Samallie Kiyingi

Managing Director

(b. Kampala, lives and works in London)

Samallie is a lawyer by training, an art enthusiast by passion and the founder of Artnaka, which is born out of her desire to highlight exceptional creative talent, develop a more sustainable art market for contemporary African art and to contribute to a more representative global art conversation.

Over the past decade she has supported artists, advised on art projects and on collecting art.  Samallie is a founding member of the Tate Modern’s African Art Acquisition Committee. She also serves on the board of several arts organisations including Gasworks | Triangle Arts Trust (London), Ugandan Arts Trust | 32 Degrees East (Kampala) and the Kuenyehia Art Prize (Accra).

Katherine Finerty

Curatorial Director

(b. New York City, lives and works in London)

As Artnaka’s Curatorial Director, Katherine Finerty curates the programme of events for members. She keeps the Artnaka community closely connected with contemporary artists and international institutions whilst also organising a monthly newsletter with inspiring editorial features.

Katherine is a curator, writer and art historian. Recent experiences includes being the inaugural Curator for Daata Editions and working as the Curatorial Assistant for both the 2015 Göteborg International Biennial for Contemporary Art and the 2013/2013 Biennale de Lubumbashi.

Katherine has a Masters in Curating Contemporary Art from the Royal College of Art. She is also an alumnus of Cornell University and the University of Cambridge.