Ekow Eshun - Creative Director, Calvert 22 Foundation (UK)

Ekow Eshun is Creative Director of Calvert 22 Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation that supports the culture and creativity of the New East through a programme of exhibitions, events, research and digital media. A former director of the Institute of Contemporary Arts (2005-10), Eshun is currently Chair of the Fourth Plinth Commissioning Group, where he oversees London’s most significant public art programme. Eshun is also a writer and cultural commentator, appearing frequently on TV and radio shows including Saturday Review and Front Row.

The Calvert 22 Foundation launched an online journal as part of a quest to brand a region from a small office in Shoreditch, providing incredible insights into online journalism, new models for cultural institutions, and cultural tourism. Ekow shares the inside story of the award-winning online magazine dedicated to exploring the culture and creativity of the New East (eastern Europe, the Balkans, Russia and Central Asia), delivering a mix of daily features, news, interviews and photography.

The former Editor of Arena men’s magazine, and a Contributing Editor at Esquire, his writing has appeared in publications including the Financial Times, The Guardian, Granta, The Observer, The Independent, Vogue and Wired. His book, Black Gold of the Sun, was nominated for the Orwell prize for political writing. He is editor of the 2017 book, Africa Modern: creating the contemporary art of a continent.