About
Staff
Andria Hickey
Head of Programs, Shorefast
Andria Hickey is a curator, writer, and strategic advisor. She is currently Head of Programs at Shorefast and Fogo Island Arts. Her curatorial research and practice is focused on cross-disciplinary experimentation, socially engaged art, and contemporary approaches to abstraction in the digital age. She is inspired by the intersections of art and ecology, civic engagement and art in the public realm.
At Shorefast, she oversees the holistic direction of the organization’s interdisciplinary programs, including Fogo Island Arts, it’s residencies and exhibitions, as well as environmental stewardship initiatives, foodways, heritage sites, and programs designed to center place and culture in community economic development.
Prior to joining Shorefast, Andria was Chief Curator at The Shed, NY, where oversaw the visual art program. She was previously global Senior Director and Curator at Pace Gallery, where she established a new curatorial team and initiated the live arts program Pace Live, while advancing the exhibition program and artist roster. Before joining Pace, she was Senior Curator at MOCA Cleveland, where she shaped the vision for the program, curated major thematic and solo exhibitions and focused on community engagement initiatives, including a two-year residency of Town Halls with Hank Willis Thomas and the For Freedoms artist coalition.
Hailing from St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada, Andria earned her BA from Memorial University and an MA in Canadian Art History from Concordia University in Montreal. She moved to the United States in 2007 for a curatorial fellowship in the Visual Arts Department at the Walker Art Center. Moving on to New York, she was Curator of Art in General and later appointed Curator at the Public Art Fund where from 2011-2016, she organized public art exhibitions and new commissions throughout New York City.
In addition to her leadership roles and curatorial work, Andria is a strategic advisor to artists, cultural foundations and arts institutions, and has collaborated with Christopher Lew’s curatorial consulting office, C/O Curatorial Office, and the advising firm, Agency 291. She has lectured broadly, and her written work has been published in a wide variety of journals and exhibition catalogues.
Alicia Penton
Residency Program Coordinator
Alicia Penton is a born and bred Fogo Islander, raised in the community of Joe Batt’s Arm. Alicia spent her childhood combing the shores and running wild through Fogo Island’s open spaces. Alicia attended Memorial University in St. John’s and lived in the city for a few years before returning to Fogo Island and settling in the community of Island Harbour with her partner and her Norwegian Elkhound, Helga. In Alicia’s free time she enjoys painting, DIY projects, watching anime, playing card games and darts.
Claire Shea
Director
Claire Shea is Director of Fogo Island Arts. Shea was previously the Deputy Director at Para Site, Hong Kong’s leading contemporary art centre and one of the oldest and most active independent art institutions in Asia. While at Para Site, she curated the major group exhibition ‘An Opera for Animals‘, 2019 (with Cosmin Costinaş), which toured to Rockbund Art Museum, Shanghai in Summer 2019.
Prior to this, Claire was Curatorial Director at Cass Sculpture Foundation in Goodwood, England, (2008-2016), where she curated ‘A Beautiful Disorder’ (with Dr Wenny Teo and Ella Liao Wei). She was an Associate Curator for the 8th Shenzhen Sculpture Biennial, ‘We have never participated’ (2014) at OCT Contemporary Art Terminal, Shenzhen (curated by Marko Daniel, with Dr Wenny Teo and Lu Peiyi).
In 2010-15, she was a member of the selection and steering committee of Bold Tendencies. Prior to this she curated the inaugural Thun Ceramic Residency in Bolzano, Italy (2015) and worked at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice, Italy (2006-2008).
Iris Stünzi
Program Manager