Curating Class 3: Beth Hughes on Class Biases in Curatorial Practices

“The role of an organisation is not to force the artwork to adapt to the conventions of the institution, but to adapt its methods to the needs of the artwork… “Curating can itself become a class-conscious methodology.”  How do curatorial practices reproduce or challenge class-based inequalities, and what practical changes might make the art world more equitable?  Curator, researcher and founder of the Working Class British Art Network Beth Hughes discusses her experiences of institutional and curatorial class bias, and her own sense of responsibility for changing how class is represented in collections and exhibitions.  The institutional reception for works such as Jo Spence’s Beyond the Family Album (1979), or Sean Edwards’ 2020 film Maelfa exemplifies how class is so frequently “softened, displaced, washed over or under-articulated” in curatorial practices and institutions.  With reference to the sociologist Pierre Bourdieu’s concept of habitus – ingrained patterns of thought, behaviour and taste – Hughes identifies historic and contemporary prejudices, omissions and blind spots relating to class in art. These can range from critical tendencies to minimise the importance of class in art practices, to concerns about the conservation and care of works made with non-traditional materials, and the effect of this in turn on acquisitions.  She discusses the practices of three artists featured in our exhibition ‘[uz], [uz], [uz]’ – Conor Rogers, Charlotte Dawson and Grace Clifford – and talks about her aspirations for ‘The Way We Live’, a group exhibition that she is currently preparing for The Box, Plymouth.  Introduced by Dr Laura Claveria, University of Leeds Library Galleries Exhibitions Curator (Art), this was the third paper in Curating Class: Rethinking Art Exhibitions Methodologies. Hosted by the University of Leeds Cultural Collections & Galleries, this day of talks and discussions coincided with the 2025-26 exhibition in The Stanley & Audrey Burton Gallery, ‘[uz], [uz], [uz]: Artists from Working-Class Backgrounds’.  Co-produced by University of Leeds Cultural Collections & Galleries and the Working Class British Art Network.  http://www.bethhughescurator.com/ Image: Beth Hughes In Conversation with Joe Tucker, Manchester International Festival, 2025.