Curating today: between art and commerce
Six-day intensive summer course
Sunday 8 July - Friday 13 July 2018
The British Academy Room, Burlington Gardens, Royal Academy of Arts, Piccadilly / The Life Room, The RA Schools
£1,800. Includes all materials, light refreshments each day and drinks receptions throughout the week.
250th Summer Exhibition
In the RA's 250th year, its international team of experts shares their knowledge of curatorial process and practice for the first time in an intensive expert-led summer course.
Moderated by Andrea Tarsia, Head of Exhibitions at the RA, this immersive course provides a firm basis in the historical and contemporary theory of curation, complemented by a practical toolkit for creating world-class exhibitions.
The Royal Academy of Arts has been renowned for curating exhibitions on an international scale, featuring world-class artists and artworks, since its foundation in 1768. Since its establishment it has been at the centre of a remarkable network of influential artists, including Royal Academicians, from historical figures JMW Turner, John Constable, and William Blake to contemporary artists such as Tracey Emin, Grayson Perry and Ai Weiwei. As such, the Royal Academy’s footprint in the art world is unique and fascinating.
In the RA’s 250th year, its international team of experts will share their knowledge of curatorial process and practice for the first time in an intensive summer course hosted across the expanded RA campus, which includes new spaces showcasing the RA historic collection as well as temporary exhibitions alongside the RA Schools.
The RA exhibition team have curated world-class exhibitions large and small, from the commercial to the non-profit spheres, in subject matter from classical to contemporary, traditional to subversive. In the heart of London between Piccadilly and Bond Street: the centre of the city’s most exclusive arts and culture hub, this is an opportunity to learn from the best and experience first-hand the art of curating in an established and progressive arts institution.
In an increasingly complex world, the curator must take on many diverse roles: communicator and agitator, tastemaker and storyteller, inspirer and activist. They are the mediator between the art world and its diverse stakeholders, including consumers in different contexts, whether commercial, not-for-profit, educational or political, and as such must be able to communicate in many different contextual languages and to many audiences. Furthermore, today’s curators must be adaptable and nimble in the face of new challenges from a constantly changing and highly uncertain world.
In order to conceive, organise, build and maintain world-class exhibitions, curators must have expertise not only in art but also in the logistics behind creating new, exciting exhibitions. In recognition of this, the course is divided in two modules:
The first module delves into the history, philosophy and modern discourses of curation, facing key issues and providing the theoretical framework to challenge them. The second module contextualises and goes beyond these ideas to test how they can be applied in real-world practice.
The second module will provide a grounding in the essential logistics of exhibition management, including public relations and marketing, understanding audiences, international import and export, budgeting, conservation, loan negotiation, legal responsibilities and much more.
Course participants are encouraged to take an active part through workshops and projects where they will experience first-hand the process of making a great exhibition, underpinned by the expertise of the RA and the established track record of RA Academic Programmes.
“Brilliant experience! This course made me realise I want to continue to deepen my understanding of the art world. It involved knowledgeable speakers who connected their histories with wit, erudition, approachability and charm. I felt so enriched.” – Past participant, Great exhibitions: from the ancient to the virtual, 2017
The course is aimed at those with a serious interest in the art world and curating or with some experience in the art and/or museum sector, who want to gain both knowledge and practical experience of curating exhibitions. The skills provided in this course are transferrable and relevant whether you work in a large or small institution, in the public or private sector, or whether your interest is in contemporary or historical curating. It aims to provide not only the theoretical groundwork but also a friendly forum within which to discuss different opinions and approaches, and is such it encourages diverse viewpoints and skillsets.
The course will last six full days and is designed to produce well-rounded arts professionals with a global perspective who not only understand the language and ideas behind curation but can also apply those ideas in a variety of real-world contexts.
For more information about the course timetable, and for any enquiries, please contact Anna Pojer, Academic Programmes Programmer at anna.pojer@royalacademy.org.uk / 020 7300 5641
About the course
This immersive summer course provides a firm basis in the historical and contemporary theory of curation, complemented by a practical toolkit for creating world-class exhibitions. The course is part of the RA 250 events programme.
Why now, why the RA?
The Royal Academy of Arts is the country’s longest established fine arts institution, and a pioneer in the curation of public art exhibitions.
When the Royal Academy was founded in 1768, one of its key objectives was to establish an annual exhibition, open to all artists of merit, which could be visited by the public. The first Summer Exhibition took place in 1769; it has been held every year since without exception.
