Course description
A discounted tuition rate is available for individuals who are interested to enroll in two or more Sotheby’s Institute of Art In-Person Professional Courses within the same term. Contact our admissions team at professional@sia.edu for more information and a discount code.
Learn to view any space with a curator's eye through this hands-on exploration of historic and contemporary approaches to curating in museum, galleries, and beyond.
The dedicated and intensive Curating course is designed to illuminate the history and theory of curatorial practice as well as the processes, procedures, and practical skills utilized by both curators and other professionals within the art world. Through a series of lectures, seminars, workshops, on-site visits to museums and galleries and in-depth case studies, course participants will develop an understanding of historic curatorial practices and their impact on the field today.
The course explores current debates about art museums and galleries in the context of the history of collecting, care, and exhibition of artworks as well as standards of best practice and curatorial competencies, both inside and outside of the museum model, including art fairs and commercial spaces. Through a hands-on learning approach, course participants will examine key components and considerations of curatorial practice, such as acquisitions and collecting, research, display methods, exhibition planning, conservation, and interpretation.
Orientation: 9am GMT, January 22
Upcoming start dates
Suitability - Who should attend?
Course participants take away in-depth and valuable insight into the current and future art world, to be sufficiently prepared for a wide-ranging career within the art industry. Those who successfully complete their course will receive a certificate of completion from Sotheby’s Institute of Art.
Sotheby’s Institute of Art course participants come from all over the world, from a wide variety of backgrounds. As they study, travel, and explore the art world alongside each other throughout the program, fierce and long-lasting collaborations are frequently born. Individuals who complete these courses join our network of over 8,000 alumni around the globe who hold top positions at renowned art organizations.
Training Course Content
Week 1: Introduction to the role of the curator today, and a site visit to Oxford to discover museums there and learn about their relevance today.
Week 2: Explore the role of the institution as a driving force for contemporary art and culture in the UK and internationally.
Week 3: Visit contemporary commercial galleries in the East and West Ends of London and learn about their practices and agendas from working curators.
Week 4: Learn about how identity politics intersects with curation.
Week 5: Discover Frieze London and Frieze Masters. See the art fair as curatorial platform.
Week 6: Understand the artist as curator and visit artist-run galleries.
Week 7: Examine the artist’s legacy and understand the different ways this may be displayed.
Week 8: Analyze the difference between public and private collections and go on a site visit to an important private collection, the Cranford Collection.
Week 9: Learn about budgeting and fundraising and how these can apply to independent curatorial projects, as well as press and marketing strategies to promote various projects.
Week 10: Consider the power of visual display.
Week 11: Discover the Showroom, a contemporary art space, and its commitment to public programming.
Week 12: Visit the Towner in Eastbourne to view the Turner Prize exhibition.
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Sotheby's Institute of Art
Sotheby’s auction house was founded in 1744 when Samuel Baker, an entrepreneur, occasional publisher, and successful businessman held his first auction. Today at Sotheby’s Institute, we emphasize a keen understanding of an object’s value and history, a spirit of inquiry...