Curating Contemporary Art

This course explores histories, theories, practices and critiques of curating, enabling students to develop and establish their own critical understanding and approach to curating and contemporary art practice.

We’ll get the course off to a start by giving you an overview of the history of curating and 21st century curatorial developments. We will survey the main trends, institutions and concerns of contemporary curatorial practices. We will also visit exhibitions in London, from DIY project spaces to established museums. The course will provide you with important practical information about funding, promotion, installation and other professional aspects of curating. Then we’ll move you on to building your practical skills by encouraging you to devise exhibition themes and proposals. As you prepare your final presentation, you’ll consider everything from funding to PR. This is an opportunity to gain practical insights into curating contemporary art in both gallery and alternative spaces. Please note that you’ll be expected to complete reading and research in your own time during the course.

Course Outcomes

You will gain vital understanding of professional standards of practice in curating, knowledge of structures and institutions of the art world in London and beyond and have the tools to write an exhibition proposal, organise a show and apply for funding. It could mean moving on to curatorial projects, assistantships, partnerships or internships in the future.

Who Should Attend

Anyone with an interest in curating exhibitions of contemporary art. You may be looking to make proposals to venues, apply for gallery internships, follow a career in arts administration or apply for a BA or MA degree in Curating. The course could also provide anyone with a non-professional interest in contemporary art with new insights into the structures and concepts that underpin the field.

Upcoming Course Dates

Tutor

Sophia Kosmaoglou is an artist, curator and tutor. Her current practice blurs the boundaries between art, activism and education to question the ontology of art and its social and institutional functions. She has a practice-based PhD in Fine Art from Goldsmiths and her research interests include institutional critique and the relationship between art and politics, institutions and independent organisations and collective practices. She has previously taught Critical Studies and Studio Practice on BA Fine Art Practice and Joint Honours courses at Goldsmiths and is currently a Visiting Tutor at Chelsea College of Arts. She is a founding member of the Radical Pedagogy Research Group and a former member of ART&CRITIQUE, Exploding Cinema, The Field, Deptford Cinema and other collectives. For more information please see https://videomole.tv/

Reviews

The course was brilliant – a great mixture of text-based theoretical discussions, lots of emphasis on practical issues and how to solve them, exhibition visits and continuous thinking throughout the week about one’s own exhibition proposal – which has benefited a lot from the course. The course and working on my proposal has been truly inspiring, and I have pursued the idea further since. The course felt like a launchpad – and a lot of the credit goes to the course teacher Sophia!! —Anon

I decided on this particular course as felt it would help me understand more about how curating exhibitions can help one better appreciate works of art, art movements, artists and art history. —Alan Roe

Very intensive course with good readings and gallery visits. It is a very good starting point to explore curating. —Anon

It was well structured and really interesting and provided quite a good overview of the topic and i loved the lecturers they were great. —Anon