Kate Rich

Artist, trader and feral economist.
Feral Trade
Rovereto, Italy

Degrees

PhD "The Feral MBA", University of the West of England, 2023
BSc Open degree in Business and Economics, Open University, 2017
BA in Media Studies, RMIT University, 1988

Research Interests

Currently undertaking a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship, FRICTIONS, at ACElab, the research arm of Brave New Alps (IT), 2024-2027. FRICTIONS centres on the everyday work of administration as a regularly overlooked place for critical, creative and collective practice. During my time at ACElab I will investigate the frictions between EU policy ambitions for a greener, more equitable economy and the actions of small and grassroots cultural organisations who are working towards these ends – made vivid in the form of regulatory frictions that often hold such endeavours hold back. FRICTIONS will engage methods from participatory action research and tactical art, working collaboratively with four exemplary small-scale cultural initiatives (BE/CRO/NL/IT), and establish a new research centre, the Institute for Experiments with Business (IBEX), as a platform to continue this work beyond FRICTIONS.

Related research contexts and collaborations:

  • The Feral MBA, a radically reimagined business school for artists and others. 
  • Feral Trade (since 2003,). An art project and grocery business. Feral Trade utilises the spare carrying capacity of existing movements to trade coffee and other vital goods outside formal systems.
  • Sail Cargo Alliance, an assembly of traders, brokers and ship owners working together to revive the historic practice of sailing cargo in wind-propelled ships.
  • RADMIN. Reclaiming the 'dull' space of administration as also a place for wild experiments and meaningful work.
  • Feral Business Coaching & Consultancy A practice that draws together skills and approaches from life coaching, business strategy, diverse economies theory,art and DIY. 
  • Cube Microplex. A volunteer run cinema, music and arts co-operative in Bristol, UK. My roles there have included Bar Manager, Accounts Team and Community Land Trust committee member.
  • Cube-Cola. A DIY open source soft drink production partnership.
  • Irational.org Art server collective.

More information: http://bureauit.org/data/krcv