Curatorial Practice MA

Why study MA Curatorial Practice at University College Falmouth?

MA Curatorial Practice - additional information (1.36 MB)

Our postgraduate Curatorial Practice course is delivered in collaboration with three main partners - Tate St Ives, Newlyn Art Gallery and The Exchange and visual arts commissioning agency ProjectBase - to provide opportunities for you to develop the critical and practical skills required for curating in the field of international contemporary art. The partner organisations - all of whom have regional, national and international profiles - can offer you experience of the curatorial role within the different contexts of a national museum, a publically-funded gallery and a visual arts commissioning agency.

Tell me more about the MA Curatorial Practice course

The course encourages you to hone your critical understanding of curatorial agendas and strategies, while emphasising the importance of collaboration and dialogue with artists in the development of any curatorial concept. The course is industry facing and individual and team-based projects, supervised by expert professionals, allow you to test your ideas in real situations evolving a curatorial position grounded in practical application.

Through seminars, workshops, lectures and visits - delivered by academic staff, partner organisations and other national and international art-world professionals - the course provides a context in which to develop and critique curatorial practice, and importantly, to establish personal networks and contacts relevant to your specific areas of interest. Students are encouraged to undertake professional practice placements during the course and current students are on placements with The Poly in Falmouth and ProjectBase, while another has been offered an internship with White Cube in London upon graduation.

Building your theoretical knowledge and practical experience you’ll graduate with an in-depth knowledge of art world structures and processes, ready to engage effectively in an increasingly diverse and challenging range of curatorial opportunities.

Course tutors and visiting lecturers

Course tutors include:

• Sara Black (Director, ProjectBase)
• Martin Clark (Artistic Director, Tate St Ives)
• James Green (Director, Newlyn Art Gallery and The Exchange)
• Sara Hughes (Curator, Tate St Ives)
• Susan Lamb (Head of Learning and Public Programmes, Tate St Ives)
• Alex Lambley (Marketing, Tate St Ives)
• Claire Lloyd (Deputy Director, Newlyn Art Gallery and The Exchange)
• Mark Osterfield (Executive Director, Tate St Ives)
• Blair Todd (Exhibition Manager, Newlyn Art Gallery and The Exchange)
• Andy Webster, Senior Lecturer, MA Fine Art: Contemporary Practice

Visiting Tutors / Lecturers:

• Claire Doherty (Senior Research Fellow FA, UWE, Situations, Bristol)
• Tim Marlow (Arts broadcaster and Director of Exhibitions White Cube)
• Simon Morrissey (Independent curator and Director of Works/Projects)
• Paul O’Neill (GWR Research Fellow, Situations, UWE, Bristol)
• WHW (Curator collective, Zagreb, curators of Istanbul Biennial 2009)

Students also share a weekly lecture series Models of Practice with other MA Art courses, which provides an opportunity to learn about contemporary practice across a range of disciplines including photography, illustration and design as well as contemporary art practice and curating.

Answers and advice about the course

If you have any queries about the course please visit our HelpMe Forum.

HelpMe Forum: MA Curatorial Practice

Additional information

2010 Postgraduate Prospectus (4.82 MB)

Funding your study

A Master’s degree represents a significant investment in your future, and you will rightly be concerned about funding. Our student fees & funding section outlines fees for full and part time students and has guides to introduce you to ways of funding your course at Falmouth.

Creative Enterprise Cornwall

Put your skills to use in Cornwall's dynamic business environment on a paid placement project

Creative Enterprise Cornwall is a project offering financial support to postgraduate students who live in Cornwall during their studies. It is run by University College Falmouth and part-funded by the European Social Fund. The aim of the project is to promote graduate opportunities within Cornwall - develop new business skills if you are changing your career, or use the opportunity to strengthen the skills you already have. A maximum of £1250 is available.

The placement project must meet the following criteria:

• It must take place in Cornwall or benefit a Cornish company
• It must meet your course objectives (Course Leader must agree to the placement)
• Must be a minimum of one working week in duration (maximum 3 weeks) and be confirmed by the company

More information about the project can be found here

Entry requirements

Entry requirements through the university sector include Honours Degrees, Foundation Degrees and HNDs in a related subject and a demonstrable interest in contemporary art. If you have solid professional industry experience rather than academic achievement, this may be acceptable for entry to study at this level through a process called APEL (Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning).

More information about entry requirements and applying for our postgraduate courses can be found here

For further information about MA Curatorial Practice at University College Falmouth, please email admissions@falmouth.ac.uk or telephone Admissions on 01326 213730.

Career opportunities

Graduates of this postgraduate course in MA Curatorial Practice can become curators of contemporary art in a range of contexts – notably the museum, the public art venue and the contemporary art commissioning agency. The course may also lead students to specialise in related roles and careers involving working with artists such as exhibition-organising and promotion, critical writing, gallery management and fund-raising, teaching and further study.

Related courses

• Art & Design Histories & Theories MA
• Curating MA
• Fine Art: Contemporary Practice MA