Curation: Contemporary Art and Cultural Management MA

Program Overview

The University of Exeter's MA Curation: Contemporary Art and Cultural Management program equips students with a comprehensive understanding of the contemporary art world through a combination of academic research and practical experience. Emphasizing professional practice and the cultural management aspects of Creative Industries and Humanities, the program offers opportunities for work placements in prestigious museums and galleries, alongside study in the field. Additionally, students have the option to organize a curatorial project or write a research dissertation in the third and final term.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

• Objectives:
• Learn from lecturers at the forefront of contemporary art research and curatorial practice, as well as art history and visual culture.
• Expand understanding of the social, cultural, and economic issues surrounding the international contemporary art world.
• Develop a range of subject-specific, academic, and transferable skills, including high-order conceptual and visual literacy and communication skills for the arts sector and beyond.
• Gain knowledge from expert guest lecturers from around the world, including internationally renowned curators, artists, and critics.
• Benefit from studying in the beautiful, culturally-rich South West of the UK, and also from regular field trips to London, including visits to leading art world events such as Frieze Art Fair and institutions such as Tate Modern, along with a wide range of artist-led spaces, commercial galleries, and museums.
• Description:
• The MA Curation: Contemporary Art and Cultural Management is a one-year full-time program offered at the University of Exeter's Streatham Campus.
• It is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the contemporary art world, including its history, theory, and practice.
• The program emphasizes both academic research and practical experience, with a focus on professional practice and the cultural management aspects of Creative Industries and Humanities.
• It offers opportunities for work placements in prestigious museums and galleries (public or commercial) and study in the field.

Outline:

• Content:
• The course is divided into units of study called modules, each assigned a number of credits.
• The credit rating of a module is proportional to the total workload, with 1 credit being nominally equivalent to 10 hours of work.
• The modules provide examples of what students can expect to learn based on recent academic teaching.
• The precise modules available may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling, and student demand.
• Structure:
• The MA is a three-term program structured around four taught modules (delivered in terms 1 and 2), including a work placement, in addition to a final dissertation or curatorial project (in Term 3).
• Course Schedule:
• Term 1 & 2:
Four taught modules, including a work placement.
• Term 3: Final dissertation or curatorial project.
• Modules:
• Examples of modules:
• Art Writing:
This module equips students to produce texts suitable for a variety of different platforms, including briefing documents, arts criticism, catalogue writing, exhibition texts, interpretation materials, podcasts, and online content.
• Curatorial Practice: This module explores the history and theory of curatorial practice, examining different approaches to exhibition making and the role of the curator in contemporary art.
• Contemporary Art and Culture: This module examines the relationship between contemporary art and its social, cultural, and political contexts.
• Museum Studies: This module provides an overview of the history, theory, and practice of museums, including their role in society and the challenges they face in the 21st century.
• International Contemporary Art: This module explores the global landscape of contemporary art, examining the different artistic movements, trends, and institutions that have emerged in recent decades.
• Research Methods: This module introduces students to the key research methods used in art history and visual culture, including archival research, oral history, and visual analysis.
• Curatorial Project: This module allows students to develop and implement their own curatorial project, working with a museum or gallery to create an exhibition or event.
• Dissertation: This module allows students to undertake an in-depth research project on a topic of their choice, culminating in a written dissertation.

Assessment:

• Methods:
• The assessment methods used in the program vary depending on the module.
• Common assessment methods include:
• Essays
• Research papers
• Presentations
• Curatorial projects
• Dissertations
• Criteria:
• The assessment criteria are designed to assess students' understanding of the subject matter, their ability to conduct research, their critical thinking skills, and their ability to communicate their ideas effectively.

