Installation Chronochroma 6 by Rodney LaTourelle/ Photo by William Eakin,
WINNIPEG, MB – The University of Winnipeg is adding a new specialization in Curatorial Practices to the Master of Arts program in Cultural Studies, a first for Manitoba, accepting applicants for September 2011.Visual arts is a critically important part of the cultural and economic life of Manitoba and Canada. The new specialization will prepare graduates to work in visual arts institutions as curators, art historians, critical writers, and gallery educators. Graduates may also go on to work in the field of communications, and in museum institutions, or go on to pursue further graduate studies in Art History. This program will provide trained curatorial professionals to meet the demand from institutions in Manitoba and across Canada.
Students in Curatorial Practices will study historical and contemporary curatorial principles in a seminar format as well as engaging in a hands-on practicum course with placements in partnered art institutions in order to gain both an academic and a professional grounding in the practice of gallery and museum work.
“This is an exciting time for students who want an advanced arts degree because The University of Winnipeg is located in the heart of the expanding downtown and Exchange District arts precinct, one of the most thriving contemporary art scenes in Canada,” says Dr. Lloyd Axworthy, President and Vice-Chancellor, UWinnipeg. “Our campus now includes the Plug In Institute of Contemporary Art in the new Buhler Centre, located next door to the renowned Winnipeg Art Gallery, which is expanding to create a $30 million Inuit Art Centre on the site of its current studio building. These are important synergies that afford Curatorial students many opportunities.”
Curatorial Practices has an applied focus and offers internships and the opportunity to work in a gallery or museum for six months. Plug In, The WAG and The Buhler Gallery (in St. Boniface General Hospital) have agreed to partner and offer internships for students.
“The WAG is proud to partner with UWinnipeg, Plug In and The Buhler Gallery in creating this new Masters program in Curatorial Practice,” says Winnipeg Art Gallery Director, Stephen Borys and University of Winnipeg alumn (BA Honours Art History 1984). “As Canada’s oldest civic art gallery with a permanent collection of close to 25,000 works, we are well positioned to participate in this program, which will greatly enhance the training of curators and art historians. With the building of the WAG’s Inuit Art Centre to house our collection of Inuit art, which is the world’s largest collection, there will be a unique offering for students to contribute to the research and understanding of the Inuit culture.”
Students will graduate with a Master’s degree in Cultural Studies with a specialization in Curatorial Practices.
To find out more contact: Professor Serena Keshavjee, Graduate Coordinator, Art History at 204.258.2993 or s.keshavjee@uwinnipeg.ca
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MEDIA CONTACT
Diane Poulin, Communications Officer, The University of Winnipeg
P: 204.988.7135, E: d.poulin@uwinnipeg.ca
