Benjamin Rostance is a trauma-informed, working-poor artist from the East Midlands, England. As a survivor of both economic hardship and abuse, Benjamin’s practice delves into mental health, trauma, and recovery. Their work is emotionally charged and considers the uncomfortable positionality of benefitting from white, European, male privilege, while also facing economic and cultural disadvantages growing up, and living with a diagnosis of C-PTSD in adulthood.

 

Rostance makes use of any materials that authentically express emotion and inner experience in the gallery space. This often includes selecting and repurposing objects, patterns, colours, and shapes familiar from their formative years on council estates—visual elements that remain part of their lived reality today. By reinterpreting this visual language in a contemporary context, Rostance’s work reveals the hidden and often overlooked realities of economically and culturally isolated communities. In particular, their practice draws attention to the ongoing impact of childhood trauma among working-poor boys and men—especially those whose experiences are rarely represented or understood—while honouring the complexity and diversity within these communities.

 

Benjamin is a proud alumnus of New Contemporaries, having been selected for the 2021 cohort. Their practice encompasses independent studio work, national and international exhibitions, and creative collaborations across film, video games, and digital archiving. Rostance has contributed to a BAFTA-nominated film with Goldsmiths alum Lisa Selby and has lent their voice and perspective to projects in both the gaming and arts sectors. They have developed and delivered exhibitions, workshops, and public engagement initiatives, and have digitally archived fine art VHS collections for universities including Nottingham and Nottingham Trent, as well as for national charities. With over 20 years’ experience supporting adults with learning differences in their engagement with the arts, Rostance has led workshops, curated exhibitions, and advocated for artists with learning differences—resulting in works being accepted into permanent gallery collections. Their collaboration with CVAN East Midlands and the Lincolnshire Usher Gallery contributed to devising and implementing accessibility policies within these institutions. Their wider work with organisations such as the National Trust, University of Nottingham, and Nottingham Trent University reflects a commitment to expanding access to art, deepening dialogue around materials, and preserving fine art film for future generations.

 

Recently, Rostance exhibited new work at Broadway Gallery, Nottingham, and is currently collaborating with Dr. K Langsdale and General Practice Lincoln on a forthcoming series of exhibitions for 2026. Now in their second year of MA training as an Art Psychotherapist, Rostance continues to expand their practice at Derby University. They remain open to new collaborations with artists and institutions, with a focus on supporting and fostering accessibility, understanding, and equity for artists who have faced, and continue to face, barriers to engaging with the arts.