How MA Art History and Curating students not only coped with Covid-19, but rose to the challenge of learning and applying skills relevant for any institution in the heritage, museums and art gallery sector!

Watch Grace Trumbo talk [first video, right] about how the students taking the module ‘Curatorial Practices’ were able to switch from an exhibition planned to be held at the Barber Institute of Fine Arts, University of Birmingham  to an online show. Look out for “Sights of Wonder: Photographs from the 1862 Royal Tour” which will open as an online exhibition at the Barber Institute of Fine Arts in June 2020.

Olivia Beebe [second video, right] talks about how students, following the module ‘Placement’, were able to continue their studies, despite the impact of Covid-19 on the art gallery. She did her placement at Wolverhampton Art Gallery which switched online, so Olivia was able complete her time there.

“Without any doubt, Covid-19 has changed our lives as never before. Everybody has been affected. Despite all the downsides, it also opens up new avenues for discovering and actively using new spaces for art, whether this is art produced at home or online exhibitions that require skills of digital curating, marketing, learning and engagement activities. Therefore, we are incorporating these skills, relevant even in a world without Covid-19, in our teaching. Life is constantly changing and adaptation to new environments is probably the most central expertise one can learn” (Dr Jutta Vinzent, Director of Postgraduate Taught Programmes, Department of Art History, Curating and Visual Studies, University of Birmingham).   

For more information on the MA Art History and Curating and other programmes, visit our website, Instagram and Facebook, or write to Dr Jutta Vinzent, Director of Postgraduate Taught Programmes, directly (j.vinzent@bham.ac.uk).