This year the highlight of the London summer art exhibition calendar will be curated by the artist Grayson Perry RA and will be on display alongside The Great Spectacle: 250 Years of the Summer Exhibition, a historic exhibition celebrating 250 years of the Summer Exhibition based on leading scholarly research.
This is a unique occasion to explore key issues of curating and to gain more knowledge of the logistical aspects behind exhibitions form negotiating loans to marketing strategies, with support and supervision from RA experts along with external professional curators and scholars.
About the course moderator:
Andrea Tarsia, Head of Exhibitions at the Royal Academy of Art, is overseeing the delivery and development of the Academy’s world-renowned exhibitions programme. He trained in Art History and Film before specialising in post-war and contemporary art, and has previously worked for the Institute of Contemporary Arts and the Whitechapel Gallery, among others. He has curated many international exhibitions of contemporary art, including Live In Your Head: Conceptual and Experimental Practices in Britain 1965-75; Early One Morning: New British Sculpture; A Short History of Performance, Parts I-IV; Gerhard Richter – Atlas and Sophie Calle: Talking to Strangers. He has also contributed to numerous publications, including Isa Genzken, Whitechapel Gallery; Claire Barclay, Camden Arts Centre and 20th Century British Sculpture, Henry Moore Foundation. While at the Whitechapel Gallery he helped devise and taught on an MA Course in Curating, in conjunction with London Metropolitan University, and has been guest lecturer at several universities and art colleges across the UK.
The course is aimed at those with some experience or serious interest in the art and/or museum sector, who want to gain both knowledge and practical experience of curating exhibitions.
This course is for you if:
• You are mid-career curator, with some experience or a serious interest in curatorial practices
• You would like a new global perspective in your approach to exhibiting and displaying objects
• You want to have exposure to both theoretical and practical approaches to curating
• You are working in a private or public sector arts organisation such as a museum or gallery and want to discover more about curating permanent, temporary and pop-up exhibitions, or how to structure a regular exhibition programme
• You are working in a commercial gallery and want to learn how to create museum-quality exhibitions
• You want to share in a friendly forum of discussion and debate including feedback from leading industry experts
• You want to gain more knowledge of the logistical aspects behind exhibitions such as negotiating loans, working with historic spaces and architecture, visitor flow, marketing strategies etc.
• You wish to develop a more comprehensive understanding of the implications of displaying old masters, artefacts, contemporary art or digital art.
• You want know what makes the difference between good curating and great curating at a blockbuster level
Minimum age 18
The number of participants is strictly limited to enable detailed feedback from the course tutors.
Price: £1,800
Registration from 9.30am
10.00am-5.30pm each day
Includes:
• A thorough and comprehensive introduction to the Royal Academy of Arts in its 250th year with particular reference to the development of its curatorial practices.
• An exclusive visit to the RA Archive and Library with Annette Wickham, Curator of Works on Paper for the Royal Academy Collections, to view original works from the Collection
• Support and supervision from RA experts along with and external professional curators and scholars
• Complimentary tickets to the Summer Exhibition and The Great Spectacle exhibitions and access to the new Collections, Schools and architectural galleries of the RA
• All materials and equipment
• Light refreshments each day
• Drinks receptions throughout the week
• A certificate of participation upon completion of course
About the guest speakers:
Tim Marlow
Tim Marlow joined the Royal Academy of Arts in 2014 as Artistic Director. His remit includes the RA’s exhibition programme and Collection, as well Learning, Architecture and Publishing. Prior to this Marlow was Director of Exhibitions at White Cube (2003-2014). He has worked with many of the most important and influential artists of our time including, Antony Gormley RA, Damien Hirst, Gary Hume RA, Anselm Kiefer Hon RA, Jake & Dinos Chapman, Chuck Close, Tracey Emin RA, Gilbert & George, Julie Mehretu and Doris Salcedo. Marlow is an award-winning radio and television broadcaster who has presented over 100 documentaries on British television. He was the founder editor of Tate magazine and is the author of numerous books and catalogues. He has lectured, chaired and participated in panel discussions on art and culture in more than forty countries
Andrea Tarsia
Andrea Tarsia is Head of Exhibitions at the Royal Academy of Art, overseeing the delivery and development of the Academy’s world-renowned exhibitions programme. He trained in Art History and Film before specialising in post war and contemporary art, and has previously worked for the Institute of Contemporary Arts and the Whitechapel Gallery among others. He has curated many international exhibitions of contemporary art, including Live In Your Head: Conceptual and Experimental Practices in Britain 1965-75; Early One Morning: New British Sculpture; A Short History of Performance, Parts I-IV; Gerhard Richter – Atlas and Sophie Calle: Talking to Strangers. He has also contributed to numerous publications, including Isa Genzken, Whitechapel Gallery; Claire Barclay, Camden Arts Centre and 20th Century British Sculpture, Henry Moore Foundation. While at the Whitechapel he helped devise and taught on an MA Course in Curating, in conjunction with London Metropolitan University, and has been guest lecturer at several universities and art colleges across the UK.
