Catherine Hemelryk lives and works in Derry/Londonderry. She is Director of the Centre for Contemporary Art Derry~Londonderry (CCA). At CCA Catherine curates CCA’s international programme of experimental, contemporary art supporting emerging practice through exhibitions, publishing, research, residencies and more as well as leads the team and acting as an advocate for the sector. Catherine led the organisation to becoming Finalists for Art Fund Museum of the Year in 2021 for their innovative work supporting artists and audiences during the coronavirus Pandemic.
Catherine is a MA Curating Contemporary Art graduate of the Royal College of Art, London, BA (hons) Fine Art from Newcastle University and studied Politics & Government with the Open University. She has worked at various institutions across Europe including Curator at CAC Vilnius and Artistic Director at NN Contemporary Art, Northampton (now Arts Collective). Under Catherine’s leadership, NN gained NPO status from Arts Council England.
She has participated in curatorial residencies at HMK Hoorn, GeoAIR Tbilisi, Sea Foundation, Tilburg and was selected as a participant in the first cohort of the Escalator Retreat programme at Wysing Arts Centre. She has an artist-centered approach to curating and interests include politically-active artists, science fiction and narrative, modernism, brutalism, structures and movement and creating platforms to support artists’ professional development, experimentation and marginalized voices.
Catherine is a member of the Northern Ireland Art Network and Fellow of the RSA. She is a board member of Axisweb and joined the BAN Steering Group in 2025.