Denise Startin
Location: Leeds, UK

Education                                                                                                                                                    PhD Candidate, Leeds School of Design, Place-based and site responsive practice, 2023-2027
MA Fine Art, Royal College of Art, London, 2011-2013 (with Distinction in Research)
BA (Hons. 1st Class) Fine Art, Coventry University, 2003-2009

Exhibitions

2026 Upcoming Solo Show, The Chronicles of Vale & Howlette, Episode 2, Letters to the Landscape, Space@Design Gallery, University of Leeds

2025 Practice Holds Discovery, Practice as Research, PGR Group Exhibition, East Street Arts, St.Mary’s Lane, Leeds

2024 Hints for British Tourists, Solo Show, Floor One Gallery, Rugby Art Gallery & Museum, Little Elborow Street, Rugby

2022/23 Rugby Open, Rugby Art Gallery & Museum. Little Elborow Street, Rugby

2022 Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair, The Fireworks Factory, No.1 Street, Royal Arsenal, London

2022 RBSA Prize Exhibition, 4 Brook Street, St.Paul’s Square, Birmingham
2022 Hints for British Tourists, Solo Show, CT20 Gallery, 73 Tontine Street, Folkestone
2022 Fronteer Independent Art Fair, CASC Gallery, Northgate Street, Chester
2022 Hints for British Tourists, Solo Show, City Arcadia Gallery, Coventry
2022 Warwickshire Open Studios, Holyhead Studios, Coventry
2022 Royal Cambrian Academy, Open Competition, Conwy, Wales                                                          2021 ‘Spotlight On’: Visual Arts mini-festival, Coventry City of Culture, Coventry
2021 Compton Verney Print Fair, Compton Verney Art Gallery & Park, Warwickshire                                                                                                                                              2019 Coventry Printmakers’ Inaugural Open Call Exhibition, CLASS ROOM, Coventry
2017 Coventry Biennial of Contemporary Art, Coventry Evening Telegraph Building, Coventry
2015 Stewart’s Law, RCA Secret, Royal College of Art, London/A4 Space, Dubai                                                                                                                                                         2014 Tightly Bound, Solo Show, Denise Startin Studio & Micro Gallery, FarGo Village, Coventry
2014 Spirit of Place, Ragley Gallery & Studios, Ragley Hall, Warks
2014 Warwickshire Open Studios/Micro Performance Lectures, Dangling Modifiers & A Curious Love Letter, Ragley Gallery & Studios, Ragley Hall, Warks
2014 Stuart’s Law, RCA Secret, Royal College of Art, London                                                                    2013 Multiplied, Christie’s, London
2013 RCA Degree Show, Royal College of Art, London
2013 RCA Secret, Dyson Gallery, Royal College of Art, London
2013 Parallax, Cafe Gallery Projects, Bermondsey, London                                                                                                                                                        2012 Interim, Dyson Gallery, Royal College of Art, London
2012 I took the lift to the 6th Floor, Cafe Gallery Projects, Bermondsey, London
2011 Perverse Library with Information as Material, Whitechapel Gallery, London                              2010 Lewis Gallery, Rugby School                                                                                                                  2009 Ampersand, Solo Show, Coventry Kuntsverein, Coventry University
2009 Coventry University Degree Show, Coventry 
2009 ID Partnership Architects, Spon Street, Coventry
2009 Free Range, Truman Brewery, London
2009 Entrance, Fishbone Gallery, Longford, Coventry
2007 RBSA Gallery, Birmingham   

Publications                                                                                                                                                 2023 “Dangling Modifiers” HAUS A REST Magazine, Issue 37 Alter Ego’s (online)                                                                                                                                                       2013 between before and after, RCA Printmaking, London (Writer/Editor)                                                                                                                                                        2013 Transference, Limited Edition Box Set, Royal College of Art, London
2013 Parallax, Cafe Gallery Projects, London (Writer/Editor)
2013 Ariadne’s Dance Floor: Choragraphy and the Ecstatic Subject, MA Diss. (Distinction: unpublished)                                                                                                                                              2012 Enough Different, Critical Writing Department, Royal College of Art/AND Publishing
2009 Research and References, The Act of Drawing, VIVID, Birmingham
2009 Forward Press Poetry Anthology, West Midlands

Lectures, Conferences, Symposiums

2025 AAH annual Conference, Universty of Cambridge

2025 Practice as Research Group Presentation, School of Design, University of Leeds

2025 AAH symposium, Beyond the Visual: Full Body in British Art History – Past, Present and Future, Cowcross Street, London

