Curating Art
Explore the world of art curation and gain the hands-on practical skills and experience needed to work within the sector.
Our Curating Art programme is designed for those with an interest in curating contemporary and traditional art across sites such as galleries, museums, and non-art spaces.
Our expert staff will guide you, helping you to make informed choices about your future. Our graduates have gone on to work in areas such as:
- art curating
- programming
- management
- freelancing
About the programme
We encourage a hands-on approach involving significant input from professionals across the sector. Our activities include:
- field trips to regional organisations and projects
- exhibition-making opportunities
- sessions designed to explore the theoretical questions informing our sector
Together we’ll explore ideas attached to how art becomes public and the role of the curator.
In Semester 1 of your first year, we focus on the different models, stories and histories of curatorial practice. This includes the relationship between artists, artworlds and curators.
Some of the key questions we’ll explore are:
- What are the different forms of curating in contemporary society?
- How did the idea of curating develop?
- What are the sector-leading ways of engaging with artists and audiences?
- How do curators work with artists, audiences, and sites to transform people’s relationships with art and generate new ideas about a place?
In Semester 2, you have a unique opportunity to create a three-month-long exhibition project at the Hatton Gallery.
The exhibition will be one of the gallery's main annual exhibitions and seen by thousands of visitors. This is a rare, real-world opportunity on a postgraduate course of this kind.
The Hatton’s recent £4m refurbishment makes it a perfect place to test your ideas. You’ll be working at the highest level in architect-designed galleries, getting fundamental hands-on practical skills and experience in curating. The Hatton is rooted in an art school that has been central to this country’s history of art education. You’ll become part of a community of artists, curators, and researchers who are transforming what galleries can do – and what art can be.
In Semester 3, you’ll continue to develop your skills and knowledge of curating art. There’ll be a focus on independent practice and building networks in this semester.
Our programme is the perfect launch pad for a career in the visual arts – and the perfect way to learn all the skills you’ll need to succeed in the field. Through your time with us, we’ll support you to become part of the art world and to find your voice as a curator.
Sector experience
Gain crucial work experience in the sector with our placement and project modules. On these modules you’ll hone your skills and develop as a professional.
Exhibition project
Experience working within the sector and put your new skills and knowledge into practice.
On the exhibition project you'll:
- put the theory that you will have learnt into practice
- gain experience of working within a gallery
- have your work seen by thousands of visitors
- understand how various gallerieswork first-hand
- build relationships and form networks and professional contacts.
