Announcing a new initiative for independent curators:

Extra-Curricular
Meetings held at Artists’ Space Books & Talks
55 Walker St., New York, NY

First meeting: Wednesday August 7th, 7-9pm.
RSVP to extracurricularnyc@gmail.com
Alex Benenson and Lauren van Haaften-Schick invite you to join us for the first session of Extra-Curricular.

Extra-Curricular seeks to create a meeting place and platform for emerging independent curators to reflect on our needs as individuals producing without the support of cultural institutions, to build our own network of resources, and to consider what might be gained if we positioned ourselves as a whole.

Our first meeting will be an open forum focused on the negotiations independent curators make when they also hold positions in institutions, and on proposing alternative models for making exhibitions independently.

Questions we will consider:
What issues are faced by independent curators in New York? How do these compare to other cities?
How does affiliation with an institution help or hurt independent curators in pursuing their own goals?
What is the purpose of defining oneself as an independent curator vis a vis institutions and artists, and what does the position imply today?
What are the limitations of current models available to us?
What points of access or entry can we invent for ourselves?
How can we create our own support structures while maintaining autonomy?
What do we want from our independence?
What would a shared platform look like?
What could we achieve as a whole?
Regular meetings will also serve as a place for curators to workshop and get feedback on current projects, following the model of an artists’ critique. As meetings progress, we plan to invite others more established in the field to discuss their trajectory and collaborate on ideas.

The first meeting will take place on Wednesday August 7th at Artists’ Space Books & Talks, from 7-9pm. If you are interested in presenting and getting feedback on a specific idea or project at this meeting, please let us know in advance so that we may tailor the agenda accordingly.

Please feel free to pass this invitation along to others who may be interested.

RSVP appreciated, but not required.

We look forward to seeing you there.
Alex Benenson
Lauren van Haaften-Schick