First application deadline: August 8, 2016
Second application deadline: September 10
Campus Bijloke
2, Jozef Kluyskensstraat
Ghent
Belgium
Who is this for?
The english spoken postgraduate programme in curatorial studies is a one-year programme for students already holding a master’s degree (or the equivalent thereof). The training is a specialist introduction to contemporary exhibition practice, museological issues, conservation, collection building and management, all in relation to contemporary art. The programme prepares for the management of both private and public collections and offers students the knowledge they need to function efficiently in galleries or as artists’ assistants. The competencies acquired in the programme also serve in the context of arts criticism, heritage management, or in the management and exhibition of design and natural history artefacts.
What will you be studying?
The main objective of the programme is to gain insight in the judicious showing and conserving of contemporary art through art-theoretical and critical research on the one hand, and technical research into materials on the other. Students are brought up-to-date on the current state of affairs in international museum and exhibition practice, making critical analyses of mechanisms and decision-making processes and testing curatorial strategies for socio-cultural relevance. The building and management of collections is approached from the perspectives of different disciplines. All this serves a practical purpose as well, as students are expected to develop their own exhibition practice, for which the dialogue between the work of art and the viewer is the starting point.
Management of materials and exhibition practice are inextricably linked. Each work of art is approached as an occasion for a singular case study in which ethical, socio-economic, deontological, technological, legal and policy considerations must be taken into account. Ample attention is paid to the development of new conservation strategies and their implementation in the presentation of works of contemporary art. Such works indeed raise numerous questions that cannot be answered from the perspective of traditional conservation practices. Traditional emphasis on the preservation of physical objects and on scientific research is simply no longer sufficient, as contemporary artists make use of ever-increasing varieties of materials and media, which are often perishable, or not meant to last at all.
This programme is co-organized by University College Ghent, S.M.A.K. Museum of Contemporary Art in Ghent and Ghent University. This ensures a combination of theoretical training, through lectures and discussion seminars, and practical experience with study trips and projects. Visiting lecturers active in the world of contemporary art share their practical experience with the students. The programme is thoroughly embedded in the local cultural arena, making it possible to closely follow developments in exhibitions and collection management. Networking, autonomy and a broad general knowledge, all crucial competencies acquired in the programme, will prove their importance. Internships and encounters with numerous international experts serve to put developments under consideration in an international perspective.
And then?
This Curatorial Studies degree opens up a wide spectrum of professional possibilities. Over 75 percent of our alumni find places in the broad socio-artistic sector. Some specific positions include: curators, collection managers for public and private institutions, assistants and managers for artists and gallery owners, exhibition producers, builders and designers, art critics, university researchers and faculty in the arts and sciences, and many more.
How to apply?
To apply please register online. You will then receive detailed information on the application procedure. The entrance tests will take place in Ghent (Belgium) or via Skype. For the test on August 19, the application deadline is August 8. For the test on September 26, the application deadline is September 10.
Enrollment fee
2500 euro (costs of excursions excluded)
Start of the programme
The programme will commence on October 3, 2016.
More info on our website
