Emerging Curator Program 2019
Type
Curatorial Proposal, Other
Category
Curating
Status
Archived
Deadline
January 10, 2019
Application Fee
Not Available
Host
SUSAN MAIN
Location
Rockville, United States

VisArts invites applications from emerging curators to work with an experienced mentoring curator to develop and present an exhibition.

The VisArts Emerging Curator Program offers a unique opportunity for an emerging curator to work with an experienced mentoring curator to develop and present an exhibition and to assist in the presentation of the mentor’s exhibition. In an effort to develop expanded education programming/enhanced visitor experiences, the 2019 Emerging Curator and the Mentoring Curator will also focus on developing tools, templates, technological enhancements and funding strategies to support public programming that promotes social interaction, creative exchange and audience engagement.

VisArts will provide the Emerging Curator with an exhibition budget of $10,000. Additional funding and staff support for printing, promotions, and execution of exhibition programming is available. The program is one year and will begin in January 2019.

The selection panel includes the VisArts’ Curator, Artist Advisory Council, Gallery Committee and 2019 Mentoring Curator.

The 2019 Mentoring Curator will be Larry Ossei-Mensah:

Larry Ossei-Mensah is a Ghanaian-American curator and cultural critic who uses contemporary art and culture as a vehicle to redefine how we see ourselves and the world around us. He has organized exhibitions and projects with artists at commercial and nonprofit spaces around the globe from, including: Firelei Báez, Ruby Amanze, Hugo McCloud, Brendan Fernandes and Peter Williams. Ossei-Mensah currently serves as the Susanne Feld Hilberry Senior Curator at MOCAD in Detroit. He also is a co-founder of the 501c3 ARTNOIR in addition to being a mentor in the New Museum’s incubator program, NEW INC.

Curatorial Collaboration:
During the yearlong program, the Curatorial team (Mentor Curator and Emerging Curator) 
will focus on:


·    Developing a cohesive and compelling exhibition proposal;
·    Researching skills and standards of “best” and “current” curatorial practice;
·    Communicating with artists and lending institutions - developing contracts and loan information, collecting images and organizing artist/image information with “best practice” standards;
·    Conducting curatorial research and developing writing skills for catalogs and other printed and online materials using language that is clear and comprehensible for art experts and the general public;
·    Researching and developing a plan for incorporating technology upgrades to gallery programming through website enhancements, use of I Pads and apps, and production of video and audio materials;
·    Designing and implementing educational exhibition programming and outreach activities that engage artists, curators and public audience of all ages;


·     Developing budgets for executing exhibitions and exhibition programming;
·     Developing sponsorship/fundraising initiatives to support the exhibition programming;
·     Overseeing exhibition design and installation; and,
·     Developing marketing and public relations materials - press releases, website presence, social networking and print media supporting the exhibition.

The VisArts Emerging Curator Program provides emerging curators with practical, hands-on experience at a community arts organization. It is designed to support diverse exhibitions presenting a broad spectrum of ideas and curatorial approaches. In addition, it enhances the VisArts exhibition experience by developing educational opportunities, public programming and opportunities for community engagement through expanded use of interactive interpretive media in its gallery program.


https://visarts.submittable.com/submit/98812/emerging-curator-program-2019">Apply