Emma Sumner

Background

About Emma Sumner

Throughout my career I have pursued opportunities to develop my knowledge and skills within the arts and culture sector internationally. I have balanced independent projects and research, academic study, volunteering, professional development and frequently demanding paid work involving numerous tasks, including stakeholder management. This varied and rich experience, with organisations at a grassroots level and with international influence, has strengthened my organisational, leadership, project management and strategic planning abilities, enabling me to easily and professionally prioritise and complete large volumes of tasks with confidence, to deadline and accurately. These are skills that I pride myself on, and which others have told me are a great strength. Alongside honing my practical and management skills, my curatorial research has always taken a hands-on approach, where I have learnt through practical involvement, taking the time to understand making processes and the stories of the people behind the work. This approach has deepened my understanding of the importance of working at a community level and how crucial it is to dedicate time to understanding a place before embarking on substantial projects, particularly when working within a more rural or isolated contexts. Having been raised in an agricultural family, I have an empathetic understanding of the needs of rural communities and the issues they face, which I have explored both as an artist and curator, through the variety of international projects I have facilitated.