CPD Curating Contemporary Art and Design Summer School

The 2026 Curating Contemporary Art and Design summer school focus is 'Art in Public: Curating and Commissioning Contemporary Art in Social Contexts'.

The course will explore creative and critical work in public space as an expanded curatorial practice. Framed around a series of considerations - such as the role and shared value of public art, the ethics of community collaboration, understanding the complexity of public space, making work for different publics, embedding environmental concerns, and prioritising process-led interdisciplinary methods, the course offers an overview of innovative and contemporary global approaches to curating and commissioning art in public and social contexts.

This short course will be of interest to those curious about non-gallery settings and public spaces as locations for art and to those interested in learning to activate the meaning of a space, place or community.

As a forum for learning in a collaborative, highly dynamic and participatory atmosphere, the course combines analytical debate with online workshops, group activities and practice-led approaches taught by the world’s leading art and design university.

The course is convened by Elisabeth Del Prete, and supported by Thomas Cury (CCA, MA 2023). The Course Director is Professor Victoria Walsh, Head of Programme, Curating Contemporary Art (CCA).

From their various perspectives – professionally, geographically, culturally – all of the guest speakers will talk about the importance of creating diversified and dynamic public spaces through contemporary art and curatorial practice.