This programme offers students the opportunity to study curatorial practice in Glasgow, a city with one of the most vibrant and distinctive art scenes in Europe. The programme is embedded within the city, drawing on its community of artists, curators, institutions and international connections, and guides students to undertake curatorial work and develop approaches to practice which stem from a strong awareness of context and participation within it.
Jointly run by The Glasgow School of Art and the University of Glasgow, the programme takes the link between curator and artist as the starting point from which to explore curatorial practice. Curating is thus presented as an activity that is reliant upon close and on-going contact with artists and a considered understanding of their work. A central tenet of the programme is that students undertake self-initiated curatorial work that reflects their individual interests and aspirations. Working in different contexts, including a dedicated studio space at the heart of the School of Fine Art, participants develop individual research, hone their thinking and acquire practical professional skills whilst initiating and producing real exhibitions, projects and events.
The programme is taught by dedicated staff and guest faculty, including curators, artists and academics, and fosters diverse ways of working curatorially. A mixture of lectures, studio visits, discussion of contemporary artworks and curatorial projects form the backbone of the teaching, from which students are introduced to relevant debates and thinking key to the practice of curating.
Throughout the course students are introduced to various working contexts, ranging from the gallery and the archive to site-specific contexts and artist-led activity. Students will work on live projects, gaining the most engaged and professionally focused experience possible. This includes the possibility of undertaking a placement tailored to their interests either within the city or further afield.
The programme is offered jointly with the University of Glasgow, and offers links with external institutions in Glasgow, including CCA - the Centre for Contemporary Art, Glasgow International, GoMA, Tramway, The Common Guild and The Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery.
Quick facts
Students on this programme have the opportunity to:
- Produce a minimum of two public-facing curatorial projects per year, including a curatorial project initiated by each of the students individually, which is presented as part of their Degree Show in venues across Glasgow every September.
- Access an extensive professional network. Throughout the course students have the chance to meet numerous curators, who are invited to teach on the programme, and are encouraged to conduct studio visits with a range of artists.
- Benefit from a diverse taught provision, balancing lectures and seminar-based sessions with close peer-to-peer critique, practical workshops and tutorials. In addition to this, students attend a study day every term on a topic of contemporary relevance.
- Be part of two postgraduate student communities, as teaching takes place across the School of Fine Art at the Glasgow School of Art and the School of Culture and Creative Arts at the University of Glasgow. This opens up the possibility of interdisciplinary collaboration and learning.
- Core to the programme is the accommodation of the students alongside the Fine Art Practice students at The Glasgow School of Art. Students have access to a studio/project space and are encouraged to test and develop projects alongside practicing Fine Art students.
- The programme attracts students from all over the world and fosters collaboration with a growing network of international partners, all contributing to a rich learning environment.
Entry requirements
A good Undergraduate Degree in a relevant subject (normally 2:1 or higher - although a lower classification may be considered where other areas of the application are strong) or equivalent professional or life experience. A good level of understanding of contemporary art, relevant to the applicant's own cultural context. Candidates will undertake an interview before selection.
International students
International students will need to have an IELTS 6.5 (min 5.5) or equivalent qualification in English language in addition to the other entry requirements listed above.
