Founded by Sarah Pace and Tracy Simpson, we have over 20 years experience of working in the arts in Wales and beyond with a dynamic and established practice and critical knowledge of initiating, commissioning and producing a broad range of contemporary art projects. Working with and on behalf of artists, community groups, voluntary organisations, and private and public sectors partners we have curated, managed and produced: permanent and temporary public artworks and programmes; artist residencies; strategy & framework documents; research, evaluation and feasibility studies; and a variety of exhibitions and events in art and non-art spaces.
Sarah runs the Addo South Office in Pontypridd and has worked in the public art sector in Wales for the past 9 years. She has extensive experience of developing public art strategies, curating and managing programmes of temporary and permanent public artworks, and leading on the delivery of artist residencies, exhibitions and other events with and on behalf of artists, communities, voluntary organisations and private and public sector clients, including Arts Council of Wales, Leadbitter, Cardiff Community Housing Association, Torfaen County Borough Council, Tŷ Hafan and City & County of Swansea Council.
Before founding Addo, Sarah worked for CBAT The Arts & Regeneration Agency (2004 – 2007) and later Safle, the former strategic agency for public art in Wales (2007 -2010), developing and managing a wide portfolio of art projects in the public realm. Originally trained as a painter at Loughborough University (1998 – 2001), Sarah later completed an MA in Art Museum & Gallery Studies at Newcastle University (2003 – 2004).
Following completion of her MA studies Sarah went on to work on a voluntary and freelance basis for a number of art galleries, including the National Museums & Galleries of Wales, Hatton Gallery and The New Art Gallery Walsall. In parallel to her work for Addo, Sarah is a PhD candidate at Cardiff School of Creative and Cultural Industries at the University of South Wales.
Tracy runs the Addo North office in Wrexham and has 15 years experience of working in the visual arts sector. Tracy is leading on public art consultancy in Corwen, Denbighshire and a series of collaborative projects with Glyndwr University in Wrexham.
Before founding Addo, Tracy worked for Safle, the former strategic agency for public art in Wales, as a Senior Project Manager leading on projects in North and Mid Wales, as well as working in England, most notably on the Dream Public Art Strategy for St Helens Council. Tracy has an on-going relationship with Glyndwr University where she is based, and provides partnership support to staff and students there on project development, funding and curatorial practice.
Previously, Tracy held the post of Visual Arts Officer for Wrexham County Borough Council for eight years (2000-2008). As Director of Wrexham Arts Centre Tracy was responsible for managing the venue, including project and partnership development, curating the gallery programme and promoting the touring exhibition programme, alongside developing and managing a public art programme for the County.
Formerly she had worked in arts education at Blackfriars Arts Centre in Lincolnshire as Outreach & Education Officer (1997-1999) and as a freelance arts practitioner in Leicestershire (1994-1997). She has a degree in Fine Art from De Montfort University, Leicester (1990-1994).