Collecting for a nation

Lucy Askew will conduct a session on the challenges and ethics of contemporary collecting in public museums and beyond for art workers and academics researching these subjects. 

Sebastian Cichocki, Senior Curator at the Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw, will introduce the session. The lecture of Lucy Askew will mark the official end of the UK/Poland Season 2025.

 

Lucy Askew has been Chief Curator at the National Galleries of Scotland since 2019, where she is co-lead for the Modern and Contemporary collection, programme and team. Her work covers exhibition-making, collection development, research, and strategic activity. She has curated numerous exhibitions including major solo shows devoted to the work of artists such as Alberta Whittle, Bridget Riley, Katie Paterson, Jenny Saville and Louise Bourgeois, and has co-curated large-scale group exhibitions including GENERATION – 25 Years of Contemporary Art in Scotland (2014). Previous roles include Senior Curator, National Galleries of Scotland (2011-2018); Curator of ARTIST ROOMS, the collection jointly owned by Tate and the National Galleries of Scotland (2008-2011); and Assistant Curator (International Art), Tate Modern (2004-2008). Lucy studied at the University of St Andrews and the Courtauld Institute of Art, London. She is a member of the Board of Trustees for The Common Guild, Glasgow, and Edinburgh Art Festival.

 

The session is part of the UK/Poland Season 2025 programme supported by the British Council Momentum Follow Up Found.