ABOUT US

October Gallery has been instrumental in bringing to worldwide attention many of the world’s leading international artists, including El Anatsui, Rachid Koraïchi, Romuald Hazoumè, Nnenna Okore, Laila Shawa and Kenji Yoshida. The Gallery promotes the Transvangarde , the very best in contemporary art from around the planet, as well as maintaining a cultural hub in central London for poets, writers, intellectuals and artists, and hosts talks, performances and seminars, see www.octobergallery.co.uk/events

The rich diversity of art presented is an inspiration to collectors and enthusiasts. Institutions such as the British Museum, London; the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Centre Pompidou, Paris; Museum Kunstpalast, Düsseldorf, Germany; Neue Galerie, Kassel, Germany; Setagagya Art Museum, Tokyo, Japan have all collected works from October Gallery.

Founded in 1979, October Gallery is a charitable trust which is supported by sales of art, rental of the Gallery's unique facilities, grants from various funding bodies and the active support of dedicated artists, musicians, writers and many friends from around the world.  The Gallery’s Education Department is inclusive of all ages from under 5’s to PGCE student and delivers a wide range of provision, see https://www.octobergalleryeducation.com

 

THE TEAM

Chili Hawes - Director

You can edit this text in staff_trustees and change sort order Chili Hawes, FRGS, is one of the Founders of October Gallery and Director since its opening in1979 . A native of the Rocky Mountains, she obtained a BA in French Literature from Colorado College, followed by a year at the Sorbonne and post-graduate work in Linguistics at Claremont Graduate School and has taught at all levels of the educational system both in the USA and Australia. A founder and director of Institute of Ecotechnics www.ecotechnics.edu , she has managed various ecological projects in the high desert of New Mexico, the Outback of Australia and the south of France. She has travelled widely including major research trips for the October Gallery to India, Melanesia, Peru, Southern Africa and Fiji.

Photos: J Greet

Elisabeth Lalouschek - Artistic Director & Art Sales

Elisabeth Lalouschek was born in Vienna and holds an MA in Fine Art from the Royal College of Art. She joined October Gallery in 1987 and has been instrumental in creating a solid foundation for the idea of the Transvangarde, the transcultural avant-garde. Lalouschek has furthered the careers of a range of outstanding artists. She has organised and curated the majority of exhibitions at October Gallery, as well as collaborating on numerous projects nationally and internationally, most notably those promoting contemporary African art.

Gerard Houghton - Director of Special Projects

Gerard Houghton was born in England.  After graduating from Churchill College, Cambridge, he travelled extensively throughout West Africa working as an interpreter for a researcher into African History, before taking his linguistic skills to the Far East. Arriving in Japan, he served as an Educational Advisor to the Kyoto Prefectural Government and taught Literature and Linguistics at several prestigious Japanese colleges, Nara Women’s University and Kyoto University amongst them. He is a graduate of the Urasenke School of Tea and a Licentiate of the Kameoka School of the Japanese Traditional Performing Arts. He has maintained a keen interest in oriental culture since returning to the UK after fifteen years in Japan. For the last ten years he has been working to document and archive ancient dance traditions in the Himalayas, using his skills as videographer (the films are archived in the New York Public Library and are touring museums worldwide). He has been with October Gallery since 1994, and is currently a free-lance writer, translator with interests in a wide range of subjects both artistic and scientific

Stefani Crone - Director of Operations

Dee Haughney - Curator

Dee Haughney,  Curator, was born in Ireland. She studied Photography at DIT, Curatorial Practice at Falmouth University and Asian Art at Sotheby’s Institute of Art.  She worked with the Kilkenny Arts Festival, Ireland, Newlyn Art Gallery, Cornwall and The Photographers’ Gallery, London before joining the team at October Gallery in 2012. In 2018, she undertook a research trip, cycling the length of Africa from Cairo to Cape Town. She works closely with the Artistic Director on all projects, with a particular interest in contemporary art from Africa.

Oliver Place - Gallery Manager

Oliver studied sculpture at Wimbledon College of Art and worked for contemporary art galleries and fine art shipping companies before joining October Gallery in 2016, bringing with him a passion for contemporary art combined with a considerable knowledge of shipping logistics. As Gallery Manager Oliver works closely with the Artistic Director on exhibitions and art fairs.

