Biography
Beth Kane (she/her) is an arts project manager and curator with over 10 years of experience working across the UK and Canada. She has collaborated with hundreds of artists, curators, and cultural organizations, with a practice centred on community engagement, contemporary art, and supporting creative development.
Based in Mohkinstsís/Calgary, Beth is the Curatorial Committee Lead and a Director on the Board of the Exposure Photography Festival, where she helps shape the festival's artistic vision, programming, and strategic direction. She previously served as Festival Manager for five editions of the festival, overseeing exhibitions, artist partnerships, and public programming. Before relocating to Canada, she coordinated FORMAT International Photography Festival, the UK's leading international festival of photography and related media. She has also shared her expertise in photography festival development with organizations seeking guidance on programming and strategy.
Beth has supported artists through mentorship with the Working Class Creatives Database and served as Mentor in Residence (2023–2024) with the Immigrant Council for Arts Innovation, providing guidance to newcomer artists. She has also been a juror, portfolio reviewer, and speaker for numerous arts organizations across Canada and Europe, and is passionate about creating more accessible, equitable, and inclusive opportunities within the arts.
Curatorial Practice
Beth Kane has curated exhibitions for and in partnership with a wide range of organizations, including Chinook Blast, QUAD, Multistory, Blast Photo Festival, University of Derby, Parkside Gallery, and Birmingham City University, among others.
Her curatorial practice is focused on working with photography, with a particular interest in displaying photographic work in innovative and unique ways. Bethany enjoys experimenting with different presentation styles and installation techniques, challenging traditional exhibition formats to create engaging and dynamic experiences for viewers.
She is currently researching the relationship between books and exhibitions, with a particular focus on the concept of exhibitions as books / books as exhibitions. This interest explores how the two forms can inform and enrich each other while drawing inspiration from curator Seth Siegelaub, who challenged traditional exhibition spaces and explored the book as a form of exhibition.
Beth has also written for several magazines, with her most notable article being Female Photo Zine Publishers Shaking Up the DIY Scene published in Elephant magazine. This article explores the impact of female photo-zine publishers in the DIY and photography communities.
Contact
email: bethkane.projects@gmail.com
instagram: @beth_kane_
Open to project-based collaborations in arts project management, curatorial work, and public programming.
Image: Exposure x Hamburger Eyes Exhibition & Reading Space, Contemporary Calgary, February 2022. Co-curated by Ray Poets, Hamburger Eyes and Beth Kane, Exposure.