Future Now Symposium 2025
18 September | York St John University
Debate | Discuss | Connect #FutureNow2025
Future Now is a national platform for vision, action and collaboration across art, culture, heritage and the creative industries. On 18 September, Aesthetica brought together leading voices from across art, design, film, architecture, publishing and digital innovation to explore what’s next — and how we shape it. It came at a pivotal moment. The creative industries contribute over £125 billion to the UK economy, and their impact reaches far beyond the financial. At Future Now, we focuses on real pathways and real solutions. What does the future of curation look like in a rapidly evolving digital world? How can artists and creatives build sustainable careers in today’s economy? What investment, infrastructure and education are needed to support emerging talent on a national and international scale?
These were the questions that drove the day. The programme included powerful conversations and panel discussions with some of the most innovative voices working today, including Turner Prize-winning artist Paloma Strelitz of Assemble, who shared insight into collaborative practice, community-driven design and cultural innovation. Artists could access 1-1 Portfolio Reviews with industry leaders — curators, publishers, commissioners and directors who can provide feedback and open doors. Future Now is about creating space for talent to be seen, supported and empowered.
Tickets also included exclusive access to the Private View of the Aesthetica Art Prize 2025 and our new major exhibition, Future Tense. Together, these exhibitions explore how artists are responding to the defining issues of our time — from climate crisis to digital acceleration. The work is bold, experimental and deeply engaged with the world. Future Now is where ideas come to life. It’s a space to be inspired, to make change and to take action.
Tickets also included exclusive access to the Private View of the Aesthetica Art Prize 2025 and our new major exhibition, Future Tense. Together, these exhibitions explore how artists are responding to the defining issues of our time — from climate crisis to digital acceleration. The work is bold, experimental and deeply engaged with the world. Future Now is where ideas come to life. It’s a space to be inspired, to make change and to take action.
The Programme
Welcome Address
Networking and Coffee
9:30-9:50 (Doors 9:00)
We are living through a defining moment – a time of rapid transformation across every sector of society. New technologies, shifting economies and global uncertainties are reshaping the way we live, work and connect. At Aesthetica, we believe in the power of ideas – and in championing the next generation. That’s why Future Now exists: to unite artists, thinkers, entrepreneurs and policymakers, and to take bold steps toward building a more inclusive, knowledge-driven creative economy. In this welcome address, Cherie Federico, Director of Aesthetica, opens the 2025 Symposium by framing the critical conversations ahead – and issuing a call to action: the future is now. Let’s shape it together.
Fares Micue, Under the Same Moon, (2021). Featured on the cover of Aesthetica Magazine Issue 125.
Meet the Aesthetica
Art Prize Finalists 2025
9:50-10:30
Get a closer look at some of the most exciting contemporary artists working today as four Aesthetica Art Prize finalists take to the stage. Each artist will speak for four minutes, offering a window into their creative process and the stories behind their shortlisted works. This dynamic session spans disciplines – from photography and film to installation, sculpture, and digital media – showcasing the innovation shaping today’s art landscape. This spotlight session highlights emerging voices who are redefining what contemporary art can be. It’s the ideal way to set the tone for the day – and a perfect, thought-provoking introduction ahead of the evening’s Private View at York Art Gallery.
Michelle Blancke, Secret Garden No. 325, (2023).
Creative Business Toolkit:
Strategies for Building a Sustainable Practice
10:30-11:30
In today’s shifting landscape, creative professionals need more than talent – they need strategy. With reduced public funding and increasing pressure on arts education, it’s more important than ever to build a resilient and adaptable business model. This session explores how artists and creatives can take control of their careers by developing entrepreneurial thinking. We’ll guide you through the key steps for professional growth: setting goals, understanding audiences, identifying revenue opportunities and navigating representation. You’ll gain practical insights into building visibility, securing funding and entering new markets — all while staying true to your values and creative vision.
Via Unsplash.
The Future of Curation:
Rethinking Practice, Power and Publics
11:45-12:45
Curation is evolving. As audiences shift, institutions are re-examining how stories are told, whose voices are heard and what it means to create spaces that are truly inclusive and responsive. This session brings together leading curators from across the UK to explore the next chapter in curatorial practice — one that is collaborative, critical and conscious of its role in shaping cultural narratives. Chaired by Nephertiti Oboshie Schandorf, from Wellcome Collection, this panel discussions features Hadeel Eltayeb of The Design Museum; Kay Watson, Serpentine Galleries; Barbican Centre’s Luke Kemp; and Poppy Bowers from The Whitworth. Together, they will unpack key ideas driving the field into the future.