Paige Ashley - Media & Public Relations Manager

Paige read English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University and has a background in auctions and antiques. Her career history includes working with the press team at The Clothes Show Live and at London's Bank advertising agency for client's such as Coutts, Diesel and Peroni. Paige launched and lead the UK and US press and media operations for the art search service Barnebys for over four years before joining October as Media & Public Relations Manager in 2018.

Georgie Fay - Head of Education

Georgie comes from an art history background and completed an MA in Museum and Gallery Education at the UCL, Institute of Education in London. She programmes and delivers the extensive October Gallery Education department for schools, young people, adults and families and uses the Gallery exhibitions from around the world to create an innovative and broad education practice. She also has her own printmaking and art practice which supports her participatory education work.

Brian Pistolesi - Technician & Building Maintenance

Brian was born in Rome, Italy but grew up mostly in New York State. He moved to London in 2004 to embark on a course in guitar making at London Metropolitan University. Upon completing the course he worked for five years as a guitar repairer/restorer in London’s Denmark Street before finding his way to October Gallery in May 2013.

Sara Belle - Front of House Manager

XXXXXXPaige read English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University and has a background in auctions and antiques. Her career history includes working with the press team at The Clothes Show Live and at London's Bank advertising agency for client's such as Coutts, Diesel and Peroni. Paige launched and lead the UK and US press and media operations for the art search service Barnebys for over four years before joining October as Media & Public Relations Manager in 2018.

Harry Logan-Jones - Events Manager

XXXXXXGeorgie comes from an art history background and completed an MA in Museum and Gallery Education at the UCL, Institute of Education in London. She programmes and delivers the extensive October Gallery Education department for schools, young people, adults and families and uses the Gallery exhibitions from around the world to create an innovative and broad education practice. She also has her own printmaking and art practice which supports her participatory education work.

John Flahive - Accountant

xxxxxxxBrian was born in Rome, Italy but grew up mostly in New York State. He moved to London in 2004 to embark on a course in guitar making at London Metropolitan University. Upon completing the course he worked for five years as a guitar repairer/restorer in London’s Denmark Street before finding his way to October Gallery in May 2013.

Ibrahim Bah - Accountant

xxxxxxxBrian was born in Rome, Italy but grew up mostly in New York State. He moved to London in 2004 to embark on a course in guitar making at London Metropolitan University. Upon completing the course he worked for five years as a guitar repairer/restorer in London’s Denmark Street before finding his way to October Gallery in May 2013.

 

OUR TRUSTEES

John Allen FLSxxxx

Author; Mining-metallurgical Engineer; Inventor Biosphere 2 project; Co-founder Institute of Ecotechnics and Theater of All Possibilities; Co-founder October Gallery.

Santa Fe, New Mexico

Ian Goodfellow

Architect, Partner at Penoyre & Prasad; Deputy Chair of Higher Education Design Quality Forum (HEDQF); Director Ecotechnics Maritime.

London

Marie Harding

Co-founder October Gallery; Artist; President Synergia Ranch LLC; Director Institute of Ecotechnics; President Global Ecotechnics Corporation.

Santa Fe, New Mexico

Judy Ann ‘Chili’ Hawes

Co-founder and Director October Gallery; Co-founder and Director Institute of Ecotechnics.

London

Deborah Parrish Snyder

Publisher Synergetic Press (Santa Fe / London); Executive VP and Director Institute of Ecotechnics.

Santa Fe, New Mexico

Dr Chris Spring

Artist, Writer and Curator, formerly of the African Galleries at the British Museum; Trustee The Africa Centre.

London

 

FORMER TRUSTEES

Ulric Cross DSO DFC (1917-2013)

Judge; Diplomat; RAF Navigator

Trinidad

Peter Mayer (1936-2018)

Publisher

New York City and London

David Widdicombe QC (1924-2019)

Deputy High Court Judge

London

OWN ART

with an interest free* loan

You can edit this text in main_page_texts.own_art The Own Art loan scheme is an Arts Council of England initiative designed to make it easy and affordable for everyone to buy (or commission) original, high quality contemporary art and craft. October Gallery is now offering Own Art20, meaning you can borrow up to £25,000, or as little as £100, to be paid back in equal instalments over a period of 10-20 months - interest free. Own Art is available at the October Gallery for any purchase (or part of a purchase) or as a deposit for the commission of a unique piece of work from one our artists. You must be 18 or over and a UK resident to apply for a loan. *Terms and conditions apply.

Please contact us or ask at the gallery for more details.