ABOUT THE PROGRAMME TEACHERS VISIT US REGISTER PRACTICAL INFO
×

postgraduate curatorial studies
1 year
English taught

ABOUT THE PROGRAMME

Curatorial Studies at KASK is an intensive one-year English-language postgraduate course aimed at applicants with an MA or equivalent experience in the arts, humanities or sciences and a keen interest in contemporary art. Established in 1999, Curatorial Studies is the only postgraduate curatorial programme in Belgium, benefitting from a unique partnership between KASK & Conservatorium (HOGENT – Howest), Ghent University and S.M.A.K.

On this course students become familiar with contemporary curatorial practices across a variety of contexts, such as museums, foundations, artist-run spaces and commissioning agencies. Curatorial Studies at KASK stands out among comparable European and North American programmes for the breadth of skills it covers, from conservation and exhibition history/theory to collection management and public mediation. Through this programme, students are equipped to excel in the curatorial field, in its practical as well as theoretical applications.

What will you be studying?

Curatorial Studies considers curation – from the Latin ‘cura’, to care for – to be a vital link between cultural production and the wider social sphere. In this expanded definition, the curatorial touches the entire spectrum of cultural production, including historical and artistic research, documentation and archival projects, and the organisation of public events. Curatorial Studies students are confronted with the diverse possibilities of the curatorial, from the collection, conservation and study of modern and contemporary art to developing new ways of making art public through on- and off-line displays, publications, pedagogical, social and performative interventions. Our Curatorial Studies programme not only encourages students to develop their personal curatorial practice through the making of exhibitions, publications and events, it also lays emphasis on collaborative forms of cultural agency with a final collective project acting as a culmination point.

Through a mix of lectures, seminars, workshops and independent research, students become conversant with the most up-to-date debates within the contemporary curatorial field, particularly as these intersect with social, political and ethical issues. Drawing on Ghent’s exceptional cultural history and resources, as well as its proximity to major European cities, the programme comprises numerous behind-the-scenes visits to key art institutions in Belgium and internationally. The students’ experience is further enhanced by regular talks by prominent speakers. All Curatorial Studies staff members are research-active and recognised in their areas of specialisation, as conservation specialists, mediators, curators, and scholars. This expertise allows for an immersive experience, where students are immediately put into contact with real-world situations and professional challenges.

And then…

Equipped with the extensive knowledge and contacts acquired during the programme, students (re)enter the professional field in a position of strength. The programme’s alumni find employment in the artistic sector upon graduation, in museums, galleries, non-profit art spaces, governmental agencies, biennials, artist studios, magazines and, not least, academia. Moreover, given the long history of the programme, Curatorial Studies graduates benefit from a large network of alumni who remain active in the cultural field.

curatorialstudies.be
instagram

TEACHERS

Maude Bass-Krueger
Angelique Campens
Inti Guerrero
Laura Herman

Annie Jael Kwan
Rachael Rakes
Samuel Saelemakers
Sanneke Stigter

Anna Stoppa
Marijke Van Eeckhaut

publications
VISIT US

OPEN DAY

APR 23, 2023 / 10:00 – 17:00

INFO MOMENT

JUN 24, 2023 / 09:30 – 12:30
SEP 02, 2023 / 09:30 – 12:30

 

REGISTER

If you want to enrol for a postgraduate programme, you first have to pass an orientation test. These are organised several times per academic year.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

  1. Check the admission requirements.
  2. Check the application guidelines.
  3. Register for an admission test or orientation test via webreg.hogent.be.
  4. Take part in the test.
  5. After passing the test, you can complete your enrolment online.

Do you have a question? Contact the student’s office.

