Call for Applications: Postgraduate Program Asia-Europe Cultural Curatorship Studies

UAntwerpen, Faculty of Arts (Belgium)                              

Call for Applications: Postgraduate Program Asia-Europe Cultural Curatorship Studies

The uniqueness of the postgraduate is the focus on creative curating in Asia and Europe. Curating is ubiquitous today. A “curator”, from the ancient Latin meaning of “attending to, caring for” is an impassioned co-creator performing from an artistic, intellectual, historical, social and intercultural perspective. The cultural curator is increasingly both a knowledge creator and a communicator.

As knowledge creator s/he experiments with different formats, different ways of experiencing while creating different meanings. The contemporary curator challenges old formats by re-inventing novel ones that often build on history and previous experiences.

As a communicator s/he is able to convey the rich curatorial data to a larger public both on- and offline. So, curating today means also taking care of (im)material culture, of social relationships, (non)urban interactions and of cultural politics.

The creativity of the curator is key in our program in that s/he conceives and create the own idiosyncratic lifeworld while at the same time able to communicate, present and/or sell the art or artisan output in the different strata of society, including the market.

The program targets European and Asian students with an open and global perspective and thus contributing to a better understanding and mutual inspiring practices. This openness requires insights and competences in intercultural communication.

The program consists of a balanced mix of courses on cultural policy in Europe and Asia, intercultural and multilingual interactions, different research methods and good practices provided by practitioners in the first semester. In the second semester the student conducts an internship either in China or in Belgium/other European countries. So Asian students get immersed in the European academic life and gain first-hand experience in the cultural and art sector. European students get immersed in the cultural and art sector in Asia while connected with an Asian university.

Degree requirements

The program is open to candidates with a master or PhD in area studies or in university-level art education. Exceptions can be made for those with professional experience in the art and cultural sector.

Language requirements

If English is not the first or native language, students must provide evidence of advanced written and spoken English skills. Accepted minimal scores: TOEFL-TEST, with a minimal score of 550 (paper-based), or 72-94 (internet-based); IELTS overall score minimal 6.5 or Certificate of ITACE for students with ERK score B2.

Admission procedure and requirements

For non-EAA students the application deadline is May 17, 2024 and date of notification of (non)acceptance is June 15, 2024.

For EEA students the deadline is July 19, 2024 and date of. notification of (non)acceptance is August 15, 2024.

Interested candidates must submit the application file to the Academic Director, Ching Lin Pang (ChingLin.Pang@uantwerpen.be). The file consists of a letter of motivation, a project proposal on cultural curatorship of max. 5 pages excluding bibliography, a certified copy of the university diploma and a curriculum vitae. The dossier will be assessed by the Academic Director and Members of the Board Committee. Once the dossier is accepted the Academic Director will contact the non-EAA candidate by June 15, 2024. EEA-students need to submit the admission file by July 19, 2024 and notification of acceptance is August 15, 2024.

Level Master Credits 50 ECTS Number of years 1 Tuition Fee EUR 3,750 for all students. Deadline for payment tuition fee: August 31 2024 to be paid to the following account of the KBC, Havenlaan 2, 1080 Brussels, IBAN: BE42 7350 0886 2754 (BIC: KREDBEBB) with payment reference: PG-ASIA /(Family name- First name)

More information  https://www.uantwerpen.be/en/study/education-and-training/china-eu-cultural-curatorship/profile/ Contact: Chinglinpang@uantwerpen.be

Testimonies of Alumni

The Postgraduate Program brought together an inspiring group of people and it was an honor to be able to learn from each other as well as from the interesting lecturers and visiting speakers.. I look back on it as an intense, informative and engaging year. Izra Yans

My motivation for enrolling in this program was the pursuit of art, a longing for Europe and a sense of adventure. Fan Yiji

It was an Out of the box program. The cross-cultural aspect was a reality due to the mixing of students from different continents. Professor Pang and her fellow professors were incredible in guiding us through this. Testimony of Christel Simons 

Vision of the Initiators

Why Asia? Understanding China and other Asian countries is key to understand the world in the 21^st century. The influences of Asian cultures in all realms of life are increasingly expanding. It is becoming an important cultural and artistic hub, that creates and disseminates its cultural products and services to the global audience. The mutual flows between Asia and Europe tell us the story of a rising Asia that can contribute to a truly super-diverse cultural and artistic scene. Prof. Ching Lin Pang, Academic director of the Program

Why art education? Since we know that not the economy, but culture is the base of societies we need to take material and immaterial culture as the central medium to communicate with each other. Mutual understanding is pivotal nowadays. Global markets fail, because they do not recognize nor do they take care of local cultural differences. So, we need professionals who can take care with in-depth knowledge of cultural mechanisms, cultural values and differences. We need curators who can build with co-imagination and in co-creation a resilient civil society paradigm. Prof. Pascal Gielen, Director of ARIA.

Why Intercultural and multilingual interaction? The dynamic and process oriented view on curatorship and its constant contextualization are essential tools to navigate in a super diverse world. Flexibility, adaptability and tolerance of ambiguity are crucial attitudes because developments in science, technology, communication are increasingly swift and radical. We are no longer on one long train track where we can sit back and relax: we’re commuting on a hectic, fast paced subway system that requires changes, split second decisions and real-time information management. Good communicative skills are essential here. Professor Dieter Vermandere.