April 19–25, 2017
This April, Independent Curators International (ICI) organizes the inaugural Curatorial Intensive in Accra, Ghana, in collaboration with Foundation for Contemporary Art–Ghana (FCA).
The Curatorial Intensive, a weeklong professional development program, offers curators the opportunity to discuss, among colleagues, the concepts, logistics, and challenges of organizing exhibitions, public programs, and other curatorial models. This program is the fifth Curatorial Intensive in Africa since 2013, following past programs in Johannesburg, Addis Ababa, Marrakech, and Dakar. ICI maintains its commitment to supporting curators and local organziations on the ground, while continuing to provide curatorial training and foster peer networks and arts infrastructures in the region.
The Curatorial Intensive is designed to immerse participants in a rigorous schedule of seminars, presentations, site visits, and one-on-one meetings that support the process of developing an idea for a project into a full proposal. This program is targeted toward self-motivated individuals, working independently or within institutions.
Seminars, site visits, individual meetings, and roundtable discussions will be led by a group of professionals that includes: Ato Annan and Adwoa Amoah (Co-Directors, Foundation for Contemporary Art–Ghana), Jeebesh Bagchi (artist, Raqs Media Collective and curator, 2016 Shanghai Biennale), María del Carmen Carrión (Director of Public Programs & Research, ICI), Reem Fadda (independent curator, Ramallah), Nana Oforiatta-Ayim (Founder of ANO, Accra), Jimmy Ogonga (Founder of Centre for Contemporary Art, East Africa, Nairobi), Jay Pather (Associate Professor, University of Cape Town & Director of the Gordon Institute for Performing and Creative Arts), and Renaud Proch (Executive Director, ICI), among others.
Application guidelines
12–14 applicants working internationally will be selected to participate in the Curatorial Intensive. The applicant must have 3+ years of curatorial experience or a similar track record of organizing art projects. All applications must include a 500-word description of an exhibition idea that the applicant would like help in developing. This description should outline the proposal concept and any artists under consideration. Also required are a current 250-word bio, a 500-word letter of intent, and a 300-word text that describes a recent curatorial project that has made an impact on the applicant.
Applications must be submitted in English (although the 300-word description of a recent curatorial project may be submitted in French). This program will be held in English, with assistance to French speakers. Working proficiency in English is essential, though translation will be available when necessary. To apply, and for full guidelines, visit ICI’s website.
Fees and scholarships
The program fee is 1,900 USD. Participants are also responsible for covering travel and accommodation expenses. Generous scholarship packages that subsidize or eliminate the program fees, accommodation, and travel costs are available and awarded based on merit. If you would like to apply for a scholarship, please include a letter of motivation with your application.
ICI offers several scholarship packages available to all curators, based on merit. Scholarships for curators based in Africa are provided by the “Afrique et Caraïbes en creations” program of the Institut Français. Additionally, a scholarship for a curator from Turkey, based anywhere in the world, is supported by SAHA.
For more information or questions, visit ICI’s website or email kimberly [at] curatorsintl.org.
About Independent Curators International (ICI)
ICI produces exhibitions, events, publications, research and training opportunities for curators and diverse audiences around the world. Established in 1975 and headquartered in New York, ICI is a hub that connects emerging and established curators, artists, and art spaces, forging international networks and generating new forms of collaborations.
About Foundation for Contemporary Art–Ghana (FCA)
Foundation for Contemporary Art–Ghana is a network of artists created in 2004 to offer a platform for the critical presentation, knowledge sharing and promotion of contemporary art in Ghana. FCA provides the resources necessary for the growth of artists creatively and intellectually. This is done through exhibitions, workshops, seminars, artist presentations, residencies, and publications. It also seeks to push the boundaries of what is regarded as art in Ghana and create new audiences for contemporary art.
