(image courtesy SVA MA Curatorial Practice)
The Master of Arts program in Curatorial Practice at the School of Visual Arts is about doing. From techniques in exhibition design and production to grant writing, presentation making, critical writing about curatorial history and theory, and the production of several subsidized exhibitions during the program, MA Curatorial Practice students are trained in every aspect of the profession to prepare them for work in the field.
Every other week, students put up shows in the program’s state-of-the-art laboratory space. Their classes in specific forms of curating, such as digital media, film and video, and performance, as well as on-site visits with institution leaders about strategies for building exhibition programs and collections, are taught by faculty members who are leaders in their respective fields. Over the course of two years, students spend time with a total of 75 curators and artists from around the world, who discuss their practices and form the basis of the students’ professional networks.
Students benefit from both a local and global approach to their studies. The school is close to hundreds of art galleries in New York City’s Chelsea neighborhood and the city’s great museums are nearby. Each year, first-year students are taken to a major international biennial, followed by internships at significant art institutions across the world.
Special talks and panel discussions bring still more experts to SVA. Upcoming events presented by MA Curatorial Practice include:
- The States of Instituting: iLiana Fokianaki from State of Concept in Athens (February 20)
- Real Is What You Feel: The Documentary in Contemporary Art (March 12)
- Blank Forms: a conversation about multidisciplinary spaces between Blank Forms’ artistic/executive director Lawrence Kumpf and Alexander Lau, the director of the Empty Gallery in Hong Kong (March 26)
SVA MA Curatorial Practice is now in the midst of reviewing applications. To learn more and apply for Autumn 2020, visit macp.sva.edu.
