Program Overview
The MA Fine Art (Curatorial Practice) at Bath Spa University provides students with a comprehensive understanding of gallery practice, curatorial models, and the evolving museum landscape. Through a blend of theory, research, and practical experience, students develop the critical and professional skills necessary to succeed in the dynamic field of curatorship.
Program Outline
Degree Overview:
This MA Fine Art (Curatorial Practice) program is designed for students who wish to expand their knowledge and experience of gallery practice, curatorial models, and the evolving nature of museums. The program aims to challenge assumptions and encourage exploration of ways to progress within and transform the field of curatorial practice. It also emphasizes building collaborative relationships with other professionals and developing transferable skills. The program takes a holistic approach, integrating theory, research, and historical and contemporary practice into the curriculum. It encourages students to move beyond traditional collection and exhibition-based curation to engage new audiences, situations, and sites of encounter, including art interventions in public spaces, projects in unexpected places, and digital and web-based experiences.
Objectives:
- Broaden knowledge and experience of gallery practice, models of curating, and the changing nature of the museum.
- Challenge assumptions and encourage exploration of ways to progress within and transform the field of curatorial practice.
- Build collaborative relationships with other professionals and develop transferable skills.
- Integrate theory, research, and historical and contemporary practice into the curriculum.
- Move beyond traditional collection and exhibition-based curation to engage new audiences, situations, and sites of encounter.
Outline:
The MA in Curatorial Practice is a one-year program divided into three trimesters:
Trimester One:
- Introduction to key issues in art and curatorial practice.
- Exploration of how students' specialisms relate to the wider field.
- Development of professional practice skills, including understanding governance, proposal writing, collaborative processes, methods of display, contracts, and team leadership.
- Critical analysis of current debates and the changing politics of curating, informed by research and practice.
Trimester Two:
- Continuation of an experimental approach with a narrowing of focus.
- Evaluation of initial studio developments and refinement of working strategy.
- Exploration of considerations for curators when making live projects and presenting work in public contexts.
- Live projects might include exhibitions, displays, learning projects, or residencies in appropriate settings, on campus, or with external partners.
Trimester Three:
- Independent work in the studio to establish a professional practice.
- Devise and complete the Master's Project, working to a proposal that contextualizes the work within the student's specialist discipline and leads to the final Degree Show.
Course Modules:
- Research Methods
- Theory and Professional Context
- Practice 1 (Fine Art)
- Research Practice
- Theory and Professional Practices
- Practice 2 (Fine Art)
- Masters Project
Assessment:
- Progress is evaluated throughout the course and at the end of each trimester through a mixture of exhibitions, verbal/visual presentations, research folders/blogs, and written assignments.
Teaching:
- Learning takes place through lectures, talks, taught sessions, individual and group tutorials, studio critiques, and seminars.
- Visiting lecturers, seminars with external professionals, and internationally renowned designers and artists help students determine where their current practice sits within the industry.
- Collaborative structure encourages learning from each other, for example, Photography or Ceramics students might engage in debates with Curatorial Practice students.
- Technical Demonstrators, who manage workshop facilities, provide teaching and support across a wide range of subject specialisms.
- Field trips are offered throughout the academic year, including visits to the British Ceramics Biennial, Jerwood Makers Prize, Collect, Ceramic Art London, V&A Museum, Hauser and Wirth (Somerset), Spike Island, Bristol; Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery; Salisbury Arts Centre; and National Museum Wales' sites in Cardiff.
- Students can participate in competitions and awards such as the Porthleven Prize and Emerge studio residency.
- The program provides access to comprehensive digital workshops and specialist art and design facilities, including:
- Specialist technical facilities across all art and design disciplines.
- Access to studio space for working on projects and refining practice and research.
2024 entry Student Annual tuition fee UK full time £9,520 UK part time £4,760 International full time £17,760
