Elke Smodics

is an art and cultural educator with a focus on contemporary art and feminism. One of her main focuses over the last 15 years has been art education for apprentices and trainees.

At present she teaches at Academy of Fine Arts Vienna and since 2009 she has been a lecturer at the Teacher Training College in Vienna, focusing on feminist, transdisciplinary educational strategies. From 2011—2012 she was gallery manager for the IG Bildende Kunst.

She completed a postgraduate curator course in communication within exhibition education. Since 1991 she has been active in project management and education, including work for the Kunsthalle Vienna from 1996—2006. Her responsibilities included expanding the art education department, developing personnel and media-based educational modules for schools, adult education, workshops for youth, training for art education staff, chairing discussions, catalogue contributions, exhibition texts and educational material. She initiated and managed numerous independent projects in cooperation with, amongst others, the Salzburger Kunstverein, wienXtra, vocational higher education colleges, Büro für Kulturvermittlung, Kulturkontakt Austria, Wiener Frauenbüro and BIG. She has curated projects for public spaces with a special focus on the 'Kunst am Bau' program.