July 27, 2023, NEW YORK, NY —The Association of Art Museum Curators (AAMC) Foundation announced the 2023 Propel Program Fellows.  In a time of expanding responsibilities, combined with a dearth of professional development opportunities, AAMC Foundation’s Propel Program provides participants with learning experiences to develop their leadership roles and advocacy voices.  Established in 2014, the respected program has welcomed Fellows across 30 U.S. States and 14 countries, with over 80% securing at least one or more new and/or elevated positions since participating.

“We are proud, thrilled, and electrified to continue this vital and unparalleled global program for mid-career curators, rebranded this year to the Propel Program" shared Judith Pineiro, Executive Director of AAMC & AAMC Foundation. "This program's dynamism lies in its multilayered learning and experiential building, igniting the very heart of our mission: to champion and elevate the curatorial field; to break barriers through inclusivity, collaboration, and access within art organizations; and to bolster curatorial public and audience engagement."

Providing each Fellow with a stipend and full travel/accomodation for all elements, the 10-month program has four major components, which are:

• In-person Intensive Workshop in NYC, November 2023
• Virtual learning sessions, January through February 2023
• In-Person Intensive Workshop in San Francisco, May 2024
• One on one Mentor partnership, including a multi-day in-person visit and online meetings, October 2023 through April 2024
• Attendance and alumni networking at the 2024 Art Curators Conference, May 2024

In-person workshops include one on one consultations with a career advice coach, a half-day experience at a major NYC museum, a fundraising practicum, a communication and leadership style learning experience, and seminars on self-advocacy and promotion. Virtual sessions will engage community leaders on the topics of diversity, inclusion, education, audience development, social justice, the art market, board responsibilities and relationships, and the future of museums. 

Another component of the program is a partnership with a senior-level curator advisor, that meets with the fellows throughout the year, and whom the fellows also visit in person. This year’s group of advisors includes senior-level curators from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, Kunstinstituut Melly, Hammer Museum, Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Puerto Rico, Tate Modern, Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal, Birmingham Museum of Art, Library of Congress, and Princeton University Art Museum.

In May 2024, the Fellows will attend the Art Curators Conference, along with their cohort, program alumni, and curators from around the world. The program concludes with a virtual meeting of the cohort, with each Fellow presenting how the program impacted and shaped their goals and development.  

To read more about this year’s cohort, please click here. The ten Fellows self-identify as 40% Hispanic, Latinx or Spanish origin, 30% Black or African American, 10% prefer not to answer, and 20% white; and 70% between the ages of 30 and 39. For more information on AAMC Foundation’s fellowships and programming, please visit artcurators.org.

This program is made possible through the generosity of Milton and Sally Avery Arts Foundation, the Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation, Institute for Museum and Library Services, and the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as the AAMC Foundation President’s Circle.

ABOUT THE PROPEL PROGRAM 
Established in 2014, the AAMC Foundation’s Propel Program has welcomed Fellows across 30 U.S. States and 14 countries, with over 80% securing at least one or more new and/or elevated positions since participating. The program is for curators with a minimum of seven years and a maximum of ten years of experience, and provides opportunities to advance professional development, investigate important issues in the field, and cultivate strong bonds.  During the course of the program, Fellows engage in leadership training to advance and excel their careers by taking part in in-person and virtual training and course work, peer cohort relations, and guidance from one on one Mentor pairings. Up to ten Fellows are selected each year through a free, competitive, open application process. All Fellows are provided funding to support their participation in the program, including all travel and accommodation components, a stipend, and access to the Art Curators Conference.  

ABOUT AAMC & AAMC FOUNDATION 
Founded in 2001, the Association of Art Museum Curators (AAMC) & AAMC Foundation celebrate the curatorial narrative by supporting and promoting the work of art curators at all stages in their career through opportunities for networking, collaboration, professional development, and career advancement.  With a network of over 1,500 members from over 500+ institutions around the globe, the organization is the leading organization and flagship voice for curators in the nonprofit sector. The organization ensures that the curatorial perspective on art, museums, and educational issues is furthered and advanced in critical issues within the art community.
 
CONTACT
Judith Pineiro, Executive Director, judith.pineiro@artcurators.org
###