Emma Quin
Emma works within an undisciplinary, expansive artistic and curatorial practice. As a former sociology graduate, her work assumes a top-down approach, exploring sociological and philosophical theories through conceptualisation, collaboration, material and object.
Emma has gravitated towards researching and contributing to artist-led spaces, projects and learning outside of traditional systems. As a Co-Director of the artist-led, voluntary-run space Catalyst Arts, Emma has co-curated a variety of projects as part of a non-hierarchical board. With support from the Jonathan Ruffer Curatorial Grant, Emma recently extended this interest to artist-led spaces in Glasgow.
Through Catalyst Arts, Emma and two other directors are part of an artistic exchange, Gluttt, with French artist-led space Glassbox funded by Fluxus Art Projects. To conclude her Catalyst Arts Co-Directorship, Emma will curate her first solo exhibition in October 2025, Non stick frying pan, working with artists Alex Keatinge and Niamh Hannaford, funded by Arts Council Northern Ireland. She was recently awarded the Backwater Artist Group Emerging Curator Award, 2026. Emma’s artistic work has been exhibited across Belfast in Flax Art Studios, Platform Arts, Arcade Studios, Belfast Photo Festival and Arts for All and in Paris and Montpellier. She recently had a digital solo exhibition with Screen Service titled 'centralised planning'.
Insta: @emmma_quin
Emerging Exchange Artist
Thanks to financial support from Belfast City Council via the Artist Studios Organisational Grant 2024/25 Creative Exchange secured additional temporary studio spaces in Portview Trade Centre. Emerging Exchange is a pilot project investigating how the organisation might build capacity as we expand our remit with a view to securing long-term, purpose built artist studios on site in the coming years. These spaces are aimed specifically for artists who are in the early stages of their career and who have had limited or no access to a studio space previously.