About
Sue Loughlin is a visual artist based at The NewBridge Project, Newcastle upon Tyne. Rooted in installation, sculpture and painting, her work assesses the impact of political, ideological and socio-economic shifts upon female autonomy. Her work often references the body, and is underpinned by the autobiographical. Motherhood and the mental, physical and societal implications of this state are recurring themes. Issues surrounding women’s labour are of particular importance as is the idea of the female body as a fallible, disposable machine. Through her work Sue invites contemplation of the systemic failings which surround us, including through modes of social practice.
Sue founded MOTHEROTHER in 2023, a research, curatorial and social practice project which has become a methodology through which she navigates the unfavourable artworld conditions experienced by artist parents and carers, supporting others to do the same. MOTHEROTHER was shortlisted for and highly commended by the 2025 Creative Health and Wellbeing ‘Practicing Well Award’ and has been funded for the second time by Arts Council England for 2026-2028.
Sue was selected over two consecutive years for the AA2A artist residency at the University of Sunderland (2025 & 2026). She was awarded a Sunderland Culture Creative Fellowship in 2019, and completed The Collective Studio at The NewBridge Project in 2020; THE EXCHANGE with Eastside Projects, CAMP, G39, Spike Island (Spike Associates) and Turf Projects in 2021; and UNION 23 with the Northern School of Creativity and Activism in 2023. Sue holds an MA Fine Art from the University of Sunderland (2018) and a BA Fine Art from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne (1996).
Recent Exhibitions
BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art - Open Submission
The Auxiliary, Middlesbrough - North East Open Call
The NewBridge Project - Form and Display
The Priestman Gallery, Sunderland - AA2A In_Progress
2026
The Priestman Gallery, Sunderland - AA2A Work In Progress
2025
The Auxiliary Project Space, Middlesbrough - Solid Ground
The NewBridge Project, Newcastle, Open Open
Middlesbrough Art Week, Middlesbrough - UPROOT
2024
The Auxiliary Project Space, Middlesbrough - Now that's what I call Art III
2023
Middlesbrough Art Week - The People's Plinth
Segedunum, Wallsend - Story of Place
2022
Newcastle Contemporary Art, Newcastle, Now that’s What I Call Art
BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, Gateshead – Open Submission
2021
The NewBridge Project, Newcastle, Third Wave
Pineapple Black, Middlesbrough - Scramble
Ex-Libris Gallery, Newcastle - Insert Exhibition Title Here
2020
Newbridge Project, Gateshead - Collective Studio Open Studios
Citizens House, Durham - Processes
Base Camp, Middlesbrough - Hun
Pineapple Black, Middlesbrough - Pick 'n' Mix
Mackie’s Corner, Sunderland - Body of Work (SOLO)
Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens, What would Leonardo Make today?
2019
Atkinson Gallery, Sommerset - MA and Other Postgraduates
Shaun Project Space, Sunderland – Anthropocene (SOLO)
Whitestone Gallery, York – FRESH
Priestman Gallery, Sunderland – One Fourteen Fourteen
2018
Curatorial Work
New Graduate Award: Warren- Curator, Middlesbrough Art Week
You will be Cancelled - Curator, Middlesbrough Art Week
AA2A In_Progress - Co-curator, Priestman Gallery
2026
AA2A Work In Progress - Co-curator, Priestman Gallery
Residual Echo - Curator, Middlesbrough Art Week 2025
2025
MOTHEROTHER - Curator, The NewBridge Project
2024
Measure - Curatorial Support, Middlesbrough Art Week
Scramble - Producer/Co-curator, Pineapple Blac, Middlesbrough
2023
2020
Body of Work - Co-curator, Mackie's Corner
2019
IX - Co-curator, University of Sunderland, MA Degree Show
One Fourteen Fourteen - Co-curator, Priestman Gallery
2018
Qualifications
2017-2018 MA Fine Art, University of Sunderland
1996-1997 PGCE Secondary Art and Design, University of Reading
1992-1996 BA (Hons) Fine Art, University of Newcastle upon Tyne
Residencies and Development Programmes
AA2A - University of Sunderland, October 2024-May 2026
2024-2026
UNION 23, Northern School of Creativity and Activism, 12month Development Programme
2023
Story of Place with HELIX Arts, Wallsend Schools and Segedunum Museum and Roman Fort, Wallsend, January-April
2022
Newcastle Cultural Learning Partnership, Artist in Residence at SMART Academies Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne Sept 2021-July 2023
2021-2023
THE EXCHANGE, Eastside Projects (EOP), CAMP, G39 (WARP), The NewBridge Project, Spike Island (Spike Associates), and Turf Projects
STUDIOBOOK; ONLINE, Mark Deveraux Projects
2021
Tees Valley Cultural Partnership, Artist in Residence at TVED Academies Trust, Middlesbrough October 2019-February 2021
2019-2021
The Collective Studio, The NewBridge Project, Newcastle upon Tyne
Sunderland Culture, Creative Development Fellowship
2019-2020
Norfolk Street Arts, Artist in Residence, SR1 Residency: Responding to Sunderland’s Ceramics History November 2018-July 2019
2018-2019
Ongoing Freelance Roles
MOTHEROTHER
Founder and director of MOTHEROTHER (2023-present)
The Auxiliary Project Space, Middlesbrough
Curator New Graduate Award (2026- present)
Common Ground, Co-Founder (2025- present))
Community Connector, Sonic Arts Week and Middlesbrough Art Week (2023-present)
Commissioned Artists Community engagement at Middlesbrough Art Week/Weekender (2021-2023)
BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, Gateshead
Contracted Freelance Artist, Learning, Community and Education (2022-present)
Selected Commissions and Social Practice Projects
Sept 2024-June 2025
The NewBridge Project, Newcastle: UPskill – Freelance Producer for the Practice Make Practice Programme
Nov 2024-April 2025
North East Festival of Languages, Newcastle City Council, concept development, resource production and sculpture fabrication and installation.
Jan 2024-March 2025
Test Space, Speak Up for Grassroots Arts Sunderland: Arts Council England funded project to raise awareness of difficulties faced by grassroots practices in Sunderland.
Nov 2022-Nov 2024
MOTHEROTHER: Arts Council England funded independent research project in support of art-working parents/carers – founder/director/producer/curator operating across the North East, supported by BALTIC, The NewBridge Project, Helix Arts and The Auxiliary Project Space
April – Sept 2024
UPROOT Collective: Commissioned by The Auxiliary Project Space for the Middlesbrough Art Week/curated by Claire Feeley, producer and facilitator for Schools and Communities in the co-produced of the MAW meadow and associated works
May-Aug 2023
University of Durham and East Durham Creates, Street Cosmos, R&D and workshop event delivery
April-July 2023
BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, International Art Club
Jan 2023
The Farrell Centre, Newcastle, delivery of inaugural weekend workshops for families
Nov- Dec 2022
BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, Art Mix programme for 13-19 year olds
Feb-July 2022
BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, community workshops across the North East in support of the BALTIC Bus, travelling exhibition 'What's for Tea?'
July 2021-July 2022
V&A Museum, London and National Glass Centre, Sunderland, DesignLab Nation, Lead Artist, raising aspiration programme for secondary students within Art, Design and Technology
June-Sept 2021
Sunderland Culture, Commissioned Artist, Sculpture in Schools with National Glass Centre, Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art, Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens and The Arts Council England Collection
Jan-Mar 2021
BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, Commissioned Artist, Interactive Art Trail