Cultural Projects:
Artist Development:
Image taken by Charlie Noon (2024)


“Building careers requires care, rigour and long-term thinking.”At the core of my practice is a commitment to working person to person, recognising that sustainable artistic careers are built through careful listening, informed challenge and long-term thinking. My work is research-focused and grounded in an understanding of the structural conditions artists operate within, enabling support that is both responsive and strategically rigorous. Through this approach, I have developed a proven track record of supporting artists to reach new stages in their careers - whether through securing opportunities, developing ambitious projects, or building the confidence and structures needed to sustain their practice over time.


A Future for Bexhill, by Ben Urban and Amy Mock (2024)


“Consultancy to inform artist focussed regeneration”
A strand of my work focuses on engaging young artists and cultural workers through structured consultation and dialogue, supporting them to imagine and articulate artist-led approaches to long-term regeneration. This work centres on creating meaningful space for young people aged 18–25 to contribute to strategic thinking about the future of place, culture and opportunity within their local context.


Image taken by Ben Urban (2025)


“Artist-centred development at key career moments”
A key part of my practice focuses on working closely with emerging artists through sustained one-to-one support, helping them develop confidence, clarity and momentum as they begin to scale up their careers. This work centres on creating access to time, space and professional context, supporting early-career artists to move from education into independent practice through focused studio development, peer exchange and the experience of presenting work publicly.
Image taken by Phobe Wingrove (2025) - Left to Right: Ben Urban, Sarah Gomes Harris, Vanessa Farinha, AJ Laas, Joan Glasgow Ashton, Katalina Caliendo, Richard  Lockett, Tanvi Kant, Flo Brookes, RJ Fernandez, Eeshan Banerjee, Carla Wright.


“Building sustainable artist infrastructure through long-term studio based development”
My work includes developing studio-based programmes that embed feasibility, long-term planning and access at their core, supporting artists to build sustainable practices within the realities of the South Coast context. By working in deep partnership with cultural institutions, local authorities and funders, I focus on creating artist infrastructure that is resilient, context-specific and capable of supporting long-term artistic production rather than short-term intervention.



Eeshan Banerjee, Curatorial Assistant, Artswork. Image taken by Amy Mock (2024).




“Building skills pathways into the cultural sector”
My work also includes developing skills-based pathways into the cultural sector through entry-level roles such as programme assistants and curatorial assistants. Working in partnership with Talent Accelerator and Artswork, I have helped design and deliver paid opportunities that support emerhging cultural workers to gain practical experience, professional confidence and a clear understanding of how cultural organisations operate, creating meaningful routes into long-term employment in the arts.

Curatorial Fellowshop - Flatland X DLWP, Panel Discussion. Image taken by Flatland Projects (2023).


“Developing curatorial practice through research, partnership and sustained support”
I have delivered curatorial development work through a collaborative fellowship with De La Warr Pavilion and Flatland Projects, supporting emerging curators to develop research-led practice within an institutional context. Supported by Art Fund Reimagine grants, the fellowship focused on sustained professional development, critical reflection and real-world curatorial experience, creating space for curators to test ideas, build confidence and develop the skills required to work across institutional and independent settings.





























Ben Urban
Curatorial Practice · Artist Development · Strategic Support

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e. benurban.office@gmail.com




I am a curator and strategic advisor working with artists, curators and cultural organisations to develop work that is intellectually rigorous, structurally sound and viable within the realities of the contemporary cultural sector.

My practice sits at the intersection of artistic development, curatorial thinking and cultural infrastructure. It is informed by sustained experience founding and leading Flatland Projects, developing Beeching Road Studios as a major artist workspace in East Sussex, founding BARC (Bexhill’s Artist Research Centre), establishing the Bexhill Art Weekender, and undertaking consultancy and advisory roles with institutions and local authorities including Rother District Council, Towner Eastbourne, Hastings Contemporary, The Exchange (Formerly HRAEN) plus working in deep partnership with the De La Warr Pavilion. 

