In January 2026 my book ‘Useful Art: How activist artists can change the world’ was published by Manchester University Press.

I’m gratful to Emma Brennan, Editorial Director at Manchester University Press, for seeing the potential behind this book, sharing a vsion for change, and for helping to establish a book intended to reach across and beyond the confines of the establhsied art world.

Recommendations:

‘Presents a clear case for how Useful Art can provide a way out of the systems that envelop us.’

Alistair Hudson, Chariman ZKM

‘Reading this book will convince you that we have not lost everything yet.’

Farid Rakun, ruangrupa

‘A highly engaging and accessible insider’s view of the Useful Art movement’;’.

Giles Smith, Assemble (Turner Prize Winners 2015)

‘An indispensable book for understanding a practice that has moved as an undercurrent through art for nearly a century.

Tania Bruguera, Artist and Activist

With rigour and care, Byrne reminds us that contemporary art can produce not only sharp questions, but workable answers. A critically useful book.

Bill Balaskas, Artist and Theorist.