2025 Practice as Research, PGR Mini Symposium, University of Leeds

2025 Design Mass PGR Symposium, University of Leeds   

2025 Artists Talk, Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultural Studies, University of Leeds

2024 Summer Symposium, School of Design, University of Leeds       

2024 Artist Talk, Rugby Art Gallery & Museum, Little Elborow Street, Rugby 

2023 Beyond Bablake Lecture Series, Bablake School, Coventry  

2023 Practice Led PhD Symposium, FAHACS, University of Leeds                                                                                                                                                                                              

Awards & Collections                                                                                                                                2023 VAA Visual Art Open Prize (longlisted)                                                                                            2022 Boodle Hatfield Printmaking Prize (shortlisted)                                                                                                                                              2022 SPACEX Symposium Bursary, Coventry University/Coventry Biennial of Contemporary Art 2022 Coventry Local Artists Development Fund, Theatre Absolute, Coventry                                        2021 VAA Visual Art Open Prize (shortlisted)
2020 Creative Dialogues Bursary, The Pod, Coventry
2015 Coventry University PhD Bursary
2013 Royal College of Art Special Collections (also Private Collections)
2013 Matthew Wrightson Charity Trust Award (panel selection)                                                                                                                                                  2012 Royal College of Art Bursary, London
2011 Royal College of Art Bursary, London
2009 Karen Trusselle Award for Fine Art (juried award)

Residencies                                                                                                                                               2023 Dark Skies, Wild Seas, Ancient Places, Cot Valley, Cornwall (selected)                                            2023 Immersive Analogue, Tanners Hatch, Dorking, Surrey (selected)                                    2014-2015 Micro Residency, Artist Researcher (Interpretation), Field Archaeology Team, The National Trust, Erddig Hall & Gardens, Nr Wrexham, Wales (self-initiated, facilitated by Kathryn Laws, Archaeologist for the National Trust)
2011 Body Landscape, Lake District, led by dancer/choreographer Frank van de Ven, Body Weather, Amsterdam (selected)

Performance                                                                                                                                              2019 “Dangling Modifiers” and A Curious Love Letter, Artspace, Holyhead Studios, Coventry                                                                                                                                                    2017-2018 Chronically Fatigued, performing self care, solo performance. Coventry                                                                                                                                                     2014 “Dangling Modifiers” and A Curious Love Letter, Micro Performance Lectures, Ragley Gallery & Studios, Ragley Hall, Warks                                                                                                               2013-2015 Enduring Exhaustion, London, Coventry & Wales
2012 Phil Minton’s Feral Choir, The Book of the Dead, British Museum, London
2011 Letter to Alessa, Performance Lecture, Royal College of Art, London              

Collaborations                                                                                                                                    2000-2012 Performing Primary Care (for her/for him) in collaboration with Keith Swain (Coventry/London)                                                                                                                                          
2010 Consumer Transposition, Territorial Play, Radiator Festival, Nottingham
2010 Very Public People, The Public, West Bromwich
2009 Invitation to Dialogue: 100 Possible Understandings of This, John Hammersley, VIVID, Birmingham

Professional Experience                                                                                                                             2022 Kitchen Garden Volunteer, Coventry Historic Trust, Charterhouse, Coventry                                                                                                                                                         2022 Non-Executive Director, Holyhead Studios, Coventry                                                                       2021 Commissioned Interview with Alex Hackett & Nellie Cole, underGROWTH, The Pod, Coventry  2017 Curatorial Assistant, Coventry Archaeology Archives, Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry
2015 Guest Tutor, Coventry University, Faculty of Arts & Humanities
2014-2015 Archaeological Investigator and Field Researcher, National Trust, Erddig Hall & Gardens, Nr Wrexham, Wales
2014 Freelance WordPress Engineer, Ragley Gallery and Studios website
2012 Visiting Lecturer, Coventry School of Art & Design, Coventry University
2012 Production Assistant, Para-Active, Hotel Medea, Trinity Buoy Wharf, London
2009 Curatorial Research Assistant, The Act of Drawing, VIVID, Birmingham
2007 Research Assistant, Dance to the Muzik of Time, John Goto/Arts Council West Midlands, Derby University
2000-2002 Assistant Marketing Communications Manager, Alliance and Leicester Plc, Leicester