Curating

Overview

The Curating course at the University of Essex   combines practice, theory and histories of curating in equal measure. You will develop an essential base skills for a successful exhibition – from object handling to managing exhibition budgets – through visiting lectures by active museum professionals; practical workshops using our on-site collection and galleries; and competitive placements at leading institutions. Previous students have worked at the V&A, Royal Academy of Arts, Hayward Gallery and Firstsite Gallery.

You will build your own confident grasp of the history and theory of exhibition-making, studying with academics who besides being active curators are producing new key texts on the curatorial history and theory. You study topics including:

• How an exhibition can be used as a means of social or political critique
• The historical role that museums have played in society
• Participation and social engagement between spectators, artists and curators

• A choice of history of art options

Your future

The visual arts and culture industries have become an increasingly significant part of the national and international economy, and our art history graduates leave Essex with the skills to take advantage of this growing opportunity.

Graduates from our programmes are ideally prepared for roles in the media, in advertising, in museums and galleries, in education (in schools, universities, and cultural institutions), as conservators, as auctioneers, dealers and antiques specialists, in charities, in publishing, as specialist arts lawyers, as PR agents, in fashion, or to run their own galleries.

Our recent graduates have gone on to work for a wide range of high-profile companies including:

• National Portrait Gallery
• Victoria and Albert Museum
• Sotheby’s New York
• Momart Ltd
• John Lewis