Lauren Keeley

I am a critically engaged environmental studies postgraduate who is seeking a role in climate transition and ESG. With a background in the arts, where I have held teaching, research and assistant positions, alongside later managing my own studio—I bring a creative and multi-disciplinary approach to the environmental space. I returned to education in 2019 out of a desire to pivot into climate change mitigation and adaptation, where I have since developed a broad and intersectional knowledge base to understand climate challenges across scientific, political, social, and normative domains. I now hope to mobilise my multi-disciplinary understanding and passion towards these issues, to help transform response to the complex socio-ecological challenges we increasingly face.

My previous professional background is in the arts where I have held research, assistant, and teaching positions, as well as later running my own studio. I was represented by Frutta Gallery in Rome (2015-2021), with additional working relationships with Åplus Galerie, Berlin; Breese|Little, London; and Galerie Deroullion, Paris.

I participated in 50+ solo and group exhibitions at institutions across the UK and Europe, including at Frutta Gallery, Rome (2015); Granpalazzo, Rome (2016); Liste, Basel (2017); and Frieze Art Fair London (2017, 2019). I was the receiver of the Bartos Dos Santos Award in 2014, the Porthmeor Studios Summer Residency in 2014 and the Chelsea Arts Club Trust Prize in 2019.

I have excellent experience managing stakeholder relations and sales between gallery management, collectors, art advisors and curators. I also authored successful art fair applications including to Frieze Art Fair, London (2018) and Liste, Basel (2017), and co-ordinated complicated artwork production, curatorial strategy, and international shipping logistics for strict exhibition deadlines.

I returned to education in 2019 to study climate change, out of a want to better understand the socio-ecological issues we increasingly face. I am now very keen to facilitate a career shift into climate finance and ESG, which I view as a vital component in climate mitigation and adaptation, so to turn environmental critical thinking into critical doing.    

I hold a MSc in Climate Change from Birkbeck, University of London (distinction) where I was awarded the Climate Change Dissertation Prize. I am currently finishing of a MPhil in Anthropocene Studies at the University of Cambridge.