The AAMC Foundation International Engagement Programme fosters exchange and partnership between non-US based curators (International Awardees) and US-based curators (US Liaisons).

Art Fund and the Association of Art Museum Curators (AAMC) are inviting five UK-based curators to take part in the 2020 programme, which has been developed with an aim to enable UK curators to engage meaningfully and with authority on the international stage, developing their own experience and learning while also raising the profile of their institutions and collections abroad. Through this programme we hope new relationships will be brokered between institutions in the UK and internationally, stimulating collaboration on all areas of activity from research, to loans and public programmes.

Taking place from February to December 2020, this fully funded programme includes support for International Awardees to visit with their US Liaison at their organisation; to travel and attend the AAMC Art Curators Conference; to take part in introductory weekend tours; receive an invitation to the AAMC Foundation’s Program Alumni Reception; to enjoy a 1-year AAMC membership allowing access to AAMC’s suite of curatorial development opportunities; and to recieve complimentary Art Fund membership for one year.

International Awardees and US Liaisons will work together to programme a webinar that would be presented to the full AAMC membership, developing the themes and content collaboratively.

This year’s conference will take place 2-6 May 2020 in Seattle. The programme will focus on advancing the field beyond traditional and perceived thresholds and boundaries. Sessions will reconsider linear narratives, challenge concepts of borders, and investigate social and cross-cultural interactions. Events will be held at Seattle Art Museum, Asian Art Museum and Olympic Sculpture Park, and tours are planned at an additional 15+ sites.

The 2020 Keynote Dialogues will feature Kaywin Feldman, Director, National Gallery of Art; Sasha Suda, Director and CEO, National Gallery of Canada; Vishakha N. Desai, President Emerita Asia Society and Senior Research Scholar in Global Studies at Columbia University; and and Barbara Earl Thomas, writer and visual artist.

Eligibility

• Applicants must be art curators at non-profit organisations, with direct responsibility for works of art. In addition, curators and others who work a minimum of 50% of the time for/with non-profit organisations will be considered
• Please note that curators working in four-wall collecting and non-collecting, community-based, and non-four wall organisations are eligible. Multiple curators from one museum are eligible
• Applicants must live and work in the United Kingdom
• Curators without existing strong ties to US partners and the overall international curatorial network are the ideal candidate(s) for this programme
• Applications from curators without access travel funding and/or without professional development support are particularly encouraged to apply
• Programme recipients should also reflect AAMC Foundation’s commitment to diversity*

All applicants must be able to commit to the full programme, including attending the conference in Seattle at the time of application, including the all deadlines (non-negotiable), timelines and travel.

Funding range

Funding and other benefits include:

• Travel funding in the amount of $5,235 to fulfil the following program components
• Attendance at the 2020 Art Curators Conference, May 2-6, 2020 in Seattle, Washington, USA
• One in-person meeting at the US Liaison’s institution, between May 7 and December 1, 2020
• Pairing with a US Liaison to offer peer-on-peer guidance, professional development and exchange
• An invitation to the 2020 AAMC & AAMC Foundation Program Alumni Reception, a networking event to connect with others engaged in professional development and with AAMC
• Complimentary one-year AAMC membership, giving full access to professional development activities and includes professional resources
• Complimentary one-year Art Fund membership

* 'All of AAMC & AAMC Foundation programming and overall efforts shall strive to be representative of diversity: across self-identifications (by nation, gender, creed, race), socio-economic backgrounds, fields of expertise, types of institutional mission, and regional position, of participants. The more diverse our voices, the more dynamic our offerings.'