhibitions, and original multi-media content. 

Art et al.’s website

Art et al.’s recent examples of creative work and activities include:

2023, Art et al. X Royal Society of Sculptors: A partnership in the UK with the Royal Society of Sculptors. This partnership fosters an innovative collaborative programme and inclusive exhibition featuring artists working from UK supported studios, alongside their artistic peers, members of the Royal Society of Sculptors. The outcomes will feature in a London exhibition, opening October - November 2023, at the Royal Society of Sculptors' Dora House. This partnership is funded by the Royal Society of Sculptors, Hallet Independent and Sadie Sherman Gallery.

2023, differently various, Barbican Centre: Art et al. served as Curatorial Advisors for brain injury charity Headway East London’s exhibition at the Barbican. Titled differently various it featured artists from Headway’s supported studio, Submit to Love. We collaborated and co-curated with their Steering Group to develop the largest exhibition ever co-produced by people living with brain injury. This exhibition was funded by the Peter Sowerby Foundation, the Rix-Thompson-Rothenberg Foundation, National Heritage Lottery Fund and Arts Council England.

2023, Atelier Rohling: Art et al. expanded its international reach to partner with Swiss supported studio Atelier Rohling for a Peer-to-Peer Collaboration with Australian artist Harriet Body and Atelier Rohling artist, Clemens Wild. The Swiss/Australian exchange is continuing in November 2023 to include a second Peer-to-Peer Collaboration and a ‘Curating Collections’ with Australian collector Michael Schwarz. This project has been funded by Australia Council for the Arts (now Creative Australia).

2022-23, Art et al. X Ketemu: A collaborative digital partnership with Ketemu Project, a social enterprise hybrid based in Indonesia and Singapore. This partnership fostered eight collaborations between artists and arts professionals that identify with and without disabilities across the UK, Indonesia and Switzerland. Each partnership involved someone from each country, with translators where needed. This project has been funded by the British Council and Australia Council for the Arts (now Creative Australia).