September 28–December 7, 2017
Discover Tate’s history and what goes on behind the scenes in the gallery today
Tate Modern
Bankside
London SE1 9TG
Tate Britain
Millbank, Westminster
London SW1P 4RG
What are the major challenges of running an art museum today? How does it look after its work? Who comes to the gallery?
This 11-week course is a unique opportunity to consider how Tate and other art museums operate on a daily basis and what challenges they face in an ever changing world. Through weekly visits to Tate Britain and Tate Modern, hearing about what goes on behind the scenes from members of staff, discover all the kinds of work that has to be done to keep a gallery going. From curating exhibitions to developing new audiences and even designing products for the shop. Participants will also learn about the history of Tate, its collection and its four museums.
Led by artist and lecturer Michaela Ross, each session encourages exploration and discussion around topics including curating, conservation, learning and the visitor’s experience. Guest speakers will present on their work around these themes and the roles they play in the museum. The aim is to enable participants to consider art and the buildings in which it is kept in different ways.
This year’s course is based at across the two London sites and includes visits to exhibitions such as Rachel Whiteread, Soul of a Nation and Red Star Over Russia, as well as Tate Stores where the collection is housed.
About Michaela Ross
Michaela Ross is an artist and lecturer who completed her PhD at the University of the Arts researching the relationship between the artist and the institution. She has collaborated with museums and galleries including Tate, the Serpentine Gallery and Nottingham Contemporary and has worked on international projects as part of Critical Practice, a cluster of artists, academics and researchers based at Chelsea College of Art and Design. She is a teaching fellow at King’s College and visiting scholar at the University of the Arts London.
Past participant comments
“The tutor Michaela Ross is fantastic; very engaging, clear, enthusiastic and with a deep knowledge of the topics.”
“It was a great opportunity to have a quick insight into Tate. I would definitely take the course again.”
“Talks by practitioners and staff are so valuable. The visit to the Tate Store is amazing!”
Credits
Supported by The J Isaacs Charitable Trust
Organised in collaboration with the Department of Culture, Media and Creative Industries, King’s College London
