Esme Keenleyside (b. 2002, Essex) is a UK-based artist and curator who graduated from the Winchester School of Art in 2024. Since beginning her studies, Esme has shown a strong commitment to building community within the arts, founding the WSA Artists Collective in 2022 to provide undergraduate students with opportunities to showcase their work beyond the university. She has organized and curated exhibitions in various venues, including The Railway Inn in Winchester and The Alfred Arcade in Southampton, in collaboration with ‘a-space’ arts.

In 2024, Esme was nominated by the university for the Freelands Foundation Painting Prize and received the Nancy Balfour Painting Prize. She has also joined the Ripe Collective, and in July 2024, she co-curated and exhibited in a graduate art show with Turps Gallery. Her own practice is currently centred around the exploration of painting alongside an analysis of the relationship between humans and teddies as vessels for memories, as seen in her graduate show at The Winchester School of Art 2024. 

Keenleyside’s involvement in the arts extends to various administrative and outreach roles, including her work as Social Media Manager for the WSA Painting Prize and ambassador at Winchester School of Art. She has also held positions supporting workshops and community art events through organisations like Focal Point Gallery in Southend. Her dedication to both her art and the art community reflects her commitment to fostering collaboration and accessibility within the creative field.