Dan Auluk
Growing up queer, British and Punjabi in Birmingham in the 1970s and 1980s, I often felt I was moving back and forth between different worlds. At home there was my Punjabi family and culture. Outside, I was surrounded by a different idea of what being British meant. At the same time, I was discovering that I was queer and knew that this was something I needed to hide, to survive. After spending so much of my life feeling that parts of myself needed to be hidden, making work in response to trauma, love, intimacy, visibility and joy, feels healing for me.
I hope audiences can make connections that perhaps make them feel less isolated, othered or marginalised.
Lived Experience
I have 25 years experience of working with and for LGBTQ+ people and communities around emotional health and wellbeing support, from 121 mentoring and wellbeing sessions, group facilitation, training and workshops to reduce isolation and loneliness; in the charity sector, NHS and Universities.
Selected Exhibitions, Projects & Residencies
2026
Creatively collecting feedback (trees of hope), ½ day conference on Child Poverty, University of Birmingham, UK.
3-day residency with Kuch Bhogal, Southampton, UK.
2025
25 years (confetti), Summer Camp, Eastside Projects, Birmingham, UK.
1989 (video), Coventry Open, The Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry, UK.
Frames of Discovery: An Evening of Art and Science, group show at Centrala, Birmingham, UK.
2024
Co-facilitated a 1 day workshop titled ‘depression and brain networks - a cognitive approach.’ as part of the SMQB residency with Dr Maria Dauvermann from University of Birmingham.
Lead Facilitator for a 1 day workshop titled ‘creativity as self-care - drawing approaches.’ for SMQB residency.
SMBQ artist in residence for 2024 (July 2024 - Jan 2025) – University of Birmingham.
C0-faciliating a 1-day workshop on creative writing with The Open Minds Project, Bishopgates Institute, London.
Engager/Moderator for Flourish, a new platform for GBTQ+ men.
2023
My Punjabi Mother, Her Dog and Me (A stage play, scratch tested at The Old Rep Theatre, Birmingham).
Winter Art Fair, STRYX Gallery Space, Birmingham.
The Quest Programme - Assistant, London.
Supersonic Festival Volunteer, Birmingham.
Artist Talk for Homegrown, launch event at the new Jewellery Quarter site at STRYX, Birmingham.
2022
Open Screen Night, Castlefield Gallery Associates, Manchester.
Winter Art Fair, STRX Gallery Space, Birmingham.
BFI Network Directors Series (online).
Arts Evaluation for Foleshill on film project for Foleshill Community Centre, Coventry.
Sleep (2022) - Summer Show Reel - Eastside Projects, Birmingham.
South Asian Arts Collective Group Show, Asylum Gallery, Wolverhampton (Group Show, screening of Sleep (2022).
South Asian Heritage Month 2022, (online film talk with artist Asuf Ishaq discussing artist moving image).
South Asian Heritage Month 2022, SOAS University of London, (screening of Extremely Valuable Person and Mother by Asuf Ishaq).
2021
The Film Liberation Project showcase, Tin Arts, Coventry. (Screening of artist films, Sleep (2020).
Ikon for Artists, Ikon Gallery, Birmingham (Group Show – screening of Extremely Valuable Person (2020).
2020
Looking at you and not looking down (Animated GIFs) 'falls the shadow' Router, The Wrong Biennale
Extremely Valuable Person, micro bursary for a new documentary from New Art West Midlands.
more at https://danauluk.com/indexcv
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