(1968 - )
Elsa James is a British African-Caribbean conceptual artist and activist living in Essex since 1999. She studied as a mature student at Chelsea College of Arts, University of the Arts London (2006–10) and Goldsmiths College, University of London (2013–15). Her social practice includes advocating for the inclusion of marginalised voices and communities in the arts sector. In 2015, she was commissioned by Southend-based charity CAST, to research the asylum and refugee community in Southend. Since her graduate show in 2010, she has had solo exhibitions at Chalkwell Hall, Metal Culture, Essex (2018); and Firstsite, Essex (2019) – which followed a residency supported by Arts Council England. In 2021, James obtained further research and development funding from Arts Council England for her ‘THIS IS ESSEX’ project. She is a member of ‘Girl Gang’ (since 2014) – a UK wide group of womxn artists utilising performative actions to challenge expectations in public spaces. She is also a member of the feminist activist collective the ‘Essex Girls Liberation Front’ (since 2017) based in Southend.
