Stephen Foster began his career as an artist, teacher and lecturer, and began his curatorial career as the Director of Axiom, an artist-run Gallery space in Cheltenham from 1982 to 1987. Since then he has been the Director of the John Hansard Gallery, which is a part of the University of Southampton.

Over this time the Gallery has won a substantial reputation for seminal work with artists and curators, and collaborations with international museums and galleries. He was twice the Chair of VAGA , the national visual arts and galleries association. He is now Chair of SHAPe, the group leading the cultural development of Southampton, and a member of the Strategy Board of the Southampton Partnership.

He is a Trustee of both the Southampton Education Trust, and the National Glass Centre at the University of Sunderland.