New curatorial programs are raising the bar for graduates
Published on the 21 Jan 2015
A recent article in ArtsHub, the portal for professionals working in the arts, has highlighted UNSW Art & Design’s new Master of Curating and Cultural Leadership degree.
Artshub's wide ranging piece includes interviews with UNSW’s Dr Lizzie Muller, Director of the Curating and Cultural Leadership program and Monash University’s Tara McDowell.
In the story Dr Muller comments, ‘The interdisciplinarity that characterises UNSW Art and Design is one of the things that makes this program special. Our view of curatorial practice is not limited to contemporary art and encompasses science, technology, design, architecture, film, literature, music and all creativity. The program is built around a model of learning-by-doing. Much of the teaching is delivered through real-world engagement, live projects and active collaborations with industry.'
Muller said the cultural leadership which is part of the curatorial degree is quite different from the management that might be taught in a more generalist degree.
‘We have a very particular view of leadership in the cultural and creative industries that is non hierarchical and not defined by status or age. We believe that anyone in any position can show leadership by identifying new opportunities and urgent needs and addressing them in innovative and effective ways. The arts desperately needs good leadership, and we need to make sure we are educating people to take this on. I believe we also need to change some old fashioned ideas about what a leader is - to embrace diversity and support innovation and emerging voices and perspectives.’