Master in Curatorial Practice IED – Istituto Europeo di Design Florence

This course is held in English language

Today, curating contemporary art requires as many skills as there are artistic contexts and languages. Whereas a solid cultural background is as important as management and communication skills, what is even more crucial for a 21st Century Curator is to build a stable network of relationships to make a curatorial project tangible and widely expandable.

For this reason, thanks to the prestige and unique position of the city of Venice, participants have the opportunity to engage critically and actively in current debates in curatorial practice and contemporary art and to operate in the Biennale context, incubator for excellence and innovation. The course leads students to practically learn the job of a Curator in all its forms, also thanks to an international Faculty that includes some of the most prominent professionals of the art world. This way, participants get to know the curatorial methods that institutions such as Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Fondation Pinault, Fondazione La Biennale di Venezia and Christie's apply.

Target

This study path is designed for graduate students who want to specialise in the curatorial sector, and take on their professional career in museums, galleries, fairs or auction houses. Previous studies in the field of Arts and Management are a plus but not required.

Methodology and structure

The duration of the course is divided as follows: seven months of lectures, lab activities and museum and gallery visits, integrated with self-study and project development, and three months dedicated to the elaboration of a Final Project that can be undertaken alone or in group.

Its structure is divided into three main parts:

Cultural area - The first part provides students with a solid introduction to the history of modern and contemporary art and a critical analysis of recent trends.

Skills and Expertise - The second part teaches specific expertise and skills required to develop an efficient working practice in the fields of exhibition organisation and management. The course analyses which marketing activities are carried out in order to increase the audience of different targets and its involvement.

Practice - The third part is dedicated to curatorial activity and exhibition design. Students,in groups or alone, work on specific curatorial ideas in order to develop real project proposals, that will be part of their personal portfolio together with their Final Project.

IED strives to build a supportive environment and collaborative relationship with partners. That’s why IED delivers the necessary tools to support prospects students in exploring opportunities, making informed decisions, and designing their future.

Thanks to the innovative methodology and the professional success of IED students, the Ministries of Education and Research of the countries where IED operates directly – Italy, Spain and Brazil – have officially accredited the majority of IED Undergraduate and Master courses.

At the end of the Master course, participants may pursue careers in museums and not-for-profit galleries as well as in commercial galleries, fairs, and auction houses. They also consider roles in emerging areas such as criticism, education, consultancy, and artist studio management.