Ali Clarke is a multidisciplinary artist whose work explores how power, identity and embodied knowledge shape our world. Grounded in the practices of dance, expanded through circus, theatre, and design, Ali’s practice is deeply informed by her commitment to equality and social justice. Her collaborations investigate how art can become a site of resistance, collective memory and social transformation, values that inform her ongoing interest in decolonising artistic practice and creating structures that decentralise dominant cultural narratives.

Over the past two years Ali has engaged with various communities in Dublin City during her tenure leading on the Creative Ireland programme for the Dublin City Arts Office. Ali is now engaged with Creative Places Bagenalstown as the Community Connector and is the 2026 recipient of the Creative Places Athy Connect and Gather Award, leading on the development of the Art House project.

With a Bachelor degree in Dance Arts from Fontys Fine Arts University in The Netherlands, Ali’s professional life began in the realm of choreography of dance and circus with a particular focus on interactive and immersive performance practices. As a creator, Ali’s work has been influenced by a desire to create a more interactive and experiential format for performance. Her work is characterised by her strong trans-disciplinary approach and a passion for exploring the interface between the public and the performer exploring immersive formats for contemporary performance.

Her work has been widely awarded including the Next Generation Award 2022 from the Irish Arts Council, an Arts & Disibility Research Award (‘22), the fAUNA Residency Award ('21), the Dance Ireland HATCH Award ('21) and LaunchPad Award ('20), an Arts Council Ireland Dance Bursary ('21) and Professional Development Award ('20), the Chassé Theater Culture Funds Award ('19), the Cafe Theater Festival Jury Award ('18) and more. Ali’s work has been further supported with inclusion in the Creation Artists trajectory from Carlow Arts Festival and Dublin Dance Festival ('21/22) and Axis Theatre Play:Ground program (‘22).