Curatorial Intensive in Cape Town 2019

This November, ICI will organize the Curatorial Intensive in Cape Town, South Africa in collaboration with the Institute for Creative Arts at the University of Cape Town. The program will coincide with Infecting the City, the longest running public arts festival in the country, curated by Jay Pather.

The Curatorial Intensive, a weeklong professional development program, offers curators the opportunity to discuss, among colleagues, the concepts, logistics, and challenges of organizing exhibitions, public programs, and other curatorial models. This program is the sixth Curatorial Intensive in Africa since 2013, following past iterations in Johannesburg, Addis Ababa, Marrakech, Dakar, and Accra. ICI maintains its commitment to supporting curators and local organizations on the ground, while continuing to provide curatorial training and foster peer networks and arts infrastructures in the region.

The Curatorial Intensive is designed to immerse participants in a rigorous schedule of seminars, presentations, site visits, and one-on-one meetings that support the process of developing an idea for a project into a full proposal. It is a unique opportunity to forge a close network of peers and embark on future collaborations. This program is targeted toward self-motivated individuals at an early stage in their career, working independently or within institutions.

Seminars, site visits, individual meetings, and roundtable discussions will be led by a group of professionals that includes: Raphael Chikukwa (Chief Curator, National Gallery of Zimbabwe), Nkule Mabaso (Curator, Michaelis Galleries at the University of Cape Town), Amanda Parmer (Director of Programs, ICI), Jay Pather (Associate Professor, University of Cape Town & Director of the Institute for Creative Arts), and Renaud Proch (Executive Director, ICI) Storm Janse van Rensburg (Senior Curator, Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa), and Jochen Volz (General Director Pinacoteca de São Paulo).

Application guidelines
12–14 applicants working internationally will be selected to participate in the Curatorial Intensive. The applicant must have 3+ years of curatorial experience, or a similar track record of organizing cultural projects. All applications must include a 500-word description of an exhibition or project that the applicant would like help in developing. This description should outline the proposal concept and any artists or work under consideration. Also required are a current 250-word bio, a 500-word letter of intent, and a 300-word text that describes a recent curatorial project that has made an impact on the applicant.

Fees and scholarships
The program fee is 1,900 USD. Participants are also responsible for covering travel and accommodation expenses. Generous scholarship packages that subsidize or eliminate the program fees, accommodation, and travel costs are available and awarded based on merit. If you would like to apply for a scholarship, please include a letter of motivation with your application.

ICI offers several scholarship packages available to all curators. In addition, several scholarships are available specifically for applicants based in African countries. For more information or questions, visit ICI’s website or email monica@curatorsintl.org.

About Independent Curators International (ICI)
ICI produces exhibitions, events, publications, research and training opportunities for curators and diverse audiences around the world. Established in 1975 and headquartered in New York, ICI is a hub that connects emerging and established curators, artists, and art spaces, forging international networks and generating new forms of collaborations.

For any additional questions, please email Monica Terrero at monica@curatorsintl.org. Applications here.

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