About

Helen Trompeteler is a curator and writer with more than two decades of international experience supporting underrepresented artists. Her work centers on collaborative exhibitions and programs that foster critical inquiry and honor diverse lived experiences.

As Deputy Director and Director of Programs at Silver Eye Center for Photography (U.S.), she leads artist relations, curates original exhibitions, and oversees public programs. Her curatorial approach emphasizes long-term relationships across local, national, and global contexts.

Previously, Helen held senior roles at major institutions, including the Royal Collection Trust (U.K.), where she led Prince Albert: His Life and Legacy—a digital heritage initiative that engaged over 1.4 million viewers worldwide and deepened relationships with local communities. At the National Portrait Gallery (London), her exhibitions and books included Audrey Hepburn: Portraits of an Icon, which attracted over 120,000 visitors and toured internationally.

Helen is the co-founder of By/For: Photography & Democracy, an international collective that critically examines the perceived ‘democratic’ power of photography. Her independent research has earned recognition, including the Josef Breitenbach Research Fellowship at the University of Arizona. Helen’s writing frequently explores how visual legacies from the past influence—and are reshaped by—contemporary creative expression.