PRACTICAL INFO

Study programme
Curriculum
Study costs
Study and learning track counselling

curatorial studies

Exhibition view of Snowflake Blockbuster with works by Alise Anna Dzirniece and Jānis Dzirnieks curated by Anna Laganovska and Bas Verwaetermeulen in the framework of Bodies of Work curated by the Curatorial Studies class of 2021-22, 05.08—25.08.2022, Extra City Kunsthal, Antwerp, image by Van den Bussche-Vanden Bossche
Exhibition view of Caer Ascendiendo by Francisca Khamis Giacoman curated by Adriënne van der Werf, Josue Aliendre Carvani in the framework of Bodies of Work curated by the Curatorial Studies class of 2021-22, 17–19.06.2022, Extra City Kunsthal, Antwerp, image by Van den Bussche-Vanden Bossche
Exhibition view of Entrance by Kristina Sedlerova Villanen curated by Natalia Barczyńska and Amanda Hakoköngäs in the framework of Bodies of Work curated by the Curatorial Studies class of 2021-22, 05—25.08.2022, Extra City Kunsthal, Antwerp, image by Van den Bussche-Vanden Bossche
1 / 3
Bodies of Work curated by the Curatorial Studies class of 2021-22, 05.08—25.08.2022, Extra City Kunsthal, Antwerp, images by Van den Bussche-Vanden Bossche
< >
Curatorial Studies participants installing Gates (might) open soon, a group exhibition with works by Carlotta Bailly-Borg, Elen Braga, Che Go Eun, Laura Puska, Robert Soroko, Anya Tsyrlina & Sid Iandovka, Philippe Vandenberg, Sophie Varin and Bert Villa curated by the Curatorial Studies class of 2020-21, 09–17.07.2021, KANAL Centre-Pompidou, Brussels, image by pramudiya
Exhibition view of Gates (might) open soon, a group exhibition with works by Carlotta Bailly-Borg, Elen Braga, Che Go Eun, Laura Puska, Robert Soroko, Anya Tsyrlina & Sid Iandovka, Philippe Vandenberg, Sophie Varin and Bert Villa curated by the Curatorial Studies class of 2020-21, 09–17.07.2021, KANAL Centre-Pompidou, Brussels, image by pramudiya
Exhibition view of Gates (might) open soon, a group exhibition with works by Carlotta Bailly-Borg, Elen Braga, Che Go Eun, Laura Puska, Robert Soroko, Anya Tsyrlina & Sid Iandovka, Philippe Vandenberg, Sophie Varin and Bert Villa curated by the Curatorial Studies class of 2020-21, 09–17.07.2021, KANAL Centre-Pompidou, Brussels, image by pramudiya
Exhibition view of Gates (might) open soon, a group exhibition with works by Carlotta Bailly-Borg, Elen Braga, Che Go Eun, Laura Puska, Robert Soroko, Anya Tsyrlina & Sid Iandovka, Philippe Vandenberg, Sophie Varin and Bert Villa curated by the Curatorial Studies class of 2020-21, 09–17.07.2021, KANAL Centre-Pompidou, Brussels, image by pramudiya
Exhibition view of the Lichen Prize for Curators: Three Tropes for Entropy with works by mountaincutters, Angyvir Padilla and Daniel Steegmann Mangrané, curated by Laila Melchior and Koi Persyn, 05.02-03.04.2022, CIAP Kunstverein, Genk
Curatorial Vocabularies class: 'Rooms' with Kunstenfestivaldesarts Director Daniel Blanga-Gubbay, April 2022
Graduation class at Vandenhove Center, December 2022
Masterclass: Ecstacy with Karen Verschooren and guests, 20–22.10.2021, STUK House for Dance, Image and Sound, Leuven
Fellows and organisers of the Young Curators Programme 2022 in the framework of the Belgian pavilion exhibition at the 59th International Art Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia, image by Lars Duchateau
Exhibition view of Orangerie, a group exhibition with Katya Ev, Tom Hallet, Niels Poiz, Marius Ritiu, and Mathieu Verhaeghe curated by Ekaterina Vorontsova, 01.06–30.09.2021, Het Paviljoen, KASK & Conservatorium/ School of Arts, Gent
(Un)common Grounds curated by Josue Aliendre Carvani, Natalia Barczyńska and Valentina Bianchi, 14-24.05.2022, iMAL, Werktank and Overtoon, Brussels