Free Curatorial Seminar

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Chicago Curatorial Seminar 2026 by Independent Curators International (ICI)

Application deadline: 9 August 2026
Duration: Sep 12, 2026 – Dec 19, 2026

Applications are now open for our 2026 Chicago Curatorial Seminar! In this free program, six to eight Chicago-based emerging curators will meet over eight sessions from September to December 2026 for discussion-based seminars and site visits led by ICI staff, guest curators, artists, and arts professionals. Each participant will also workshop a proposal for a project and receive individual advisement from selected mentors, who provide a unique perspective on the participant’s curatorial practice. This Seminar’s site visits include Hyde Park Art Center, Patient Info, Wrightwood 659, and the National Museum of Mexican Art.

This is an opportunity for BIPOC curators with fewer than five years of experience based in the Chicago Metropolitan Area to gain knowledge and resources, share ideas and connect with peers, and think through developments in their curatorial practice. We seek to provide a unique professional development and networking opportunity to emerging curators, provide broad access to new perspectives and curatorial models, build an affirming network of peers around shared values, and focus on strengthening practices that support overlooked artists and engage with local art communities while working outside of large institutions.

ELIGIBILITY

This opportunity is available to BIPOC emerging curators currently based in the Chicago Metropolitan Area. Curators should have 5 years of experience or less, and cannot be enrolled in an academic program at the time of the Seminar.

TO APPLY

All applications should be submitted through AwardForce. If you have any questions, please contact Scott Vincent Campbell, Midwest Programs Manager, at scott@curatorsintl.org, or Caleb Clemente, Midwest Programs Assistant, at caleb@curatorsintl.org.

Applications should include:

Chicago Curatorial Seminar Application Form
CV