Public Speaking for Artists and Curators

Online course by Node Center for Curatorial Studies

Duration: 13 August – 10 September 2026
Enrollment deadline: 9 August 2026
Course fee: €189 (including VAT), one-time payment
Live sessions: 2 hours per week
Maximum capacity: 32 participants

 

Talking about art takes many forms, from studio visits and exhibition tours to public talks and interviews. Public speaking and exchanging ideas are fundamental to working in the arts. However, talking in front of an audience can often feel intimidating. How do we speak clearly and meaningfully? How can we convey complex art concepts to a broader audience?

This course offers practical tools and approaches to help curators, artists, or art critics talk about art with confidence, clarity, and imagination. Through improvisational exercises and inspiring examples—from bell hooks to Anne Carson and Christine Sun Kim—you’ll practice new ways of engaging audiences and keeping the conversation going.

Over four weeks, you will:

• Apply storytelling techniques to craft engaging narratives
• Learn how to communicate complex ideas clearly and with impact
• Practice spontaneous speaking and responding to questions
• Heighten your creativity and imagination when talking about art

Whether preparing for a presentation, panel, or informal conversation, you’ll gain confidence in your voice and find joy in talking publicly about art.

 

Image credits: Arts Practicum, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons