Multidisciplinary Artist
Anna-Marie Gallares
C u r r e n t l y :
AFF Breakthrough Artist Fellow in residence at University of Sunderland
Moving Parts Arts Freelance Crafts-Based Workshop Facilitator
NE Emerging Artist Award Seaton Delaval Hall 26/27 Shortlist
Anna-Marie Gallares is a Filipina-British painter based in Newcastle upon Tyne. Working primarily with acrylic paint within an expanded painting practice, her work explores themes of identity, migration, memory, and cultural belonging. Her paintings often adopt textile-inspired formats, drawing on pattern, colour, and symbolic motifs to build layered visual narratives that echo traditions of storytelling and cultural memory.
Recent exhibitions include her solo exhibition PAGBUKLAD (Unfolding) at the Priestman Gallery, University of Sunderland (2026). Upcoming presentations include the North East Emerging Artist Award shortlist exhibition at Seaton Delaval Hall (2026) and a collaborative exhibition at the Great North Museum: Hancock through Moving Parts Arts. Her work has also been exhibited across the North East, including at Rubber Duck Factory, the Washington Open Exhibition, Middlesbrough Art Weekender, and the Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art.
In 2023, Gallares received the New Graduate Award Residency at Middlesbrough Art Weekender and is currently a Breakthrough Artist Fellow with the Artist Future Fund, developing new work through a studio residency at the University of Sunderland.
Alongside her studio practice, Gallares works as a freelance community artist. She currently collaborates with Moving Parts Arts as a Freelance Crafts-Based Workshop Facilitator and has been commissioned to produce a visual evaluation for the project A Treasury of Tyneside Tales (2025–2026). She has previously delivered workshops and participatory projects with organisations including The Cultural Spring, Projects4Change, and Art of Protest Projects.
Through both her studio and socially engaged work, Gallares explores how painting can function as a space for storytelling, where personal histories, cultural symbols, and shared narratives can be layered and reimagined.
C u r r i c u l u m V i t a e :
Anna-Marie Gallares
Based in Newcastle Upon Tyne, North East of England.
Work Experience:
Moving Parts Arts: Freelance Crafts-Based Workshop Facilitator October 2025 - Present
Sum.Place North Shields: Creative Internship May - September 2025
Gateshead College: Casual Teacher for Art and Design / Enrichment Club January - June 2025
Gateshead College: Curriculum Support Worker for Art, Media and Design October 2023 - May 2025
Projects4Change: Youth support worker/ Freelance Community Artist December 2022 - June 2023
Awards, Fellowships & Residencies:
NE Emerging Artist Award 26/27: Shortlist January - May 2026
Proposal exhibition at Seaton Delaval Hall
Artist Future Fund, Breakthrough Artist Fellowship October 2025 - Present
Studio provided at the University of Sunderland
Middlesbrough Arts Week New Graduate Award & Residency July - September 2023
Exhibition at Middlesbrough/ Studio provided at Breeze Collective, Sunderland
Selected Exhibitions:
Solo:
February - March 2026 University of Sunderland, Priestman building, Priestman gallery: Midpoint Residency Exhibition, PAGBUKLAD Unfolding
April 2022 University of Sunderland, Priestman building, Shaune Project Space: Stolen
Group:
May - June 2026: Seaton Deleval Hall, NE Emerging Artist Award Shortlist 2026/27 Proposal Exhibition
April 2026: The Great North Museum: Hancock, Moving Parts Arts: A Treasury Of Tyneside Tales
January - February 2026 University of Sunderland, Priestman building, Priestman gallery: From Our Ribs
August - October 2025 South Tyneside Summer Exhibition
January - April 2025 Rubber Duck Factory: The Dome Wasn't Built In A Day
November - December 2024 Washington Open Exhibition 2024: Spotlight
May - June 2024 Takeover Open Art Exhibition 2024
September - October 2023 Middlesbrough Arts Weekender 23' New Graduate Award
June - July 2023 Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art, Sunderland Fiona Crips: Weighting Time Takeover
June 2023 University of Sunderland, Priestman building, Floor 3 BA Fine Art, Degree Show Exhibition
May 2021 University of Sunderland, Priestman building, Floor 2 First-Year Class Exhibition
Projects:
October 2025 - April 2026: Visual Evaluation, Moving Parts Arts: A Treasury Of Tyneside Tales
October 2025: The Cultural Spring, Autumn ‘Try It’ Art Sessions: Macrame at Bilton Hall in Jarrow
August 2025: The Cultural Spring, August ‘Try It’ Art Sessions: Collage at Bilton Hall in Jarrow
July 2025 The Cultural Spring, Co-lead with artist Rory Williams: Collaborative Painting Workshop at the Bede Family Hub
July 2023 Future Walls Project, Art Of Protest Projects, Sunderland.
April 2023 Projects4Change, Painting Garden Tables, Betty's Hut, Cowgate.
January 2023 Projects4Change, Crafty Solutions to Environmental Problems: Macrame Keychains, Betty's Hut, Cowgate.
June 2022 Projects4Change, Platinum Jubilee Family Fun Day: Face Painting, Betty's Hut.Cowgate.
April 2022 Contributing artist in XR artwork ‘Sawsawan’, Alexis Parinas (Producer)
January - March 2022 Tote Bag Painting Workshop with ChangeMakers, Projects4Change, Kenton.
December 2021 Project4Change, Let it Snow Disco: Face Painting, Blakelaw Community Centre
July 2020 Projects4Change Cowgate Shipping Container Mural, assisted community artist Nicola Lynch
Talks:
February 2026: University of Sunderland, Creative Lives Artist Talk
August 2025: South Tyneside Creatives Meetup Today, Emerging Artist Presentation
December 2023: Talk: Face-to-face Alumni Panel at the University of Sunderland, for Fine Art students
July 2023: Talk: City Forum 3 Recreation and Playing Out, Farrell Centre, Representing Projects4Change
Volunteer:
September - December 2024: The People's Theatre
July 2023: Future Walls Project, Art Of Protest Projects: Spray painting booth, SunLun Calling Pride Festival, Sunniside Gardens
June 2023: The Social Collider Enterprise Place Crew Part 2, University of Sunderland, St Peter's Campus
June 2023: The Social Collider Enterprise Place Crew Part 1, Diego's Joint, Sunniside Sunderland
Press and Articles:
February 2026: Eight contenders for fifth annual Emerging Artist Award: Article
September 2025: AFF Introducing Breakthrough Artist Fellows for 2025–26 Introduction
November 2024: Washington Open Exhibition 2024: Spotlight: Introduction
May 2024: AN Degree Show Guide 2024 - Pages 53, 55 and 56: Interview
September 2023: Middlesbrough Art Weekender, New Graduate Award, 2023 Artist: Introduction
July 2023: Chronicle Live: Life-changing journey inspires Anna-Marie’s artwork: Interview
June 2023: University of Sunderland, Degree Show 2023: Life-changing journey inspires artwork: Interview
May 2023: AN Degree Show Guide 2023 - Page 24-25: Interview
Education:
BA (Hons) Fine Art First Class Honours (1:1) University of Sunderland 2020-2023
UAL Extended Diploma level 3 Art and Design Distinction Gateshead College 2018-2020
Additional Qualifications:
Prevent Awareness Course Gateshead College 2024
Safeguarding Children – Level 2 v2 Youth Focus North East 2022
North East Level 2 Course in Youth Work Principles Youth Focus North East 2022