Visual Artist
Anna-Marie Gallares
Anna-Marie Gallares is a Filipina-British artist based in Newcastle upon Tyne whose expanded painting practice explores identity, memory and belonging through the experience of growing up between Filipino and British cultures. Working primarily with acrylic paint on unstretched canvas, she creates sculptural paintings that extend beyond the wall through stitching, suspension and constructed supports, blurring the boundaries between painting, textile and installation.
Personal experience is at the heart of Gallares' practice. Growing up between two cultures, she often felt caught between not fully belonging in the culture she lived in and not feeling "Filipino enough" within her own community. Her work reflects on the complexities of migration, cultural identity and the search for belonging, using painting as a visual language to express experiences that words often struggle to hold. Drawing on personal memories, architecture, decorative patterns and Filipino craft traditions, her layered works become spaces where memory, place and identity intertwine, inviting viewers to connect with their own experiences.
More recently, Gallares has become interested in how painting can move beyond personal storytelling to create dialogue with others. Through socially engaged and participatory approaches, she is exploring how collaborative making, conversation and shared acts of creativity can foster understanding and open up conversations around identity, place and belonging.
Gallares is currently a Breakthrough Artist Fellow with the Artist Future Fund and was shortlisted for the North East Emerging Artist Award (2026–27). Recent solo exhibitions include I Carry It With Me at the Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art's Collection Space and PAGBUKLAD (Unfolding) at the Priestman Gallery, University of Sunderland (both 2026). Alongside her studio practice, she works as a freelance community artist.
C u r r e n t l y :
AFF Breakthrough Artist Fellow in residence at University of Sunderland
Solo Exhibition at the Northern Gallery of Contemporary Art showing from 5th June to 31st July 2026.
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:
Norfolk Street Arts: Freelance Workshop Facilitator in Community Roots Workshop Project June - September 2026
Moving Parts Arts: Freelance Crafts-Based Workshop Facilitator October 2025 - April 2026
Sum.Place North Shields: Creative Internship May - September 2025
Gateshead College: Casual Teacher for Art and Design January - June 2025
Gateshead College: Curriculum Support Worker for Art, Media and Design/ Enrichment Club 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:
June - July 2026: Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art, The Collection Space: I Carry It With Me
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: The Customs House: South Tyneside Summer Exhibition
January - April 2025: Rubber Duck Factory: The Dome Wasn't Built In A Day
November - December 2024: Arts Centre Washington: Washington Open Exhibition 2024, Spotlight
May - June 2024: The Customs House: Takeover Open Art Exhibition 2024
September - October 2023: Middlesbrough Arts Weekender 23' New Graduate Award
June - July 2023: Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art: Fiona Crips, Weighting Time Takeover
Projects:
June - September 2026: Norfolk Street Arts, Community Roots Workshop Project
January - May 2026: NE Emerging Artist Award, Shortlist Project Brief Seaton Delaval Hall
October 2025 - April 2026: Moving Parts Arts, Led Artist Jonluk Mckie, Visual Evaluation: A Treasury Of Tyneside Tales
October 2025: The Cultural Spring, Led Artist Rory Williams, Autumn 'Try It' Art Sessions
August 2025: The Cultural Spring, Led Artist Rory Williams, August 'Try It' Art Sessions
April 2022: Contributing artist in XR artwork ‘Sawsawan’, Producer Alexis Parinas
January - March 2022: Tote Bag Painting Workshop with ChangeMakers, Projects4Change, Kenton.
July 2020: Projects4Change Cowgate Shipping Container Mural, assisted community artist Nicola Lynch
Talks:
July 2026: Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art, In-conversation: I Carry It With Me, with Curator Jon Weston
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
Press and Articles:
May 2026: Filipina artist Anna-Marie Gallares' first UK solo exhibition: Article
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