Introduction to Curating Contemporary Design
Subject and course type
- Short course
Explore exhibition histories, curatorial principles and storytelling strategies for design through lectures, workshops and hands-on exercises.
Curate your curatorial thinking
This two-day course introduces the fundamentals of curatorial practices and exhibition-making.
Participants will explore how design can be displayed and interpreted, covering key areas such as storytelling, object research and display strategies. With hands-on workshops and lectures from an experienced curator, you'll gain a deeper understanding of curatorial principles in museums, galleries and experimental spaces.
Key highlights:
- Learn about exhibition histories and display evolution.
- Engage in object-based research and narrative building.
- Develop and present your own mini-exhibition concept.
Example course structure
- 10.00 – 10.30am: Introductions and overview of curatorial roles.
- 10.30 – 11.00am: What is a Curator? Participants to work to define this role and their understanding of the principles of exhibition-making.
- 11.00 – 12.30pm: Introductory lecture to the evolution of exhibition displays, from cabinets of curiosities in the Renaissance through to World Fairs in the 1800s and Expos in the 20th and 21st Centuries.
- 12.30 – 1.30pm: Lunch
- 1.30 – 2.30pm: Object-based reading workshop exercise. Each participant brings in an object and participants write 50 words about it. The object is then passed to the next participant who must research the object and write 50 words on this. Participants share their ‘readings' of the object.
- 2.30 – 2.45pm: Break
- 2.45 – 4.00pm: Lecture on collection practices, conservation issues, and display methodologies.
- 10.00 – 11.15am: Visit to Stanley Picker Gallery to see an exhibition, followed by a critique of the show.
- 11.15 – 12.30pm: Playing with the Language of the Museum: lecture on how curatorial principles have been applied in museum, gallery, and consumer settings. Examples will include film, performance, and installation across the disciplines of design.
- 12.30 – 1.30pm: Lunch
- 1.30 – 2.30pm: Workshop to develop a display working with participants objects. Participants must consider the exhibition theme, object narratives, and display strategies. The participants will be divided into groups depending on the number of participants.
- 2.30 – 3.30pm: Participants present back to the group their exhibition theme, object narratives and display strategies.
- 3.30 – 4.00pm: Wrap up and questions.
Course information
Course tutor
This course is led by Alison Moloney, a curator, writer and lecturer with over 20 years of international exhibition-making experience. Alison has worked with the Barbican Art Gallery, MoMu Antwerp and the National Trust. She currently leads the MA in Contemporary Design at Kingston University.
What to bring
A materials list will be sent to you a week prior to the course. All other supplies will be provided by Kingston School of Art.
Booking information
Date: TBC
Time: TBC
Fee: TBC (as an educational institution, fees for short courses are VAT-free)
Location: Knights Park campus, Kingston upon Thames.
To ensure everyone’s safety, we follow all government health and safety guidelines. For full terms and conditions, view our short course booking policy.
Get in touch
If you have a question, you can email Kingston School of Art's short course team.
Ready to enhance your curatorial skills?
Dates for our next Introduction to Curating Contemporary Design have not yet been confirmed.
Check back here for more information soon. In the meantime, take a look at the other short courses run by the Kingston School of Art.
