MCH8551 : Curating Art in the Gallery
- Offered for Year: 2025/26
- Module Leader(s): Mr Alistair Robinson
- Lecturer: Dr Gayle Meikle, Dr Emma Coffield
- Owning School: Arts & Cultures
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
The aims of the module are to provide students with:
- A practical introduction to the logics of curatorial and educational practices in art’s institutions and
sites.
- Practical experience of understanding how to design and realise a public project by working with artworks and
artists, with institutions, audiences, and stakeholders.
- The ability to design and deliver a public project from research and conception to realisation.
- The ability to articulate, discuss and critically evaluate competing logics of practice in art museum and
gallery professions, and to measure and evaluate their practical, ethical, and professional consequences
Outline Of Syllabus
This module enables students to understand professional practice in art museums and galleries. It provides students with an introduction to the practical and philosophical problems of curating art by designing a real-time exhibition project.
The first section of the project examines the problems of curating and reinterpreting artworks, with reference to collections and/or works of art.
The second section examines the nature of problems of display, interpretation, communication, and promotion of works of art and artists.
The third section examines problems of documentation, legacy, and evaluation of curated projects.
The module has been organised in order to:
1) introduce students to working with artists, artworks, institutions, and audiences.
2) enable students to develop an understanding of practices in art curating in relation to professional debates and wider issues and problems within the sector
3) allow students to respond to challenges and problems in the sector through practical activities, group discussions and individual reflection.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 70:00 | 70:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 8 | 1:00 | 8:00 | N/A |
| Guided Independent Study | Directed research and reading | 1 | 40:00 | 40:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Practical | 2 | 2:00 | 4:00 | Hands on sessions linked to a specific task. |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Practical | 2 | 4:00 | 8:00 | Hands on sessions linked to a specific task – slightly longer to reflect the complexity of tasks |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 1 | 1:30 | 1:30 | Small group on campus teaching sessions usually a follow up to a lecture, workshop or centred around a specific issue and/or readings |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 1 | 1:30 | 1:30 | Sessions where students are able to put into practice specific ideas and develop associated skills. |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 5 | 1:00 | 5:00 | Sessions where students are able to put into practice specific ideas and develop associated skills |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 2 | 2:00 | 4:00 | Sessions where students are able to put into practice specific ideas and develop associated skills – slightly longer to reflect more time intensive/complex tasks. |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 1 | 56:30 | 56:30 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Module talk | 1 | 0:30 | 0:30 | Assignment Briefing |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Module talk | 1 | 1:00 | 1:00 | Introduction to the Module |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
The module employs a combination of Scheduled Learning and Teaching and Guided Independent Study, with the methods used as follows:
Module talk: This teaching method will be used to introduce the module and brief students about the assessment.
Lecture: This is a core teaching method, used to achieve the knowledge learning outcomes.
Workshops & practicals: This is a core teaching method, used to allow students to put key knowledge and skills outcomes into practice in a broader context (e.g., in relation to their own experiences and practices and not set tasks).
Seminar: This is a core teaching method, used to allow students to consolidate knowledge (e.g., the learning outcomes) and to meet the skills outcomes via set opportunities and task that encourage students to critically apply knowledge outcomes.
Directed research and reading: This teaching method allows students to independently complete set reading/other tasks to support the seminars, workshops and fieldwork, and to deepen knowledge outcomes.
Guided Independent study: This teaching method enables students to deepen knowledge and skill outcomes, as well as to apply self-management skills.
Assessment preparation and completion: This teaching method allows students to prepare for and complete their assignments.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portfolio | 2 | A | 60 | Annotated Portfolio Submitted end of term 1500 words Students submit an annotated portfolio analysing the relationship between their individual and collective intentions and practical outcomes in relation to learning objectives and set / key texts. |
| Report | 2 | M | 40 | Project Brief': Report Submitted mid-term 1000 words Students submit a 1000 word report outlining the 'project brief' they understand that the creation of a new exhibition demands, and their individual response to the practicalities of the situat |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
The module is designed to allow students, working in one or more teams, to complete small-scale interpretive, curatorial and audience engagement projects relevant to the museums sector. The project is normally developed in collaboration with a public cultural venue.
The final summative module assessment is divided between a mid-term 'project brief' (1000 words, 40%) and an individual annotated portfolio submitted at end of term, that critically discusses the project process/product after its completion (1500 words, 60%).
There are multiple opportunities for the students to give and receive feedback during the project process. Formative feedback will be provided through small-group teaching by academic staff and Great North Museum: Hatton practitioners.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- MCH8551's Timetable