A Practical Guide to Curating

Online course by Node Cener with Nora Mayr

Duration: Feb 06 – Feb 27, 2020
Fee: 154€
Max seats: 33
Enroll before: Feb 2, 2020
Dedication: 3 hrs/week

*This course offers University credits. To opt for credits read this page

This course gives insights into all practical aspects of curating from finalising a concept to launching an exhibition. Curators can have very different working approaches, but certain practical aspects will be the same and should be kept in mind for developing a successful project.

Over 4 weeks we will go through the major steps of curating, starting with how you develop an idea to finding collaborators, funding and an exhibition space; managing practical aspects such as transport, insurance and install; thinking about PR strategies and gaining audiences; to finally closing the project with deinstall. This course is for aspiring curators who are yet to launch their own exhibition as well as those who have past experience and are looking for a more structured understanding of curating.

At the end of A Practical Guide to Curating, participants should have an understanding of the skills necessary to operate as competent and responsible practitioners. Come with an already existing project idea or start from a blank page. Throughout the course you will develop a concrete outline of how to realise your exhibition.

Program

Week 1: Developing Your Curatorial Concept

• What is a curatorial practice?
• Introduction to types of exhibition formats, exhibition spaces and platforms
• Audiences (What kind of audiences can one expect? What kind of audiences are you addressing?)
• Strategies of developing a concept (Define your concept, from brainstorming to finalisation)
• Strategies of research. How to find fitting artistic positions and related topics?
• Turning your idea in a practicable concept

Week 2: Exhibition Making – Artists, Collaborators, Funding and Practical Skills

• Contacting artists: open calls, invitations, commissions
• Lending works from artists and galleries (how to source the works and how to secure loans)
• Proposing your exhibition ideas to an independent or institutional entity
• Working with collaborators (exhibition spaces, institutions)
• Defining contracts
• Different types of fundraising (governmental, private, embassies)
• Writing a budget
• What to consider when organising a transport (insurance, customs, costs)

Week 3: Exhibition Making – Working in the Space

• Ways of displaying artworks
• Thinking about scenography and communication between the artworks
• Creating a checklist of works with display details
• Lighting and sound
• Install (working with technicians, artists and considering packaging and access)
• Time management
• Deinstall and returns

Week 4: Communication

• Developing a Press Kit (writing press release, press images)
• Communicating the exhibition (invite cards, newsletters, private invites)
• How to use or not use social media
• How to address the press and journalists
• Documentation (taking pics, website, archive, catalogue)
• Communication in the exhibition space (handout, labels; guided tours)
• Public programming (artist talks, performances, education)