David Curtis studied painting at the Slade School, UCL before becoming involved with the Arts Laboratories (1967–71). He was Film Officer at the Arts Council of Great Britain for over 20 years, giving grants tofilmmaking artists and organising exhibitions of artists' works including Film as Film (Hayward Gallery, London 1979). He has written extensively on experimental film and animation, his books including Experimental Cinema (Studio Vista / Universe 1971), A History of Artists Film & Video in Britain (BF1 2007) and The Artists Film (Thames & Hudson 2021). He was a Senior Research Fellow at Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts, London 2000–2010 where he founded the British Artists Film & Video Study Collection. His curatorial projects have included Midnight Underground (Channel 4 TV 1993) and A Century of Artists Film in Britain (Tate 2003–04).
