Contemporary Curating (MA)
Winchester, United Kingdom
DURATION
1 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
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EARLIEST START DATE
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TUITION FEES
GBP 26,500 **
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* for UK | international applicants: 29 July 2024
** for EU and international student | UK students: GBP 9,250
Scholarships
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Introduction
Explore how to curate a compelling and relevant art exhibition within groups and independently. From curating contemporary performances to handling historic art objects, you'll learn how to apply practical skills to a variety of different art mediums and disciplines.
Our Contemporary Curating course gives you the theoretical, research and practical skills to work as a curator anywhere in the world. You’ll get professional experience managing projects in the Winchester Gallery, with unique access to the University’s vast network of practising artists, academics and researchers who will inform and inspire your curatorial practice.
By studying this MA in curating you’ll have the opportunity to:
- Curate Compelling Art Exhibitions Based on Research Across Disciplines and Discourses
- Develop Critical Thinking to Collate and Curate Artworks Which Challenge the Audience
- Understand the Current Concerns and Limitations of Contemporary Curation and Culture
- Get Hands-on Experience From Practical Workshops in Object-handling and Setting Up Exhibitions Using Lighting and Tools
- Attend Visits to Local and London-based Art Exhibitions Where You’ll Question and Debate Different Curatorial Approaches
Your learning will take place in the picturesque city of Winchester, where you'll join a thriving artist community with direct access to practising artists from the Winchester School of Art.
The Winchester Gallery is based at the Winchester School of Art and is open to the public. Your involvement in the gallery will give you real professional experience in understanding the practical and logistical requirements of curating.
You’ll consider your exhibition’s profile, including the theme, whether the location is private, or public, and how your audience interacts with the artwork. Your decisions as a curator will be research-led, referring to theoretical art concepts and critically reflecting on your own practice throughout.
We look at digital curation, the way artwork is stored, collected and archived online, considering the benefits and limitations of digital curation in contemporary art.
Admissions
Curriculum
MA Contemporary Curating programme is studied over one year, full-time, and comprises a mix of core, compulsory and optional modules.
Semester 1 Overview
For the full-time programme, taught modules in Semester 1, Curatorial Histories & Contexts, provide the conceptual underpinnings, critical research perspectives and empirical examples to inform your developing position as a curator.
You'll also study Objects and Methods, which emphasises the social significance of objects, and includes practical sessions on handling and display. You will apply this knowledge immediately in practice.
These are supported by a module in Professional and Academic Skills, which will improve your academic standards and research methods.
Semester 2 Overview
You'll study two core modules in Semester 2: Curatorial Challenges and Experiments, and Curator as Practitioner. The former includes research and delivery of exhibition and/or event outcomes in response to a series of external ’prompts’ or briefs. These involve group work and individual assessment.
The latter, the Curator as Practitioner module, considers the work of the curator in a variety of professional contexts; it examines the shape, interconnections and networks of the wider professional sphere.
Modules
The modules outlined provide examples of what you can expect to learn in this degree course based on recent academic teaching. As a research-led University, we undertake a continuous review of our course to ensure quality enhancement and to manage our resources. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand.
You must study the following modules :
- Curator as Practitioner
- Curatorial Challenges and Experiments
- Curatorial Histories & Contexts
- Dissertation: Final Project
- Objects and Methods
- Professional and Academic Skills (Practice)
You must also choose from the following modules :
- Experimental Publishing
- Exploring the Visual Language of Display
- Visual Culture
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
You could work towards a career in cultural and public policy-making, cultural management or arts commissioning and funding. Our graduates have gone on to get the following jobs:
- Working for the Royal Academy and Tate, London
- Member of the Diversity Working group at Tate, London
- Programme and Project Officer for a-space, Southampton
- Engagement Officer at the John Hansard Gallery, Southampton
- Exhibition Designer in Shanghai
- Education Coordinator at the Camden Arts Centre, London
- Volunteer Coordinator at the Royal Society of Sculptors, London
By studying this course, you'll be able to work in the following areas:
- Museums
- Public or Private Galleries
- Heritage or Cultural Organisations
- International Art Fairs
- Arts or Culture Publications
Our professional experience means we can provide expert career guidance and support. Through our industry contacts, you may be able to set up an internship or work experience independently.
You'll gain transferable skills that are vital for a growing number of fields and industries. These include:
- Critical Theoretical Writing
- Research Across a Number of Disciplines and Discourses
- Methodological and Epistemological Skills
The course is also a good grounding for further study at PhD level if you want to develop an academic career.
Program delivery
You’ll participate in lectures, and seminars and you’ll complete both independent study and practical group projects throughout the course. You’ll be expected to work independently on your final project during the summer.
You’ll learn through a variety of different activities, including:
- Managing an Art Gallery
- Organising Exhibitions
- Field Trips to Exhibitions
- Independent Research
- Critical and Theoretical Writing
- Communicating With Industry Professionals
Assessment
You’ll be assessed by a combination of methods, including:
- Group-organised Exhibitions
- Interim and Final Project
- Essays
- Presentations
- Seminar Research Projects
Explore course modules for full details of learning and assessment.