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Developing Curatorial Concepts: Research & Creative Ideation

Duration: Sep 14 – Oct 12, 2021

Fee: 172€

Max seats: 32

Enroll before: Sep 10, 2021

Dedication: 3 hrs/week

COURSE DESCRIPTION
In this course, participants will learn research methods and creative ideation techniques to develop a concept for an exhibition or a curatorial project in its most expansive sense. What format will the project take? How will the audience engage with it? What will the topic be? What will be contained inside? More importantly, how do all of these elements connect together to form a cohesive, multidimensional project, aka your curatorial concept?
With the above questions in mind, each week will centre around four core aspects of curating: the theme, the form, the content and the audience. Through the lens of these interrelated aspects, we will explore different research-gathering strategies that draw on methods found in design thinking, anthropology and the arts. Sharpen your traditional online and offline research methods; learn to observe through field work and interviews; and experiment with creative exercises.
By moving through key elements of curating and gaining feedback along the way, participants will playfully stretch the limits of their ideas before grounding and refining them into a rounded curatorial concept that is well-researched and engaging. To get the most from this course, we recommend joining with an idea in mind so that you can really dive into research and creativity to get the most out of your project.

Session 0. Introduction to the program and course overview.

  • This is a one-hour-only welcome session. The lecturer will introduce the program and participants will introduce themselves. No prior preparation is necessary.

Session 1. Theme : Developing and defining a topic

  • What is a curatorial concept: introducing theme, content, form and audience
  • Creative thinking and brainstorming techniques
  • Gathering research
  • Research tools: apps and programs
  • Refining the theme

In this first week, we will look at how to use brainstorming and mind mapping techniques to go beyond the boundaries of your topic; get the most from online and real world content; and take a look at ways of organising research.

Session 2. Content and form: Selecting content and finding a form

  • Strategies for bringing content together
  • Curatorial formats
  • Prototyping & iterating
  • Gaining feedback

Whether you want to set up an exhibition, a workshop, a photo festival or a boundary-pushing form, it’s important to consider what shape your project might take and what will be contained inside it. This week, we will play with ways to connect content, find a form that complements your theme and consider how the format and concept will intertwine.

Session 3. Audience: Interaction and engagement

  • Who is your audience?
  • Learning from people – interviews and empathy
  • Field research and observation
  • Audience experience

Who will your audience be? How will they interact with your project? This week we will focus on the audience and their experience to step outside ourselves and better understand how to develop your project in a way that is engaging and memorable.

Session 4. Polishing: Finalising your curatorial concept

  • Refining and synthesising your research
  • Reframing techniques
  • Ethical and sustainable considerations
  • Communicating clearly

This final week is all about honing and refining your project idea. We will look at ways to reach the core of your project so that it feels clear and can be communicated with ease. We will also take into account some side effects of your project proposal – is it ethical? Sustainable? Can it be made more so?

Lauren Reid is an independent curator who works across exhibition-making, anthropology and film. She is Co-Director of insitu collective, Lecturer at Node Centre for Curatorial Studies and a PhD Candidate in Social and Cultural Anthropology at the Freie Universität, Berlin with the project ‘Thinking Beyond the Final Frontier: Cosmic Futures in Thailand’.

Since 2010, she has curated exhibitions at locations such as the Moscow Museum of Modern Art for the IV Moscow International Biennale for Young Art; Kunsthal Viborg, Denmark as part of the European Capital of Culture 2017; Casino – Forum d´Art Contemporain, Luxembourg; and Kunstverein Göttingen, Germany.

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