Curating.info

Curating.info's Sofia Landström interviews Antonella Croci and Federico Florian – winners of the Musée Imaginaire Concours, hosted by Curating.info and KAPSUL.

To create the e-book, we used the Bookleteer platform, which was developed by artist-led studio and think tank Proboscis. To enjoy your copy of this e-book, simply choose either the Letter or A4 formatted version in the download links below. Once you have downloaded the PDF file, print the e-book, and assemble according to the directions on the last page of the e-book. Then read it, share it, and print another for yourself or a friend. Or, you can just read and share the e-book in this handy online browser:

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Curating.info Conversations: Sofia Landström interviews Antonella Croci and Federico Florian - A4 Format
Curating.info Conversations: Sofia Landström interviews Antonella Croci and Federico Florian - Letter Format

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Lauren O’Connell interviews curator Cydney Payton in this edition of Curating.info Conversations. Payton, former director and chief curator at the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver, discusses architecture, social space, collaboration and the future of curatorial practice.

To create the e-book, we used the Bookleteer platform, which was developed by artist-led studio and think tank Proboscis. To enjoy your copy of this e-book, simply choose either the Letter or A4 formatted version in the download links below. Once you have downloaded the PDF file, print the e-book, and assemble according to the directions on the last page of the e-book. Then read it, share it, and print another for yourself or a friend. Or, you can just read and share the e-book in this handy online browser:

Download the e-book:
Curating.info Conversations: Lauren O’Connell and Cydney Payton - A4 Format
Lauren O’Connell and Cydney Payton - Letter Format

Share the online version using this URL: http://bkltr.it/UfJOJ1

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This edition of Curating.info Conversations features Antonia Blocker in conversation with Laurel Ptak. In this interview, Antonia Blocker asks Laurel Ptak some key questions about curating online, the importance and durability of the exhibition as concept and form, and the possibilities for accessing new audiences.

To create the e-book, we used the Bookleteer platform, which was developed by artist-led studio and think tank Proboscis. To enjoy your copy of this e-book, simply choose either the Letter or A4 formatted version in the download links below. Once you have downloaded the PDF file, print the e-book, and assemble according to the directions on the last page of the e-book. Then read it, share it, and print another for yourself or a friend. Or, you can just read and share the e-book in this handy online browser:

Download the e-book:
Curating.info Conversations: Antonia Blocker and Laurel Ptak - A4 Format
Curating.info Conversations: Antonia Blocker and Laurel Ptak - Letter Format

Share the online version using this URL: http://bkltr.it/nfrj6A

(Can't open PDF files? Download a free PDF reader.)

Commissioned by Creative Scotland, managed by VAGA (Visual Arts and Galleries Association) and led by independent curators Kirsteen Macdonald (Glasgow) and Ellen Blumenstein (The Office, Berlin) the VAGA International Research Enquiry (VIRE) aims to benefit the visual arts sector as a whole by identifying opportunities available to curators at all stages of their careers.

VIRE is investigating existing curatorial work in an international context, that presents the potential to promote exchange, foster partnerships and develop programmes in the future for curators working both in institutions and independently.

This survey is aimed at curators based in the UK or whose work is closely linked to the UK. There are 21 questions and it should take around 20 minutes to complete. The survey closes on 11 April 2011. Click here to take the survey.

All responses will be kept securely and the results will feed into the VIRE research project. At the end of the survey there is an opportunity for you to leave comments and suggestions as well as your email address. Your email address will not be passed to any third parties and will only be used, with your permission, to keep you informed about the VIRE project and may include individual follow up in response to your answers/comments.

We thank you in advance for your contribution.

Thanks to everyone who was able to assist the Netherlands Media Art Institute by responding to their survey targeted at curators, which I posted here. The NIMk received 172 responses, and have collated the results into a report that you can download in PDF format at the Culture Vortex website.
I encourage you to browse the whole report, but thought I'd point out findings that I think are interesting:
- only 20% of the respondents use online video sites (Vimeo, YouTube) to scout for new work.
- 67% of respondents listed UbuWeb as one of their most visited websites, however, suggesting that curators appreciate a resource that is already heavily curated.
- there is no interest in a printed catalogue of NIMk's works for distribution, but heavy interest in being able to save selections in NIMk's online catalogue.
- several needs were identified, including access to full-length works online, access to non-Western work, and access to performance work.
Get the whole report here.

The Netherlands Media Art Institute has developed an online survey specifically designed for professional curators and programmers of exhibitions, screenings and festivals. The questionnaire was developed by the distribution department of the Netherlands Media Art Institute, in which they seek to learn about ways to improve their services.

The questions are good and got me thinking about how I search for new work and artists. It takes just a few minutes, follow this link: www.thesistools.com/web/?id=149485 to give your point of view to NIMk.

Swiss researcher and consultant Lisa Ladner approached me to assist in the distribution of this fascinating survey for curators. She has been working as a cultural producer and independent curator in Puerto Rico, and with her international experience she found interesting discrepancies in how institutions around the globe work to support curators. She would like you, as a curator, to answer the questionnaire below and return the answers to her as soon as possible to info -at- lisaladner.com, so that she can learn from your experience and share the results not only with her Puerto Rican colleagues but with us, too.

The questionnaire is below, please copy and paste it into a new email and send it directly to Lisa: info -at- lisaladner.com.
Thanks for your help.

---
QUESTIONNAIRE / Please don't write what you think is good practice, but honestly describe the current practice!

Please mark one:
[ ] I want my answers to be anonymized
[ ] You may quote me using my name
[ ] Please treat my answers this way: ...

