MA in Curatorial Studies

The Center for Curatorial Studies, Bard College (CCS Bard), is an intensive course of study in the history of contemporary art, the institutions and practices of exhibition making, and the theory and criticism of art since the 1960s. CCS Bard is distinguished by its singular resources: the Hessel Museum of Art, a 25,000 square foot building dedicated to innovative and experimental approaches to curating; the Library, one of the leading contemporary art research collections in the US focusing on post-1960s contemporary art; and the Archives, which contain archives and manuscripts of preeminent contemporary art curators, inventive commercial art galleries, artist-run spaces, artists’ initiatives, and the archives of contemporary artists. Together, these resources support one of the world’s most forward-thinking teaching and learning environments for contemporary art research and the study of contemporary curatorial practices.

The two-year graduate program at CCS Bard offers seminars in art and exhibition history, cultural and social theory, and curatorial practice, with an intensive focus on Black studies, postcolonial theory and history, queer and feminist studies, ecology and infrastructure, media theory and technology, and embodiment and performance studies, among other areas. The curriculum is specifically designed to deepen students’ understanding of the intellectual and practical tasks of curating exhibitions and projects around contemporary art, particularly within the complex social and cultural situations of present-day arts institutions, as well as focusing on interpretive and critical writing.

The graduate program culminates in individually curated thesis exhibitions at the Hessel Museum. Students are also offered multiple opportunities to realize other public presentations, curatorial projects, and exhibitions at CCS Bard, and in collaboration with partnering institutions, which include most recently EMPAC in Troy, NY, as well as Abrons Art Center, The Kitchen, and The Portal, all located in New York City. Additionally, CCS Bard supports student scholarships, and paid summer mentorship placements at institutions around the world.

The program has an internationally distinguished faculty, including curators and other museum professionals, scholars in the humanities and social sciences, artists, and critics. Faculty teaching at CCS Bard during the 2021–22 academic year include: Nana Adusei-Poku, Vic Brooks, Ann Butler, Dawn Chan, Lauren Cornell, Christian Ayne Crouch, Tom Eccles, Nadine Fattelah, Lia Gangitano, Thomas Keenan, Kobena Mercer, Serubiri Moses, Ivan Lopez Munuera, Cori Olinghouse, Dina Ramadan, Karin Schneider, Ian Sullivan, and Evan Calder Williams.

Each semester, CCS Bard invites a distinct group of artists, curators, art historians, and critics to visit the program, meet with students, participate in classes, or give a lecture as part of our speaker series. Fall 2021 visitors include: Song-Ming Ang, Miah Artola, Archie Burnett, Daniel Chew, Holland Cotter, Övül Ö. Durmosoglu, Mónica Giron, Inés Katzenstein, Autumn Knight, Francisco Lemus, Dinaw Mengestu, Tin Nguyen, Will Rawls, Laurel Schwulst, Samita Sinha, Paula Stuttman, Astria Suparak, John Tain, Lumi Tan, Cecilia Vicuña, and Manuela Well-Off-Man. 

CCS Bard alumni now include over 300 figures working prominently at institutions in the US and internationally. Graduates have also been part of curatorial teams for many touchstone exhibitions including documenta and biennials in Berlin, Liverpool, Lofoten, Porto Alegre, and Venice, among others.

Interested students must apply online to the master of arts in curatorial studies program by the February 1, 2022 deadline. For more information about the program, the application process, or applying for scholarships, please visit our website. Interested students are also encouraged to contact CCS Bard to further discuss the program by calling or sending an email to ccsadmissions [​at​] bard.edu.