Master in Curatorial Practice - IED Firenze

Language

English

Start date

November 2026

Frequency

Full time

Fruition

On campus

Duration

1 Year

Course Coordination

Daria Filardo

Price

EU/EEA resident students: €20.300

Non‑EU/Non-EEA resident students: €22.300

Today, the curator is a producer of knowledge, able to interpret reality and create cultural narratives that engage diverse audiences. Florence, with its artistic heritage, historic museums, and international institutions, provides an ideal context to develop both theoretical and practical skills, and to work on real curatorial projects, thanks to collaborations with organizations such as Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi, Museo Sant’Orsola, and Centro per l’Arte Contemporanea Luigi Pecci.

The Master in Curatorial Practice prepares professionals capable of navigating the complexity of contemporary curating, where artistic languages and exhibition formats are constantly evolving. The program develops theoretical, managerial, and communication skills, with a strong focus on building professional networks and the ability to make curatorial projects tangible and transferable at an international level.

The Master combines theory and practice, covering contemporary art history, museology, exhibition history, and curatorial strategies, with a focus on exhibitions, public programs, publications, and educational projects. Students learn to create a curatorial identity, developing a critical, innovative, and interdisciplinary approach. The international Faculty includes curators and professionals from institutions such as Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi, Huis van het Boek, Fondazione In Between Art and Film, MAPS — Museum of Art in Public Spaces, Fondazione Bevilaqua La Masa, Recovery Plan, Biennale di Venezia, and Museo Reina Sofia, providing direct exposure to global best practices.

The Master is structured in three progressive phases, guiding students from theoretical study to professional practice. The entire curriculum offers an immersive experience, integrating lectures, practical workshops, meetings with curators and industry professionals, and hands-on curatorial projects.

In the first phase, students acquire the foundational theoretical knowledge necessary to understand the contemporary art system and curatorial practice. Topics include contemporary art history, museology, exhibition history, and exhibition management.

The second phase focuses on project development and practical application. Students work on real curatorial projects, experimenting with different methodological approaches and collaborating with renowned international curators. Core topics include curatorial writing, publishing, fundraising, cultural marketing, audience development, and an in-depth analysis of the contemporary art system.

Finally, students engage in the Final Project, developing an exhibition or public program curated in every phase.

Projects in collaboration with Palazzo Strozzi:

  • 2021 – Alter Eva: an exhibition inspired by the work of six Italian women artists, exploring the female perspective and reflecting on a future based on new principles of natural and social coexistence.
  • 2022 – Eco-Esistenze: a collective exhibition investigating the convergence between natural and artificial spaces and how communities perceive and experience them.
  • 2023 – The Tilt of Time: an exhibition exploring the multifaceted nature of time through the work of various artists.
  • 2024 – Teatro delle relazioni: a project exploring the concept of community as a space of belonging and as an artistic practice redefining models of production and sharing.
  • 2026 – Bones of Tomorrow: the first institutional solo exhibition in Italy by Georgian artist Andro Eradze.

Upon completion of the Master, graduates are prepared to work in museums, galleries, fairs, and foundations, assuming roles as curators, project managers, and educators.

Information to decide

 

 

Faculty

Course Coordinator

Daria Filardo

Art historian, Curator, Educator

Raimundas Malašauskas

Curator and Writer

Irene Campolmi

Curator

Yoeri Meessen

Director of National Museum Huis van het boek

Leonardo Bigazzi

Curator

Martino Margheri

Professor

Lorenzo Di Las Plassas

Journalist

Camilla Mozzato

Curator

Rita Duina

Cultural professional

Pietro Gaglianò

Curator

Maria Antonia Rinaldi

Art historian

Justin Randolph Thompson

New Media Artist

Projects

Arts and Restoration

Florence

Final projects / thesis projects
The Tilt of Time

Arts and Restoration

Florence

Final projects / thesis projects
Eco-esistenze: forme del naturale e dell’artificiale

Arts and Restoration

Florence

Final projects / thesis projects
Alter Eva. Natura Potere Corpo

Arts and Restoration

Florence

Final projects / thesis projects
Teatro delle relazioni

What people say

Voices from the Master

"You get to meet a lot of professionals in this field that have extensive background in what they study"

Anthony

Alumnus

Voices from the Master

"This one year i realized that curation is no one size fits all, and i had the chance to discover different curatorial styles and interests."

Szonja

Alumna

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