Notes From
Past Committee Members

Serving on the committee has been the greatest achievement of my career so far. I am so proud to have worked with such an indispensable group of hard working, talented and joyous people. Thank you to absolutely everyone I’ve engaged with at GEN; you took me from painting plug sockets during exhibition installs to curating and commissioning artists from around the world.

This has been the greatest education an art graduate like me could ever have.

- Elizabeth Ann Day (artist, curator)

“Being on the Generator committee was an opportunity to learn about working together on ambitious projects and commissioning artists to make new work for our exhibition programmes. The joys and difficulties of those discussions and negotiations were incredibly influential in how I’ve worked since and helped me think about my priorities.

We really needed to take responsibility for advocating for the organisation within the city and with funders, which meant that I got to know a lot of people who I have continued to have working relationships with since.

Generator is one of the only avenues through which the voice of artists can be heard within the city so it’s really worthwhile getting involved. By your actions on the committee you can have a positive effect on shaping how Dundee is for artists to live and work in.”
– Laura Simpson (Director at Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop)

“Personally, I never viewed Generator as something I did for career purposes. I was interested in artist-led spaces for their social change value and potential for continued peer-learning and support outside of Art School. That said, since leaving Generator in 2015 I have done solo shows in Roseangle and Verdant Works; residencies in Santa Fe Art Institute and THIStudios in London; curated a show at H.M.C. Unicorn; done design proposal for the V&A Dundee; been to Calcutta on a research trip; written for Creative Carbon Scotland; done a post-master at the Royal Institute of Art in Stockholm; now work as the curator for Mossutställningar in Stockholm and doing a two-year public art commission focused on sustainable urban design and performative art practices with Stockholm City.”
– Holly Keasey (artist, curator)

“I was on the second committee after Generator started and it was a great transition period from Art School to life as a self-employed artist and my MFA at Glasgow.

At the time we felt it was important that graduates didn’t leave immediately to Edinburgh or Glasgow, like I eventually did, and that they should dedicate some time to the cultural life in the city, which had initiated their artistic ambitions.

I spent two tears at the organisation and it taught me a lot about how exhibitions are realised. I gained an insight into most of the roles in a gallery so that I understood and respected the efforts of others in putting on my own subsequent shows.We formed quite a tight group as a committee, giving each other support and focus whilst straight out of college, and I am very proud of the shows we put on.

Generator is a fantastic resource for Dundee and Scotland in general. The city has DCA and will soon have the V&A therefore attracting even more visitors in years to come and it is important that this audience sees emerging contemporary art.This makes Generator more relevant now than it ever has been, meaning it is an exciting time for prospective committee members to apply.”

– Stephen Sutcliffe

“My time on the Generator Committee was difficult,  though I learned a lot.  Sticking with the good points, It gave me the chance to work with a budget in order to curate exhibitions which in turn led me to work with some really exciting artists and (in my opinion) put on some amazing events.  It is probably the only time in my art career that I will have that amount of freedom and budget to play with.  Generator afforded us the time to play, to learn and the time to make mistakes.  Although there were very difficult times, at one point we were also down to three people while dealing with multiple council related lease and building issues, I am still amazed at what we achieved together.  Members show was always my favourite time of year; the excitement of hanging 100+ works in a cohesive exhibition in less than a week was always an adrenaline fuelling experience and one that I’m sad I don’t get to repeat. ”

– Kirsty McKeown (artist, owner Chainworks Studios)

“Working on the committee at Generator created the core foundations for my practice and career in the arts. I gained not only skills and knowledge about the practicalities of running artist led space but how to collaborate with my co-workers and the artists we programmed. For me it was an opportunity to work with amazing artists and produce shows/projects/events that I could not have done independently. I met most of my network and closest friends during the two years I worked at Generator. It was definitely hard work, you learn everything from commissioning artists and making exhibitions to reporting and accounting, and everything in-between like repainting the floor – late on a Saturday night. But if you do these things together its an invaluable community and support network to be part of, especially after graduating.”
– Yvonne Billimore