Name: ...
Website (or short bio): ...

Institution: ...
The institution's website (if it doesn't have a website, please describe the institution): ...

Position/relation with the institution: ...

---

1. Number of in-house curators (paid staff / employment percentage): ...

2. Institution works with guest curators:
[ ] yes
[ ] no
[ ] only

3. Guest curators get paid:
[ ] yes, of course, they get an average of USD ..... per exhibition
[ ] no, it's already an honour they can work for the institution

4. How does the institution cover the guest curator's expenses related to an exhibition such as transportation, accommodations, meals?

5. Please describe the collaboration between the in-house curators and the guest curator. Does the in-house curator interfere with the project or just help in its realization?

6. How much help does the institution grant the guest curator (museum staff, technical assistants,...)? Can the guest curator use the same resources as the in-house curator?

7. Let's say a freelance/independent curator presents an idea with a cost estimate and the institution likes it very much. Does the institution now communicate the available budget for the exhibition and the curator adapts the project or must the curator first present an exact budget and then wait for the institution to see, if they can raise the money? Will the curator get paid for budgeting? Does the institution help the guest curator in the budgeting?

8. How many months prior to an exhibition does the institution communicate if it can be done or not (due to economic reasons)?

9. Does the guest curator get a contract and if so: at what moment in the project? Could you send me a sample or actual contract?

10. Does the guest curator only get paid if the exhibition takes place? What if the show is being cancelled because the institution couldn't raise the money?

11. Can the guest curator be asked to help raise money?

12. Does the institution cover all transportation and insurance costs for the artworks (round trip) including wrapping/crating? Or does it ask the artist to cover some of the costs?

13. Who looks for transportation/insurance/customs quotes: the institution or the artist?

14. Are artists being paid for having their work in an institutional show or are they asked to pay for it (for example with the argument that the work's value goes up by being exhibited)?

15. If an artist has to be present for the mounting or opening: does the institution pay for transportation/accommodations/meals? Does it also pay a compensation for the invested time?

16. Regarding the above questions: does it matter if the work comes from the artist, an art dealer/gallery or a collection/collector or from another institution or are they all being treated equally?

17. Do artists receive money to complete a work or is this only the case, if the work was commissioned?

18. Are artists being asked to come up for or provide exhibition equipment such as DVD players, headphones, loudspeakers, cables, beamers, monitors, computers or whatever is needed to exhibit their piece?

19. Does the institution set up a contract with the artist or makes him fill out just a standard form? At what moment? Please send samples or actual documents.

20. Do you ask the artists to provide professional high resolution photos of their work to be used for free in the catalogue?

21. Does your institution have a curatorial guideline/handbook such as http://www.newbedfordartmuseum.org/handbook/index.html? Please provide.

22. Are proposals by in-house and freelance/independent curators being treated equally (for example: propose to director, then pass the exhibition committee, then being assigned an in-house curator/committee member to accompany the project)?

23. How many exhibitions does the institution do yearly (average)?

24. If you're a curator: how many exhibitions do you do yearly (average) / how many have you done in your career (approx.)?

---

Comments: ...

Please mark:
[x] yes, I'd like to get the results from this inquiry
[ ] no, I'm not interested in the results

The second edition of Curating.info Conversations is with Manchester-based curator, Karen Gaskill.



Karen is currently the Director and Curator of Interval, and a Researcher at the Foundation for Art and Creative Technology (FACT) in Liverpool. She is also currently completing her practice-based PhD in Digital Media and Social Practice at the Digital Research Unit, The University of Huddersfield. The interview with Karen covered topics ranging from getting outside of the white cube to the expanding role of the audience. This interview, the second in the series of e-books that will be released here, is intended to become part of a larger conversation. Comments on the topics raised in this series of e-books are welcomed, and responses may be collected later into a companion e-book.

To create the e-book, I used the DIFFUSION e-book generator, which was developed by artist-led studio and think tank Proboscis. To enjoy your copy of this e-book, simply choose a download link below (depending on what part of the world you are in, you will require either the Letter or A4 formatted version). Once you have downloaded the PDF file, print the e-book, and assemble according to the directions on the last page of the e-book. Then read it, share it, and print another for yourself or a friend!

Download the DIFFUSION e-book:
Curating.info Conversations: Karen Gaskill - A4 Format
Curating.info Conversations: Karen Gaskill - Letter Format

(Can't open PDF files? Download a free PDF reader.)

The first edition of Curating.info Conversations is with Vancouver-based curator, Alissa Firth-Eagland.



Alissa is currently the Director/Curator of Media Art at Western Front. The interview with Alissa covered topics ranging from web 2.0, to relationship-building with artists, to advice for young curators. This interview, the first in the series of e-books that will be released here, is intended to become part of a larger conversation. Comments on the topics raised in this series of e-books are welcomed, and responses may be collected later into a companion e-book.

To create the e-book, I used the DIFFUSION e-book generator, which was developed by artist-led studio and think tank Proboscis. To enjoy your copy of this e-book, simply choose a download link below (depending on what part of the world you are in, you will require either the Letter or A4 formatted version). Once you have downloaded the PDF file, print the e-book, and assemble according to the directions on the last page of the e-book. Then read it, share it, and print another for yourself or a friend!

Download the DIFFUSION e-book:
Curating.info Conversations: Alissa Firth-Eagland - A4 Format
Curating.info Conversations: Alissa Firth-Eagland - Letter Format

(Can't open PDF files? Download a free PDF reader.)