I offer artist-centred, research-led support that brings clarity to ideas and structure to ambition. My approach is practical, strategic and grounded in real experience of delivering projects, navigating funding systems and building long-term cultural infrastructure.

I work UK-wide and internationally, supporting artists and organisations through focused one-to-one sessions, developmental programmes and project-specific consultancy.

Alongside my cultural practice, I am a national-level judo coach and was a member of the coaching team for GB Judo at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. This experience underpins a deeply person-centred, high-performance approach to development that is rare in the cultural sector, enabling me to support artists and organisations with precision, care and long-term perspective.

Selected artists worked
with includeTarek Lakhrissi, Celia Hempton, Laetitia Yhap, Alison Wilding, Carl Gent, Nina Davies, Alexi Marshall, Florence Peake, Martyn Cross, Motunrayo Akinola, Sophie Barber, David Gilbert, Babalola Yusuf, Harmeet Rahal, Miroslava Večerová, Natalia Janula, Verity Coward, Lucy Evetts, Amanda Kyritsopoulou, Francesca Dolor, Madeleine Pledge, Richard Phoenix, Sophie Goodchild, William Bartlett, Djuna O’Neill, Rachel Irons, Daniel Owusu, and Yetunde Olagbaju.


Employment Director, 
Flatland, Bexhill on Sea, UK (2018 - Present)

Artistic Director, 
Beeching Road Studios, Bexhill on Sea, UK (2021 - Present)

Associate Lecturer (Critical Studies)
University of the Arts London, Chelsea, UK (2024 - Present)

Assistant Curator / Exhibitions Manager,
De La Warr Pavilion, UK (2018-2019)

Home Nations Coach,
British Judo Association (2020 - Present)

Paris 2024, Paralympic Supprot Coach,
Paralympics GB (2024)

Services
  • One-to-one artist support
  • Artistic and practice development
  • Project and funding development
  • Curatorial and programme development
  • Organisational and strategic development
  • Studio and cultural infrastructure consultancy
  • Longer-term developmental support


Rates*

If cost is a barrier, you are welcome to raise this when booking and we can discuss the most appropriate option.

















Pricing (with Student / Concession Rates)
Concession rates (10% reduction) are available across all services.

Idea Formulation Session (1 hour)

  • Standard: £80
  • Student / Concession (10%): £72

Development Session (90 minutes)

  • Standard: £110
  • Student / Concession (10%): £99

3-Session Development Block (90 minutes per session)

  • Standard: £280
  • Student / Concession (10%): £252

6-Session Development Block (90 minutes per session)

  • Standard: £500
  • Student / Concession (10%): £450

Organisation & Institutional Consultancy / 
Project Based Day Rate Support

  • Scaled between £450–£650

* Concession rates are available to students and recent graduates, artists on low or unstable incomes, disabled artists, and artists facing structural or financial barriers to accessing paid support. 

Concession rates are offered in good faith and do not require disclosure of personal circumstances.



Partnerships - Funders - AwardsAwards & Recognition
  • Jerwood Arts – Curatorial Leadership Accelerator (2023)
  • Fluxus Arts Projects – Laureate (2023–24)
  • Fluxus Arts Projects - Curatorial Travel Award (2025/26)

Founded Prizes:
Soho House X Flatland - Sussex Artist Aquisition Prize 

Selected Funders & Public Investors
  • Arts Council England
  • Rother District Council
  • East Sussex County Council
  • South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP)
  • UK Government – Levelling Up Partnership Fund

Funders Include: Jerwood Arts, Fluxus Arts Projects, Arts Council England, Rother District Council, East Sussex County Council, South East Local Enterprise Partnership, Chalk Cliff Trust, Bridget Riley Foundation, & ArtFund.




Press
  • The New York Times (2025)
    Feature on Bexhill-on-Sea’s cultural landscape, referencing Flatland Projects and the town’s contemporary arts ecology.

  • The Telegraph (2024)
    “This East Sussex seaside town is brimming with eccentricities” — feature on Bexhill-on-Sea’s cultural scene and creative regeneration.

  • CVAN South East (2024)
    Spotlight Interview: Ben Urban — profile on curatorial practice, artist development and regional cultural infrastructure.

