MLitt Curatorial Practice (Contemporary Art)
Glasgow School of Art and University of Glasgow

Application deadline: On-going but places are given on a rolling basis and therefore early submissions are encouraged.

Master of Letters in Curatorial Practice (Contemporary Art)
One year, full time, 180 ECTS
A one-year curating course set within Glasgow’s art community

This programme, established in 2014, offers students the opportunity to study curatorial practice in Glasgow, a city with one of the most vibrant and distinctive art scenes globally. Throughout the year students are supported to identify and undertake individually motivated curatorial projects that will set the basis for the development of a self-sustaining practice making this course unique in its delivery.

During this intensive one-year programme, students work closely with artists and a wealth of organisations, as they consolidate and articulate their practice within an international context of theory and practice.  There is an equal balance between theoretical exploration and critique, and junctures in each semester allow students to learn through practice – by presenting their own projects. The rigours of writing and concept-formation are challenged and honed by practical application and experimentation. There is the opportunity to work both individually and collaboratively at different stages in the year and the scope and breadth of output extends far beyond exhibition-as-form, to include performance-based work, publications, digital platforms and discursive modes of curation.

The programme proposes a dialogue between curating as an endeavour that is inextricably linked to visual arts practice, and its inter-disciplinary expansion through curatorial discourse. Teaching is a constellation of lectures, tutorials, practical workshops, and focused study days. There is also an emphasis on independent work and peer-critique, where the articulation and discussion of projects allows students to find their curatorial voice and have the opportunity to hone a methodology of working that they can take forward post-Masters.

It is appreciated that there will be multiple interests in the programme, as such the programme responds to the interests emerging from the cohort. For example, in previous years this has included residencies and support structures, writing-as-practice, feminist and queer projects, self-organised and collaborative work, and events operating outwith the conventional sphere of presentation. Equally, the programme offers students the chance to extend their practical and also academic skills, with support to refine work for PhD pathways – including practice-based. The benefit of the jointly delivered degree – between the Glasgow School of Art and the University of Glasgow – is that students have the opportunity to draw from two world-renowned institutions and their resources.

It is expected that applicants have a strong understanding of contemporary art, gained through study and/or professional experience, upon which to build their curatorial projects and writing during the programme. During the year, students can expect visiting tutors/ lecturers who will lend an international and insightful understanding of the curatorial field and their practice, as well as on-going opportunities to participate in local networks. Previous tutors have included: Jason Bowman, Alfredo Cramerotti, Sarah Cook, Stine Hebert, Annette Krauss, Lisa Le Feuvre, Roger Hiorns, Paul O’Neill, Livia Paldi, Kathryn Smith and Axel Wieder.

Morbus, installation view of exhibition. From left to right, works by Flannery O’Kafka, Caitlin Higgins and Alexis Bulman. Curated by Christiana Myers. Image: Erin Brown

Quick facts
Students on this programme have the opportunity to:

• Produce a minimum of two public-facing curatorial projects per year, including a curatorial project initiated by each of the students individually, which is presented as part of their Degree Show in venues across Glasgow every September.
• Access an extensive professional network. Throughout the course students have the chance to meet numerous curators, who are invited to teach on the programme, and are encouraged to conduct studio visits with a range of artists.
• Benefit from a diverse taught provision, balancing lectures and seminar-based sessions with close peer-to-peer critique, practical workshops and tutorials. In addition to this, students attend a study day every term on a topic of contemporary relevance.
• Be part of two postgraduate student communities, as teaching takes place across the School of Fine Art at the Glasgow School of Art and the School of Culture and Creative Arts at the University of Glasgow. This opens up the possibility of interdisciplinary collaboration and learning.
• Core to the programme is the accommodation of the students alongside the Fine Art Practice students at The Glasgow School of Art. Students have access to a dedicated studio/project space and are encouraged to test and develop projects alongside practicing Fine Art students.
• The programme attracts students from all over the world and fosters collaboration with a growing network of international partners, all contributing to a rich learning environment.

The programme is offered jointly between Glasgow School of Art and the University of Glasgow, and offers links with external institutions in Glasgow, including CCA – the Centre for Contemporary Art, Glasgow International, GoMA, Tramway, The Common Guild, Lux Scotland, David Dale Gallery and Studios, Wave Particle, Counterflows Festival, Queens Park Railway Club, Glasgow Sculpture Studios and The Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery.

Stephanie Black Daniels and Danny Katinsky perform at The Old Hairdressers for Casual Nexus, February 2018. Curated by Alice Debourg and Mattie Roberts. Image: Bastian Birk Thuesen

Programme Conveners:
Mónica Núñez Laiseca (GSA) and Dr Alexandra Ross (UoG)

More information:
http://www.gsa.ac.uk/study/graduate-degrees/curatorial-practice-(contemporary-art)/

Students’ 2017 Degree Show Highlights:
https://vimeo.com/244623554

Follow us on:

Instagram: GLACuratorial
Twitter: @GLACuratorial

Off the Grid, an art trail within the public space of Merchant City. Curated by Hannaa Hamdache. Image: Hannah Logan

Testimonials

“Studying on the MLitt Curatorial Practice (Contemporary Art) not only offered the chance to ground my knowledge of curating within a rich theoretical foundation, but also in a practice-led environment of risk and experimentation. The balance between critical conversation and reflexive ways of developing our curatorial practices would only have been possible within the context of a city like Glasgow, and the course also gave us the opportunity to work within the city’s rich arts ecology.

The embedded nature of the course helped me to develop a diverse range of outcomes and has lead me to working with and for organisations at an ambitious scale I would not have been confident in previously. Since graduating I have produced writing, exhibitions, screening programmes and workshops with organisations including Cooper Gallery, Dundee, LUX Scotland, and Grand Union, Birmingham, where I am currently beginning a period of PhD research informed by developments I made during the MLitt Curatorial Practice (Contemporary Art). I continue this day to work with artists I met during my time with GSA, and reflect on work developed whilst there.”

Seán Elder (Associate Curator, Grand Union, Birmingham, 2016-17 Class)

“The MLitt Curatorial Practice (Contemporary Art) Program has been invaluable in the development of my career. Coming from Canada I wanted to expand my horizons and engage with the international art world while still feeling like I was part of a tight-knit cohort of emerging curators. Being based at two world-class universities (The University of Glasgow and The Glasgow School of Art), the program offered an excellent balance of academic grounding with contemporary practical and applied skills. We had committed guidance from our instructors while still being able to explore the subject matter we were interested in. The program offered innumerable opportunities to get in involved in the vibrant Glasgow art scene, with work placements, studio visits, and visiting lecturers. I’ve recently returned to Canada where I took on the position of Programming Coordinator for an artist run centre and am currently completing an editorial residency at a national contemporary art magazine. My experience in Glasgow has not only expanded my perspective on the art world but also helped me to elevate my skills in writing and project management. I now feel confident and qualified to take on a variety of curatorial endeavours.”

Christiana Myers (Independent Curator, Toronto, 2018-19 Class)