Edith Devaney
Edith Devaney is Contemporary Curator at the Royal Academy of Arts and Head of the Summer Exhibition. She has co-curated several blockbuster exhibitions at the RA including Abstract Expressionism, at the Royal Academy in 2016 and the Guggenheim Bilbao in 2017; and the RA’s blockbuster David Hockney: A Bigger Picture which opened in 2012, featuring large scale landscapes and works inspired by the British landscape, She has curated further innovative and critically acclaimed exhibitions which have re-positioned contemporary artists including Richard Diebenkorn in 2015; the David Hockney exhibition, 82 Portraits and 1 Still-life, and retrospective exhibitions on Allen Jones in 2014 and Bill Woodrow in 2013. In her capacity as Head of Summer Exhibition she has worked with many international contemporary artists on both the curation of this annual exhibition and special projects and displays relating to it. She was co-curator of Jasper Johns: ‘Something Resembling Truth’ exhibition for which she originated the exhibition concept and co-authored the introductory essay in the exhibition’s catalogue. She regularly contributes essays to exhibition catalogues and edited volumes and works with leading contemporary artists around the world.
Ann Dumas
Ann Dumas received an M.Phil in the History of Art from the Courtauld Institute of Art, London University. She is a specialist in 19th and early 20th century French art and is a curator at the Royal Academy of Arts in London. In the 1980s she was a Hilla von Rebay research fellow at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York and this was followed by six years as a curator at the Brooklyn Museum of Art. Among the major international exhibitions for which she has been responsible are The Private Collection of Edgar Degas (National Gallery, London and Metropolitan Museum, New York, 1997), Matisse his Art and his Textiles (Royal Academy, London and the Metropolitan Museum, New York 2005), Cézanne to Picasso: Ambroise Vollard, Patron of the Avant-Garde (Metropolitan Museum, New York, the Art Institute of Chicago and the Musée d’Orsay, Paris, 2006-2007). Her exhibitions for the Royal Academy include From Russia (2008), The Real Van Gogh: the Artist and his Letters (2010), Degas and the Ballet: Picturing Movement (2011) and Painting the Modern Garden: Monet to Matisse (2016), Revolution: Russian Art 1917-1932 and Matisse in the Studio.
Sarah Hilliam
Sarah Hilliam has over a decade’s experience in arts development. Since joining the Royal Academy in 2014, she has overseen the Academy’s £50m campaign to redevelop Burlington Gardens as well as establishing its International and Architecture Patrons Programmes. She is currently Head of Major Gifts and Campaigns and previously held positions at Art UK, Bonhams Auctioneers and Watts Gallery. Sarah is a Trustee of DACS Foundation, and holds an MA Hons in Art History and International Relations, and an MLitt in Museology from the University of St Andrews.
Adrian Locke
Adrian completed an AHRC funded PhD on the art of colonial Peru at the University of Essex in 2001 and shortly afterwards joined the Royal Academy of Arts as a curator of temporary exhibitions. He has worked on a broad range of exhibitions including Aztecs, Turks: A Journey of a Thousand Years, 600-1600, Mexico: A Revolution in Art, 1910-1920, Anish Kapoor and Ai Weiwei. He recently curated The Art of Diplomacy: Brazilian Modernism Painted for War for Sala Brasil, the gallery of the Embassy of Brazil in London. He is currently working on Oceania, a major exhibition at the Royal Academy. He has published widely on the art of Latin America most recently contributing to the catalogue accompanying the exhibition Frida Kahlo Making Herself Up at the Victoria and Albert Museum. Adrian has been awarded the Ordem do Rio Branco for services to Brazilian culture.
