Saturday, March 28, 2015
New York University
Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development
Department of Art and Art Professions
34 Stuyvesant Street, New York
Deadline for applications: February 27, 2015
Curators are, perhaps, the most vulnerable individuals during a controversy. Their jobs are often at stake as they are under pressure from artists who are rarely willing to negotiate the presentation of their work and from museum administrators concerned about donors, trustees, legal liabilities and public relations.
This one-day seminar offers curators the opportunity to discuss, among colleagues and with experts, the challenges of organizing and presenting exhibitions containing controversial work. The seminar sessions will be followed by an evening panel discussion that will be open to the public.
Given that it is curators who frame the context of an exhibition, during a controversy they are usually the ones to also negotiate with the hosting institution and the general public, handle the fallout of controversies, while also making decisions about keeping or removing specific works. The goal of this seminar series is to inform and equip curators with strategic and legal means with which to safeguard their curatorial vision and to negotiate effectively with diverse and interested parties.
The seminar consists of four sessions, led by Johanna Burton, director and curator of education and public programs at the New Museum, Laura Raicovich, Director of the Queens Museum of Art, Sergio Muñoz Sarmiento, artist and art lawyer, and Robert Storr, artist and curator, Dean of the Yale School of Art.
Application process: the workshop is open to early and mid-career curators – both independent and those working within institutions. The Seminar Series is limited to 15 participants.
In the application, each participant must submit:
- A brief statement of interest, and;
- A case study proposal (a conflict/controversy you are interested in discussing, whether you were immediately involved in it or not. Due to the nature of the topic and for confidentiality reasons, you may opt to change the names of individuals and institutions).
There is a non-refundable participation fee of $100 to be paid when you are notified of acceptance.
Please submit all materials in pdf format via e-mail only, by February 27, 2015 to: [email protected], [email protected], and [email protected].
Applicants will be notified by March 6, 2015.
The workshop is organized by the Arts Advocacy Project at the National Coalition Against Censorship, the Visual Arts Administration M.A. Program, Department of Art and Art Professions at NYU Steinhardt and the Art & Law Program.
For further information, please contact:
Svetlana Mintcheva, [email protected], 212-807-6222 ext 103
Sergio Munoz Sarmiento, [email protected], 347-763-2023
Carlo Lamagna, [email protected], 212-998-9011
