Sarah Leader is a multi - interdisciplinary artist based in the UK. She completed the BA Fine Art at London Metropolitan University in 2008 where her practice was conceptually focused on theories of palimpsest, culminating in process led paintings. After studying, Leader found herself working for creative agencies in account management, later returning to her art practice in 2020. She currently has a studio space at Arena Studios in Liverpool and has six years’ experience of working in funeral care.

Project: “Repatriating Dignity to the Unknown”

Leader's work stems from her research into the phenomena around unidentified human lives and the role of secondary identifiers. Taking a bricolage role of practice-based artist and curator, she has explored how forensics and creativity can unify in which to ethically aid recognition of these lives, by memorialising the individual persons and raising awareness of the organisations responsible for identifying them.

Informed by discussions with subject matter experts, “The Inquiry Room” was conceptualised and curated, to encourage public discourse. Taking place at Bridewell Studios and Gallery as part of the Independent Liverpool Biennial in June 2025, it featured contributions from Dr. Maria Maclennan, Dr. Heather Panter, Stasia Parker, Katie Taylor, Sam Waiting and Locate International. With ethics approval (LSAREC25-04) visitors were invited to take on an investigative role by anonymously participating in research. Discussions continue around extending the reach of this transdisciplinary project with a catalogue and report available to those who’d like to find out more.

Leader continues to explore themes around materiality and memorialisation which include “Articles of Interest”, “Petalworks” and “Trace Fossils”. Her trace fossil clay work featured in the exhibition “Traces” in Liverpool in 2025, and her sculpture of a hand made from petals, “Coalescence”, featured alongside other LJMU student works in the Mary Seacole exhibition “A Figure of Care” at St. George’s Hall in Liverpool in 2026. It was subsequently shortlisted for the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2026. More information about specific project work and upcoming exhibitions can be found on her website.