Helen Pheby

Helen Pheby is Deputy Curator at Yorkshire Sculpture Park.  Working to realise her dream of making art more accessible to all, she contributes to the core activity at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, which includes influencing and shaping public art projects across Yorkshire.

Since a teenager, Helen Pheby has been fired with a desire to provide access to art across all ages and backgrounds.  Committed to the idea that art can enhance lives and opportunities, The ‘Cratehouse for Castleford’ by German artists Winter/Hörbelt is just one of a number of Yorkshire projects that are helping realise her vision by putting art into public spaces.

When she started out, Helen lacked extensive knowledge of visual arts, of public art practice, and a certain level of confidence, and she had to support herself through advanced education, funding her PhD in “barriers to art appreciation” by working in a call centre:

 “The visual arts is still a very competitive field to break into and as many arts organizations and charities cannot afford to pay the salaries available in the private sector, it can be dominated by those with quite privileged backgrounds, who don’t necessarily need to earn an independent income,” Helen explains.

Attracted by Yorkshire Sculpture Park’s commitment to making international contemporary art more accessible, she joined as Development Assistant after serving as a volunteer with the Friends organisation, before successfully applying to become a curator.  As Deputy Curator, the realization of her vision, to reclaim public space through art, continues with a number of projects, alongside work at Yorkshire Sculpture Park on exhibitions and associated events.

Helen acknowledges the importance of others in helping implement her idea.  Her work brings her into contact with like minds across the region, sources of both inspiration and support.

“I always had a fairly clear idea of what I wanted to do, but wasn’t always sure how to achieve it.  Being able to realise certain aspects has been dependent on many other people, including my PhD tutors, mentors at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, and everyone I work with on projects, it is a mutually supportive network of peers.”

Her advice to those nursing a burning desire to make their ideas happen is to recognize their own motivations:

“You need to understand what unique aspects of the work and life appeal to you.  If you believe in something, do it for the value of the thing itself.  Rewards are not necessarily financial.”

Helen mentors at Castleford High school as part of the Aim Higher project and is involved in ongoing plans for public art in the town. Eighteen months on, Castleford has taken ownership of the Cratehouse project, which has become the focus of events in the town, and sparked a number of regeneration initiatives.  Its temporary stay has twice been extended, by local request.

More information about the 'Cratehouse for Castleford': http://www.channel4.com/life/microsites/0-9/4homes/castleford/news_290906.html