Stacey L. Kirby is a Durham–based interdisciplinary artist known for her socially engaged performance installations that explore themes of identity, community, and civil rights. With a background in printmaking and book arts, Kirby integrates these disciplines into her immersive environments, utilizing bureaucratic forms, vintage office aesthetics, and interactive elements to engage participants in dialogue about civic authority and personal belonging.

Her work often involves creating participatory installations where audience members become active contributors, blurring the lines between performer and observer. This approach is evident in her long-running body of performance work, The Bureau of Personal Belonging, which invites participants to engage with themes of citizenship and civil rights through performative interactions within meticulously crafted bureaucratic settings.
In addition to her performance work, Kirby’s expertise in printmaking and book arts is reflected in her creation of artist books and printed materials that complement her installations. These tactile elements serve as both artistic expressions and tools for audience engagement, reinforcing the themes explored in her performances.

Kirby’s contributions to the art world have been recognized through various awards and residencies, including the 2024–25 Roman J. Witt Artist Residency at the University of Michigan’s Stamps School of Art & Design, where she is developing a new iteration of The Bureau of Personal Belonging. Kirby holds a dual degree in Studio Art and Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her work is held in collections such as the Ackland Art Museum at UNC Chapel Hill and the Duke University Rare Book Collection.