Curator

JOB

Curators oversee the installation of exhibitions, planning, management, marketing and recruitment. The job involves taking care of the needs of the exhibition’s authors and designers, as well as ensuring that the exhibition meets quality requirements. The work of a curator can vary, for example, depending on whether the work involves art, design or antique artifacts.

As a curator, you could work independently or in a museum/institution, often in collaboration with exhibition authors, designers and museum staff as well as those involved in individual projects, such as technicians, graphic designers, lighting designers, educational representatives, art historians and craftsmen.

Main tasks

• conceptual work on the emphasis of individual exhibitions
• finding suitable items to display
• planning and managing the installation of an exhibition
• preparing budgets in collaboration with superiors
• recruitment of exhibition staff
• ensuring that the installation complies with budgets and time schedules
• overseeing advertising, copywriting, proofreading and editing
• marketing and media communications

Competence requirements

Curators need to be able to work with people from different backgrounds, direct work, encourage others and show initiative. Meticulousness and the ability to work on a variety of projects are important qualities, as are planning skills. Knowledge of finance and negotiation skills are beneficial. It is also important to keep an eye on the graphic composition of the exhibitions, as well as having interest and insight into the subject matter of the author of the exhibition.

Study

Curators can come from a variety of backgrounds and backgrounds, such as art theory, philosophy, aesthetics, anthropology, history, or graphic arts. There may also be interdisciplinary postgraduate studies at university level, such as exhibition management. In the Icelandic school system, for example, studies at the University of Iceland in museology and ethnology as well as the above-mentioned subjects can be mentioned.

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