Sue Challis is a video and multi-media artist, participatory arts worker, and artist-researcher based in the West Midlands. With decades of experience in community arts and reflective practice, Sue has worked with key organisations to explore the impact of participatory arts and creativity—subjects that formed the basis of her doctoral research.
As a filmmaker, Sue challenges traditional notions of media consumption, questioning our relationship with the subject matter and the role of the artist in shaping that connection. Her work is driven by a commitment to making meaningful connections within communities, particularly from her own working-class background. Sue’s practice is focused on creating empowering, effective, and enjoyable creative processes, while also offering integrated and creative evaluation to deepen engagement and understanding.
A notable achievement in her career, Sue’s short film Reading Agatha Christie was submitted to the Max Mara Prize for Women Artists in 2008 by British artist Cornelia Parker and made it to the penultimate round. The film, made in collaboration with a group of Iraqi Kurds in Birmingham, explored their struggle to control their interpretation of Agatha Christie’s They Came to Baghdad in Arabic. It won the Ikon Gallery Student Prize and has been shown internationally in the US and Cairo. Sue was awarded the Birmingham City University ‘Overall Best Student’ in the Arts in 2008 and completed her MA in Fine Arts in 2010.
Sue’s diverse skill set as both a creator and evaluator, combined with her deep understanding of participatory arts, continues to drive her work in developing creativity and fostering community engagement.
