Skip to content
Emma Underhill

Director and Curator, UP Projects

Emma Underhill

"Emma's approach is both innovative and refreshing. Her ability to curate complex and engaging initiatives with artists in the public realm shows great promise. Emma's achievements demonstrate great potential for her to become a senior leader in the creative and cultural sector."

Emma runs a ground-breaking public art agency called UP Projects which curates and produces art projects and events outside the traditional gallery and museum space and also delivers strategic consultancy for a range of clients.  Working with both highly established and emerging artists, Emma offers challenging and innovative opportunities backed up by professional and discerning production support and project management.

With a pioneering and refreshing approach Emma is exceptionally sophisticated at leading projects that are complex with multiple stakeholders, including Portavilion 2008 with 15 funding partnerships, and 10 events delivery partners; Urbanism 2009 with the Liverpool Biennial, Places Matter! Arts Council NW and British Waterways; and Artlands North Kent with Greening the Gateway Kent & Medway, Kent County Council, CABE and Arts Council South East.

Establishing UP Projects, developing art strategies, and delivering innovative public art projects like Portavilion 2008 across different London parks and boroughs, necessitate focussed creative vision and calm leadership in order to realise exceptional commissions, manage engagement programmes and successfully raise multi party funding.