Dora Grabkowska
I am a multidisciplinary designer and artist. Born and raised in Poland, I moved to England in 2006 and completed a degree in Design and Applied Arts at the University of Wolverhampton. I have worked on a broad spectrum of projects throughout my career, from product, graphic and spatial design to participatory art and start-up ventures. In 2016, I was shortlisted for the Women in Innovation Award by Innovate UK and was recognised as one of the ‘Most promising female entrepreneurs’ by Innovate UK in July 2017. In December 2022, I received the DYCP Award from Arts Council England.
I am currently studying an MFA Arts & Humanities at the Royal College of Art, London.
Exhibitions
2022 - ‘‘What Made Me’’, participatory art, ‘‘Connect Me’’ exhibition, Trapholt Museum of Modern Art and Design, Kolding, Denmark.
2022 - ‘‘What Made Me’’, participatory art, ‘‘Workday Rising Europe’’ conference, Älvsjö, Sweden.
2022 - ‘‘What Made Me’’, participatory art, ‘‘Workday Rising’’ conference, Orlando, Florida, USA.
2020 - ‘‘Wat Maakt Mij’’, participatory art, ‘‘Ik ben ik’’ group exhibition, Concordia, Enschede, Netherlands.
2020 - ‘‘What Made Us in 2020’’, participatory art, PlusX, Brighton, UK
2020 - ‘‘The Myr Tree’’, winning sculpture for the ‘‘Love Your Forest’’ campaign by Hubbub, Suntory Beverage & Food, Forestry Commission, Forest of Dean, UK
2019 - ‘‘I Am…’’, participatory art, ‘‘Move The Dial’’ global digital media conference, Toronto, Canada.
2018 - ‘‘Who do you think you are?’’, participatory art, Sabrina Starke’s group exhibition, Tent Rotterdam, Netherlands.
2015 - Design products retailed at “We Built This City” pop-up shop, Carnaby Street, London, UK
2014 - ‘‘Voltage’’ & ‘‘Loop’’, design products exhibited at The Old Sessions House, “London Design Festival”, London, UK
2012 - ‘‘What Made Me’’, participatory art, Idea Birmingham, The Mailbox, Birmingham, UK
2012 - “I, Culture” public participatory installation for The Adam Mickiewicz Institute, in collaboration with Urban Brew. The National Theatre, “Watch This Space Festival”, London, UK
2011 - ‘‘Poets’ Path’’, public participatory art for Faber&Faber, in collaboration with Urban Brew. “Bloomsbury Festival”, Russel Square Gardens, London, UK
Publications
2019 - “What Made Me’’ featured in ‘‘In the Street | Participatory Actions in Public Spaces’’, Corraini Edizioni, Milan, IT
2015 - “What Made Me’’ featured in ‘‘Playful Graphics: Graphic Design That Surprises’’, Sandu Publishing, CN
2014 - “What Made Me’’ featured in ‘‘Infographics – Designing & Visualizing Data’’, Sandu Publishing, CN
Awards
2023 - Arts Council England - DYCP Award
2019 - Beta Den - recipient of business start-up mentoring and funding programme, The Malverns, UK
2018 - Central Research Laboratory - recipient of business start-up mentoring and funding programme, Hayes, London, UK
2016 - Infocus Women in Innovation Award - Finalist, Innovate UK & Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN), London, UK
2012 - The Most Original Exhibit award by Idea Birmingham, ‘‘What Made Me’’ installation, Birmingham, UK
2010 - BSEEN scholarship for young entrepreneurs, Birmingham City University, Birmingham, UK
Talks
2020 - TEDx Banbury Countdown Virtual Event, as part of the TED Climate Change Countdown