Image in header courtesy of 2022 RED exhibiting artist Jasmine Chen
Fees: $525 CAA Member; $625 General Admission
It is free to apply. If your application is selected, full tuition will be due before the first cohort meeting. Invoices for payment will be issued to all accepted artists at the time of the acceptance notification. All standard Registration Policies apply.
Artists will be responsible for all production costs of their work including printing, framing, transportation, postcards, reception costs and the hiring of an installer for the exhibition (if one is required).
If you cannot afford to pay for a class in full upfront please check all aid options that apply- please only ask for what you absolutely need. Our resources for aid are limited; we are able to provide aid to up to 2 participants in this program. For a full list of tuition scholarships, please view the application.
Important Dates:
Deadline to apply: July 28, 2023 at 11:59pm
Notification of acceptance by email: No later than August 4, 2023
Our new seven-session intensive workshop is designed for artists who are interested in contemporary curating practices and want to gain a deeper understanding of the curatorial process. It provides a unique opportunity for artists to collaborate, exchange ideas, and showcase their work in a multi-artist exhibition. The workshop will explore the changing dynamics of contemporary curatorial practices, with an emphasis on diversity and inclusion.
The workshop is limited to ten participants, who will be grouped into two cohorts of five. Each cohort will elect a designated curator, a theme, and a selection of works influenced by sizing and presentation choices, artist and curatorial statements, and the final design and layout of the show. The workshop instructor, Frances Jakubek, has experience working in non-profit, academic, and commercial gallery spaces and aims to help students prepare for all aspects of putting up a show, including the highs and lows, from start to finish. The workshop will culminate in an exhibition of the participants’ works in two cohort shows at either CAA @ Canal Gallery or CAA @ University Place Gallery, each with an opening reception.
The application process is juried, and we will select a diverse yet cohesive group of ten artists based on the merit of their work on their website and their responses to the questions on the application form.
This workshop promises to be an exciting and transformative journey into the world of curating. Participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of what it takes to curate a professional exhibition.
WEEK ONE (Online)
- Introduction to curating and best practices
- History of types of exhibitions
- Past CAA exhibitions to put the upcoming show in context
- Prep for next class: how best to present work to share digitally
WEEK TWO (Online)
- Participants each share their work (10-15 pieces each)
- Discussion: themes, editing, how/which artists could show best together?
- Prep for next class: sizes, formats, and presentation ideas
WEEK THREE (In-person)
- Visit the two separate spaces for exhibitions
- As a class, or by the instructor, decide who will exhibit together in which space
- Assign curatorial lead for each group
- Prep for next class: drafts of artist statements and biographies
WEEK FOUR (In-person or online)
- Share and discuss artist statements
- Share and discuss artist biographies
- Discuss creation of collaborative curatorial statement
- Prep for next class: final decisions of which artworks will be shown by each artist
WEEK FIVE (In-person)
- Work on layouts of exhibitions
- Discuss and edit statements
- Discuss and plan any presentation/display needs
- Prep for next class: work with team to refine curatorial statements
WEEK SIX (In-person or online)
- Finalize artist and curatorial statements
- Discuss and design promotional materials including press, social media, and takeaways
- Any final details for exhibitions
WEEK SEVEN (In-person)
- Installation and promotion time
In person sessions will be hosted in Cambridge, MA at either CAA @ Canal gallery or CAA @ University Place Gallery from 4pm-6pm
Online sessions will be hosted on ZOOM from 6pm-8pm
Course Dates: 7 Sessions
- September 19 – Session 1: Online 6-8pm
- October 3 – Session 2: Online 6-8pm
- October 24 – Session 3: In-person at CAA @ Canal and CAA @ University Place 4-6pm
- November 7 – Session 4: Online 6-8pm
- November 28 – Session 5: In-person 4-6pm
- December 12 – Session 6: Online 6-8pm
- January – Session 7: Installation in-person at CAA @ Canal and CAA @ University Place 12-6pm
About Frances Jakubek | About Frances Jakubek is an image-maker, independent curator, and consultant for artists. She is the co-founder of A Yellow Rose Project, past Director of Bruce Silverstein Gallery in New York City, and past Associate Curator of the Griffin Museum of Photography in Massachusetts. Recent curatorial appointments include Critical Mass, Filter Photo, The Griffin Museum of Photography, British Journal of Photography, Les Rencontres d’Arles, Save Art Space, and Photo District News. Jakubek has been a panelist for the Massachusetts Cultural Council’s Photography fellowships, speaker for SPE National, and lecturer for the School of Visual Arts Masters of Photography i3 Lecture Series.
Personal works have been exhibited at The Southern Contemporary Art Gallery in Charleston, SC; Filter Space, Chicago; Camera Commons in Dover, NH; and The Hess Gallery at Pine Manor College, MA.