Photo: Cat Garcia
Anna M Dempster
Dr Anna M Dempster is Head of Academic Programmes at the Royal Academy of Arts and College Research Associate at Wolfson College, University of Cambridge, where she also sits on the Fine Arts Committee. Anna was previously Associate Professor in Art Business at Sotheby’s Institute of Art, responsible for the art business, finance and management unit as well as teaching strategy, entrepreneurship and research methods all specially tailored for the art world. Prior to that she was Director of Research at the Creative Industries Observatory, University of the Arts London and Founding Director of the MSc/MA in Creative Industries at Birkbeck College, University of London. She has research and teaching experience in leading international institutions including the University of Cambridge, London Business School and Rotterdam School of Management and she regularly consults for practitioners and policy-makers. She holds a BA and MPhil in History from the University of Cambridge and a PhD in Management Studies from the Judge Business School, Cambridge, UK.
Per Rumberg
Per Rumberg is Curator at the Royal Academy of Arts. He previously worked at the National Gallery, where he was one of the curators of the exhibition Leonardo da Vinci: Painter at the Court of Milan (2011–12). He studied in London, Florence and Berlin and received his Ph.D. from the Courtauld Institute of Art. His expertise and interests range from the Italian Renaissance to the twenty-first century.
Will Dallimore
Will Dallimore is Director of Public Engagement at the Royal Academy of Arts. Will heads up the Royal Academy’s marketing, communications, audience insight, digital, and visitor experience functions and is a member of its Executive management team. Over the past seven years, Will has driven the strategy for promoting the RA to audiences, securing its status as the UK’s most successful venue for paid temporary exhibitions, as well as articulating, launching and promoting The New RA.
Before joining the Royal Academy, Will was as a strategy and marketing communications consultant advising a diverse range of UK government, NGO and corporate clients, including the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, WaterAid, O2/Telefonica and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer. Before that he worked in marketing communications roles at London’s Institute of Contemporary Arts, the Royal College of Art, and the British Film Institute. Will is a graduate of the Getty Leadership Institute – the world’s preeminent training programme for museum directors.
Flora Fricker
Flora Fricker is Senior Exhibition Manager at the Royal Academy of Arts and has been responsible for organising a number of major exhibitions including Revolution: Russian Art from 1917-1932 and Dali Duchamp. Flora studied Fine Art and Art History at Goldsmiths College of Art, with a focus on studio practice. Since graduating she has organised a number of ambitious exhibitions at a regional, national and international level. Before the Royal Academy she was employed at the National Portrait Gallery, where she worked on a series of exhibitions showcasing work by contemporary artists. Her career in exhibition making began with Truck Art, a mobile gallery space that drove small scale exhibitions to audiences and car parks all over Europe.
Peter Sawbridge
Peter Sawbridge is Editorial Director at the Royal Academy. He read music at Brasenose College, Oxford, where he was organ scholar, before moving to Florence to study Italian and art history at the British Institute. After a full-time diploma at the Study Centre for the History of the Fine and Decorative Arts at the V&A in London, he catalogued Victorian pictures at Christie’s for a year before becoming an editor at the publishers Thames & Hudson. He joined the Royal Academy’s publications department at its foundation in 1999, and has taken care of the content of each of the hundreds of exhibition catalogues and books it has since published. He is author of A Little History of the Royal Academy (2018).
Nick Tite
Nick Tite is Publisher at the Royal Academy of Arts. Trained as a painter, has taught at the Central School of Art and worked in various London print studios. Became the founding editor of RA magazine in 1983 and Editorial Director, Publications in 1999. Since 2012, Publisher at the Royal Academy, responsible for book, RA magazine and contract publishing
Mark Rawlinson
Prof. Mark Rawlinson is a curator, writer and lecturer in 20th and 21st century Amercian art, photography and visual culture, as well as critical and photographic theory. He is currently Associate Professor of History of Art at the University of Nottingham and has written and contributed to numerous publications on photography. He has a special interest in the ways that photography has influenced art and artists, as well as conversely the impact of modernism and conceptual art practices on the development of photography.
The RA’s Artistic Director Tim Marlow introduces the programme for our 250th anniversary year
This year’s exhibitions will take the RA from a legendary British collection to the far seas of the South Pacific, and from centuries past to a glimpse into the future of art.
Our programme of short courses and classes offers the opportunity to explore a range of subjects, led by expert tutors and practising artists