Evening Courses

Curating: Critical Skills

Register Request Info
Date
February 17 – March 24, 2026
Time
Tuesday Evenings
6:30 – 7:45 PM GMT
Duration
6 Weeks
Location
London
Program
Evening Courses
Mode of Learning
In-Person
Price
Price
£650
Early Booking Rate
£600
Early booking rate for Feb 17 class ends Nov 3. Other terms subject to regular rate.
Language
English
Topic
Curating
Contact Admissions

+44 (0)20 7462 3232 +1 646-438-7268 shortcourses@sia.edu

This course will offer an introduction to critical skills and core competencies for curating art – applicable to a wide variety of curatorial projects within local, global, and digital landscapes today.

Exploring the range of contexts in which curating now takes place – institutional, independent, commercial, and digital – the emphasis will be on critical and practical skills, including exhibition planning, working with designers, interpretation and writing gallery text, audience research, and collections management.

Participants will benefit from the expertise of professionals who will speak to their own experience in devising, developing, and delivering a variety of different types of curatorial projects. From working with historic collections and site-specific works to collaborating with contemporary artists and initiating public programmes for engaging with audiences, participants will become equipped with an overall understanding of the skills needed to undertake their own curatorial projects and events.

This course is for those who have an interest in gaining a foundation in contemporary curatorial practical skills as a step towards pursuing curating as a profession and/or transferring skills to mobilise a career change into the art world.

Learning Outcomes

  • Understand a variety of contemporary professional practices and to develop a foundation of knowledge related to the practical skills required to initiate and deliver curatorial projects.
  • Apply problem-solving techniques to curatorial issues as they pertain to projects in institutional, independent and digital contexts.
  • Develop a familiarity with practical tools and online resources used by curators today and an awareness of how these are employed on curatorial projects.
  • Practice forms of research and writing common to curating works of art, and demonstrate a developing critical approach to engaging with audiences.
  • Understand the fundamental processes and mechanisms of publicity and fundraising.

Highlights

Specialized Art World Knowledge

Build critical thinking skills and gain in-depth insight into key topics shaping today’s global art market.

Designed for Every Art World Path

Varying formats for art enthusiasts, students, working professionals, or those considering a career pivot.

Career-Focused Content

Develop practical skills and industry understanding to support career development in an array of fields.

Sample Schedule

Week 1

Develop a working knowledge of the key elements involved in and the differences between writing Curatorial Briefs and Exhibition Proposals, using templates and toolkits.

Week 2

Gain an understanding of exhibition planning and the critical stages involved in devising, developing, and delivering an exhibition project.

Week 3

Understand the role of interpretation and begin to develop practical skills, such as writing gallery text and incorporating both audiovisual and digital elements to engage audiences.

Week 4

Become familiar with the way curators work with exhibition designers and grasp how design elements shape the visitor experience from concept, colour and lighting to navigation, graphics and interactives.

Week 5

Recognise the importance of audience research to all aspects of exhibition making, using this as a foundation to develop public programmes and events.

Week 6

Learn how to build a strategic plan and robust funding application that will strengthen your ability to deliver your project – taking into consideration key stakeholders, collaborators and impact with financial viability.

Faculty

Course Leader: Curator Academy

Originally from Chicago, Amy worked as a curator at the Victoria and Albert Museum from 2007 to 2013, in three departments (Asia; Word & Image; and Sculpture, Metalwork, Ceramics & Glass), undertaking a wide range of curatorial activities and working on both major exhibitions and capital projects. She left the Museum to devise and lead the semester course ‘Art Museums, Galleries & Curating’ at Sotheby’s Institute of Art before returning to the V&A in 2016 as Head of the Learning Academy where she led a team which delivered the adult learning program for the Museum, including courses, workshops, conferences, and professional development.

Learn More
Learn More

Details

Course Completion

Course participants take away in-depth and valuable insight into the current and future art world, to be sufficiently prepared for a wide-ranging career within the art industry. Those who successfully complete their course will receive a certificate of completion from Sotheby’s Institute of Art.

Sotheby’s Institute of Art course participants come from all over the world, from a wide variety of backgrounds. As they study, travel, and explore the art world alongside each other throughout the program, fierce and long-lasting collaborations are frequently born. Individuals who complete these courses join our network of over 8,000 alumni around the globe who hold top positions at renowned art organizations.

Requirements

English Language Requirement
Course participants should be proficient in written and spoken English and be able to participate in group discussions and presentations in English. It is recommended that participants have the equivalent level of IELTS score of 6.0 /TOEFL score of 78 IBT, however evidence of test scores is not required to register.

Age Requirement
Courses are open to participants 18 years of age or older, however, we prefer that students have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience to be able to properly engage in the course.

For more information, please see our Terms and Conditions.

Book A Consultation

We encourage interested individuals to book a consultation time with a member of our admissions team to learn more about this course and our registration process.

Please use this link to book a consultation time via phone or video call.

Related Courses

Thank You!

We'll be in touch soon.
For immediate assistance email us.