BA Curating and Art History – 2nd-year Placements (2020-21)

Arts Council Collection | Beverley Art Gallery | Castle Howard | Ferens Art Gallery | National Railway Museum | St Mary’s Church, Beverley

Second-year students studying Curating and Art History undertook placements with institutions from the arts and heritage sector, both in York and farther afield, during 2020–21.

Because of the Covid pandemic, the placements had to take place remotely.  Nevertheless, the students had a hugely positive experience, thanks to the continued generosity and commitment of the hosting institutions.  One student was placed with the Arts Council Collection, based out of their store at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park. Four students were placed at Beverley Art Gallery, one at Castle Howard, three at Ferens Art Gallery, two at the National Railway Museum, and one at St Mary's Church in Beverley.

The students worked on a range of activities that included research, engaging with social media and assisting with exhibition preparation. As the restrictions of the pandemic began to ease skightly, towards the end of the academic year, students had the opportunity to visit their placements in person.

Sarah Burton curated an online exhibition at Beverley Art Gallery called Objects in Paint, pairing a selection of painting from the Treasure House Collection with objects from the Social History Collection.

Sage Kema assisted with the curation of the Arts Council Collection travelling exhibition Breaking the Mould: Sculpture by Women since 1945 (29 May 2021 - 12 March 2023) and the display of David Medalla's participatory artwork A Stitch in Time at the Southbank Centre (21 June – 18 July 2021).  They were also the Arts Council Collection's first intern to contribute an 'Artist Profile' to their blog, on David Medalla.

August McGregor worked on an exhibition with Future Ferens, the Ferens project bringing together 16–25-year-old volunteer creatives, promoters and curators: Monet in Mind (17 May –4 July 2021) brought Monet's painting Antibes (1888) to Hull, a loan from the Courtauld Collection, as the centrepiece of an exhibition focusing on art and mindfulness, in response to the pandemic.

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