Teaching:

• Methods:
• The MA offers a unique combination of academic research-based modules and more practical, hands-on experience.
• Teaching methods include:
• Lectures
• Seminars
• Workshops
• Group discussions
• Field trips
• Guest lectures
• Faculty:
• Lecturers are at the cutting edge of contemporary art research and curatorial practice, as well as art history and visual culture.
• Key members of staff specialize in contemporary art and curation, as well as the history of art and architecture, from the Renaissance to the present, the history, theory, and practice of museums and collections, aspects of performance, installation, photography, and video arts, and visual culture from antiquity to the present day.
• Unique Approaches:
• The program emphasizes a partnership-based approach to support opportunities for work placements in prestigious museums and galleries (public or commercial).
• Students have the option to organize a curatorial project or write a research dissertation in the third and final term.
• The program includes subsidized field trips and opportunities for students to visit internationally significant collections and exhibitions throughout the course, including visits to leading art venues across the South West of England, as well as two three-day field trips to art fairs, museums, and galleries in London.
• Extensive use of invited curators and museum/gallery professionals as guest speakers to contribute lectures to the taught modules as appropriate.

Careers:

• Potential Career Paths:
• Public galleries / museums
• Curation
• Commercial galleries and dealerships
• Arts Investment and Wealth Management
• Arts and Culture Policy
• Heritage Management
• Academia
• Culture Management: Government Departments / Advisory Boards
• Marketing, PR, and Communications
• Opportunities:
• The MA will provide students with the opportunity to undertake a placement or research project with an organization from the sector, enabling them to apply their knowledge in a business setting.
• A number of the University's graduate attributes will be developed through study of the program, including engaging as an active and committed global citizen.
• Outcomes:
• The program is international in its focus and encourages students to understand the social, cultural, and economic issues that surround the contemporary art world.
• The skills developed are transferable into a broad range of employment contexts, both related to the arts sector and beyond.

Other:

• Guest Lecturers:
• The program draws on expertise from the university's Art History and Visual Culture team and across the world, with lectures and seminars framed around conversations with internationally recognized curators, artists, researchers, and writers.
• Examples of guest lecturers include:
• Dr. Shwetal A. Patel
• Lola Olufemi
• Anthony Huberman
• Ben Eastham
• Dr Omar Kholeif
• Keiko Yamamoto
• Zarina Muhammed
• Billy Tang
• Dulcie Abrahams Altass
• Alina Davey
• Tamsin Dillon
• Sean Lynch
• Raluca Voinea
• Gina Buenfeld-Murley
• Martin Clark
• Sally O’Reilly
• Study Environment:
• Students and staff at the University of Exeter benefit from living in one of the most beautiful parts of the country.
• With stunning scenery, outstanding quality of life, low rates of crime, and increasingly excellent economic prospects, the South West has cemented its reputation as one of the very best places to live, work, and study in the UK.
• Their mission is to activate creativity, making connections between people, participating in creative networks, sharing ideas, and supporting artists and their work.
• Exeter is nestled in the picturesque Devon countryside and is consistently rated as one of the best places to live, work, and study in the UK.
• It boasts a high quality of life and low crime rate, with over a quarter of Exeter's population studying or working at the University, making the city a welcoming environment for students and academics alike.
• Exeter is the administrative and commercial core of Devon and is home to a diverse and dynamic arts and culture scene that sets it firmly on the map as a cultural center of the South West.
• The city has numerous independent theatres, multiplex cinemas, smaller independent cinema venues, an award-winning museum, a number of independent galleries, and a sizeable arts center and creative hub right in the city center.
• Beyond Exeter, there are lots of diverse and exciting places to explore in Devon, including award-winning countryside, a UNESCO World Heritage coastline, two National Parks, and three Areas of Outstanding National Beauty.
• The University also has a campus in Penryn, Cornwall, which is home to a growing community of artists, young professionals, and university students.
• The nearby town of Falmouth offers a wide variety of boutiques, eateries, and social venues, and hosts a number of annual events such as the Oyster Festival and Sea Shanty Festival.
• Truro, a short bus or train ride away, boasts stunning views of the impressive Truro Cathedral, as well as many opportunities for shopping, dining, and culture.
• Cornwall also offers fantastic surfing on the north coast, art galleries in St. Ives, the beautiful gardens at the Eden Project, and the breathtaking views on The Lizard and Bodmin Moor.

2024/25 entry UK fees per year: £12,500 full-time International fees per year: £25,000 full-time