Emma Cocker is a writer-artist based in Sheffield and Associate Professor in Fine Art, Nottingham Trent University. Emma's research focuses on artistic processes and practices, and the performing of ‘thinking-in-action’ therein. Her practice unfolds restlessly along the threshold between writing/art, including experimental, performative and collaborative approaches, alongside a mode of ‘contiguous writing’ — a way of writing-with that seeks to touch upon rather than being explicitly about. Her writing is published in Failure, 2010; Stillness in a Mobile World, 2010; Drawing a Hypothesis: Figures of Thought, 2011; Hyperdrawing: Beyond the Lines of Contemporary Art, 2012; Reading/Feeling, 2013; On Not Knowing: How Artists Think, 2013; Choreo-graphic Figures: Deviations from the Line, 2017; The Creative Critic: Writing as/about Practice, 2018; Live Coding: A User's Manual, 2023, and in the solo collections, The Yes of the No, 2016, and How Do You Do?, 2024.

Event: Manchester Contemporary




Bloc Projects 
Manchester Contemporary
24 - 27 September 2015

Bloc Projects will be presenting new work by four artists who have featured in our programme over the last 12 months - Helen de Main, Graeme Durant, Louisa Martin and Rebecca Ounstead - alongside editions and publications by Emma Cocker and Victoria Gray, Dale Holmes, Rebecca Lennon, Louisa Martin, David McLeavy and Rebecca Ounstead. The fair previews on Thursday 24 September 2015, find out about the public events programme, location and opening hours here. 



Event: Who will go to art school?

Bloomberg New Contemporaries 2015
24 September 2015, 6.30 - 8.30
New Art Exchange, Nottingham

Bloomberg New Contemporaries 2015 will launch in Nottingham across artist-led spaces Backlit, One Thoresby Street and Primary, supported by an additional programme of events at Nottingham Contemporary, New Art Exchange and Nottingham Castle Museum & Art Gallery. 


Discussion about the future of arts education and the proliferation of alternative art schools. Asking, who in the current economic climate has access to arts education and learning? Speakers: Emma Cocker (Reader in Fine Art, NTU), Anna Colin (Open School East), Paul Goodwin (Professor of Black Art & Design Studies, UAL), and Emily Pope (School of the Damned). Part of the public programme for Bloomberg New Contemporaries 2015, selected by Hurvin Anderson, Jessie Flood-Paddock and Simon Starling, and hosted by the New Midland Group.

Below is a version of my presentation:

Event: Counter Art Book Fair



Counter Art Book Fair
Saturday 24th October 2015, 12 – 6pm
Karst, Plymouth

Clare Thornton and I present our new publication from the project The Italic I at the Counter Art Book Fair, Karst, alongside additional publications both solo and collaborative.

Other exhibitors include: AM Bruno / Antler Press / Arnolfini / As Yet Untitled / Atlantic Press Camberwell College of Arts / Chloe Spicer / Chubby / Clare Rogers / Emma Cocker & Clare Thornton / Fennertown / G . F Smith / Guy Bigland / Hazard Press / HG Makes / Howling Owl Records / Impact Press / KARST Shop / Keiken Collective / Ladies of the Press* / LALALA POMPOM / Mark Leahy / Nathan Walker / OOMK / Pea Robinson & Rachael Jenkins / Pylon Press / Semple Press / STANDING FRAME / The B.L.N.T. Collective / The Chinchilla / The Shipping Press / Uniformbooks / Wotadot