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Join AAMC Foundation for the 2025 Conference held in New York City!
Join the AAMC Foundation on May 1 and 2 for the annual Art Curators Conference - the leading event for art curators from across the world to connect, explore leading subjects in the curatorial field, and come together in open dialogue.
This year, the Art Curators Conference will discuss trends in curatorial hiring practices, sustainability practices in museums, AI and curatorial practice, the role of Black gallerists in advancing the gallery ecosystem, visitor-centeredness and collaborations with educators, maintaining community partnerships in shifting political environments, among other topics. We are excited to announce that RoundTables have returned this year! RoundTables are small-group discussions where members discuss topics facing the field at large. Through these open conversations, we hope to catalyze lasting cross-institutional discussions on best practices in the field. RoundTables will be held on Friday, May 2 from 12:30-1:30 PM in the main Conference ballroom. No prior registration is needed - just join a table!
All sessions will be held at The Prince George Ballroom. The Members' Party will take place on May 1 at the Asia Society Museum. All Conference attendees are invited to join us for a Tour and Lunch at Hauser & Wirth Gallery on Thursday, May 1 from 1:00 - 2:00 PM, featuring the exhibition "William Kentridge: Self Portrait as a Coffee-Pot".
To ensure the Art Curators Conference is accessible to curators everywhere, this year's Conference will be held both in-person and virtually. Select recordings will be made available to attendees after the event.
Jump To: Conference Speakers Conference Schedule Conference Panels & Workshops Conference FAQs
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Beyond Bizot: Practical Steps Towards More Sustainable Art Museums
Moderated by Jessica Bright, Chief of Exhibitions, Clolections & Conservation and Program Director, Dani Reiss Modern and Contemporary Gallery
How are institutions, big and small, implementing sustainability initiatives, from re-thinking courier protocols and loan agreements, to evaluating storage and conservation standards?
Collaborating for Visitor Centeredness
Co-moderated by Swarupa Anila, Senior Vice President, Exhibition & Gallery Development, Royal Ontario Museum & Keri Ryan, Lead Curator, Learning & Interpretation, M+
The collaboration between curators and educators is key to creating successful visitor experiences in the museum. Through group activities, participants will wrestle with decisions and choices that consider the curator’s role in developing gallery experiences to serve target audiences.
Doing the Work – Cultivating and Preserving Meaningful Community Partners
Moderated by Srimoyee Mitra, Director, Stamps Gallery, University of Michigan
Curators are often at the forefront of bringing forward and advancing justice oriented community engaged programs in their institutions. In the US, Canada, and beyond, many art institutions are rolling back their community-response programs, in fear of dwindling donor support and political backlash. How do we, as curators, continue to advance this work in an age of misinformation, confusion, and fear, where toxic polarization is being weaponized politically? What strategies have curators and institutions used to plan for anticipated criticism of exhibitions or programs? How do we maintain our personal and professional ethics and morals when our core values are challenged?
From Incubators to Institutions: Black Gallerists, Emerging Artists, and Equity in the Art World
Moderated by Myrtis Bedolla, Owner and Founding Director, Galerie Myrtis
Black-owned galleries have been crucial in supporting African diaspora artists, helping them gain visibility and establish successful careers. These galleries provide essential advocacy, market positioning, and institutional partnerships that foster talent and shape the art world. As artists gain recognition, their relationships with galleries evolve, often presenting challenges. This discussion explores the strategies and challenges of supporting Black artists in the contemporary art market while emphasizing the vital role of Black-owned galleries in sustaining their success.
How Contested Collections Have Inspired New Modes of Interpretation
Moderated by Stephen Reily, Founding Director, Remuseum
For many years, museums have been addressing their responsibilities regarding art over which others may have claims. While some of those claims have led museums to return art to others, they have also inspired museums to explore new models of ownership and interpretation. Introducing new voices and new concepts of ownership regarding contested collections has, in turn, inspired new modes of interpretation in all areas of art – at least that is the concept presented by this panel discussion, which explores how a binary concept of cultural heritage (is it “ours” or “theirs”?) has adapted, and how it has generated a more nuanced and adaptable approach to the way curators talk about all the objects they share with the public.
Prometheus’ Gift: AI and the Evolution of Curatorial Practice
Moderated by Nik Honeysett, Director and CEO, Balboa Park Online Collaborative
This session explores the growing potential of AI to revolutionize curatorial practices, from enhancing collections analysis to generating creative exhibition ideas. Through live demonstrations with ChatGPT, participants will experience how AI can streamline curatorial work and inspire new approaches to interpretation and engagement. Attendees will receive practical insights into how to begin using large language models (LLMs) and AI in their everyday tasks, as well as participate in an interactive ideation session to brainstorm exhibition topics and themes.
Trends in Hiring Practices
Moderated by Eve Moros-Ortega, Director, Lord Cultural Resources
As the art world evolves, so too does the role of curators, leading to shifting hiring practices across museums and institutions. This panel will explore the growing trend of curators moving between jobs more frequently, driven by factors such as institutional restructuring, evolving job descriptions, and the increasing demand for curators with diverse skill sets. How can curators prepare for digital engagement, community outreach, and collections management, in addition to traditional art history scholarship? What is the impact of temporary and contract-based positions, and what is the importance of flexibility and adaptability in curatorial career development? What do curators stand to gain by operating outside gallery/ institutional walls? What do they stand to gain? How can those who are hiring curators for their institutions ensure employee retention?
RoundTable Topics
Applying Sustainability Standards in Curatorial Work • Deaccessioning and Collection Refinement • Balancing Workloads • Cross-Field Collaborations • Non-Western Provenance Research • Curator and Educator Collaborations • Sustaining Community Partnerships • AI and Curatorial Practices • Trends in Hiring Practices
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