Image Credit
Image Credit
Via Unsplash.
Meet the Aesthetica
Art Prize Finalists 2025
13:45-14:15
Step inside the creative process as four more finalists from the Aesthetica Art Prize take to the stage, each offering a short, sharp insight into their work and ideas. In just four minutes each, these artists will share what drives their practice – from early inspiration to execution – giving you a rare look behind the finished pieces. Spanning disciplines such as sculpture, film, installation, digital media and photography, these finalists exemplify the innovation and diversity shaping contemporary art today. You’ll hear the stories behind the artworks on display in the Aesthetica Art Prize Exhibition 2025 and gain a deeper appreciation for the concepts and craft behind them. Perfect for a burst of inspiration.
Image Credit
Liz Miller Kovacs, from the Supernatural (2020 – present) series.
Immersion, Imagination and the Future
of Storytelling with Marshmallow Laser Feast
14:15-15:15
Step into a world where the boundaries between art, technology and experience dissolve. In this keynote session, Robin McNicholas, Creative Director and co-founder of the award-winning collective Marshmallow Laser Feast, offers a behind-the-scenes look at the studio’s groundbreaking work — from large-scale installations and live performance to XR, virtual production and immersive cinema. Known for multisensory storytelling that reawakens our connection to the natural world, their genre-defying work has been shown across the globe — from Kew Gardens and Bradford 2025, to Sundance Film Festival, SXSW, Barbican Centre, Phi Centre Montreal and Lisbon Architecture Triennale.
Image Credit
Image © Marshmallow Laser Feast.
Creative Places & Collective Agency:
A Conversation with Paloma Strelitz
15:30-16:30
Paloma Strelitz is the Creative Director and Head of Product at Patch, a startup building a national network of spaces for work, culture and community, designed to revitalise town centres across the UK. Before joining Patch, Paloma co-founded the architecture and design studio Assemble, which is dedicated to civic and cultural development. Their work was recognised with the Turner Prize (2015), and they were appointed Royal Academicians in 2022. In this session, Strelitz reflects on her journey from Assemble’s radical, grassroots ethos to leading new models of civic and cultural space. Her practice challenges traditional boundaries between art, architecture, activism and community.
Image Credit
Paloma Strelitz.
Closing Words
Networking and Drinks
16:30-17:30
Join us for the final hour of Future Now 2025 as we gather to reflect on the ideas, insights and connections forged throughout the day. With a glass of prosecco in hand, this informal reception offers space to pause, digest and connect – bringing together delegates, speakers, artists, and curators in a celebration of shared ambition. Today has been a catalyst. We’ve explored how creativity shapes society, how new models of engagement are forming, and how urgent ideas are being expressed through film, installation, digital practice and more. As we close, we take away not just inspiration, but a renewed sense of purpose. Raise a glass to collaboration, courage and the future we’re building.
Image Credit
Image Credit
Jonas Hafner, as featured on the cover of Aesthetica Magazine Issue 119.
Aesthetica Art Prize Exhibition:
Private View & Awards, York Art Gallery (Y01 7EW)
18:00-20:00
Future Now Symposium ticket holders are invited to attend the exclusive Private View of the Aesthetica Art Prize 2025 at York Art Gallery. This evening event is a highlight of the programme, offering a first look at the shortlisted works from some of the most innovative and thought-provoking contemporary artists working today. The exhibition showcases pioneering practices across installation, film, photography, sculpture, performance and digital media. The works explore timely and vital themes — from climate justice and AI ethics to diasporic identity, memory, gender and global power structures — reflecting the complexity of our world and the transformative power of art.
Image Credit
Image Credit
Aesthetica Art Prize Exhibition York Art Gallery 2024. A Stopped World, Caroline Jane Harris (2020). Credit Charlotte Graham Photography.
Portfolio Reviews
Hosted by Industry Professionals
Daily
These 1-1 sessions, hosted at York St John University, are for practitioners working across all genres, including painting, photography, digital media, sculpture, video and more. Our industry experts provide essential guidance on how to develop ideas and further artists’ careers, as well as providing insights on funding opportunities and exhibition. Each session lasts 20 minutes. This is an opportunity to get key advice on any number of topics: how to accelerate your practice through digital platforms, how to approach curators and galleries, or simply to discuss a particular portion of your portfolio in real time. Booking essential.
Image Credit Courtesy Jim Poyner.