  • Emergent Magazine (2023)
    In the Studio with Alexi Marshall — commissioned interview 

  • Hastings Independent Press (2022)
    New models for artist-led practice in Hastings and Rother — feature on Flatland Projects and artist development.


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    Last Updated 17.12.2025


    Tarek Lakhrissi, Coeur Brillant (Bright Heart), 2022. HD, video. De La Warr Pavilion. Image Taken by Thomas Fennell, Courtesy the Artist.


    Image taken by Charlie Noon. Courtesy of Flatland Projects


    1. Flatland Projects
    FLATLAND PROJECTS
    Est. 2018, Operates in Hastings, Bexhill on Sea, and wider East Sussex, UK.

    Flatland Projects is a research-led, artist-centred organisation supporting contemporary practice through exhibitions, commissions, residencies and development programmes. Founded in 2018, it focuses on access, care and long-term artist support, building sustainable cultural infrastructure and new platforms for critical discourse in Bexhill-on-Sea and the wider South East.

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    Image taken by Leon Hargreaves's. Courtesy of Select First. (2024)


    2. BARC (Bexhill Artist Research Centre)
    BARC est. 2024

    Bexhill Artist Research Centre (BARC) is a brand new facility dedicated to our artist development programmes, and house our founding collection of circa 1000 artist catalogues, artist made publications, and archival material which will become a resource for artists and our creative community to access in the East Sussex region. BARC is a place where we will host research residencies in our library, and facilitate think tank sessions with artists to continue our vital work on the South Coast in developing more sustainable futures for artists to make ambitious next steps in their career.

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    Beeching Road Studios, Open Studios. Image taken by Alina Khrebtova (2025)


    3. Beeching Road Studios
    Beeching Road Studios 
    Est. 2021

    Beeching Road Studios has been established to meet the needs of Bexhill’s creative community. Housing several independent creative businesses, non-profit arts organisations, local educational networks and individual artists, this multi-faceted complex serves as a thriving creative hub along the South East Coast. Under one roof, the studios combine creative workspaces, educational facilities and public cultural space. Deliverying over 1500 sq m of creative and cultural space for the local community of East Sussex’s creative economy. 

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    Bexhill Art Weekender. Images taken by Alina Khrebtova (2025)
    4. Bexhill Art Weekender 

    Participating Partners:
    BEECHING ROAD STUDIOS
    BEXHILL MUSEUM
    BEXHILL ACADEMY
    COMMON CLAY
    DE LA WARR PAVILION
    DO YOUR IDEAS
    FLATLAND PROJECTS
    FOOTBRIDGE GALLERY
    IBEX ART STUDIOS
    LOVE ART BY THE SEA and LIVING COMMUNITIES
    RePublic
    TALENT ACCELERATOR
    THREE LEGS

    Bexhill Art Weekender 
    Est. 2025

    A CELEBRATION OF BEXHILL & IT’S CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE

    The Bexhill Art Weekender, September 13–14th 2025, is a major new initiative spearheaded by Flatland Projects in collaboration with the newly formed Bexhill Cultural Network.

    The Bexhill Art Weekender has been generously supported by Rother District Council & The Bexhill Chamber of Commerce Centenary Fund.


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    Harmeet Rahal, Contraband Zindabad. Image taken by Phoebe Wingrove (2024)


    5. Curatorial Projects
    My curatorial work focuses on research-led exhibitions and commissions that support artists at key moments in their practice, often working across institutional, independent and artist-centred contexts. Recent projects have included exhibitions and commissions with artists such as Celia Hempton, Motunrayo Akinola, Tarek Lakhrissi, Carle Gent and Martyn Cross, alongside long-term development programmes and partnerships with organisations spanning across the South East of England and Nationally.

    Upcoming projects include new commissions with Tawfik Naas and  David Gilbert, continuing an ongoing interest in curatorial research, institutional critique and artist-led knowledge production.

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    Image taken by Alina Khrebtova (2025)





















    © Ben Urban  (January 2026)