Programme Overview

Would you like to be an arts or cultural manager and play an important role in helping works of art in a museum or gallery come alive? This MA programme will equip you with the knowledge and skills required to do just that, equipping you to become an expert in visual culture.

Taught in one of the world’s cultural capitals, at our campus in Kensington, central London, our students benefit from being so close to Kensington Palace, Royal Albert Hall, Victoria and Albert Museum, Saatchi Gallery and many more art galleries and institutions. The inspiration provided by world-class art galleries, museums, libraries and art institutions really does breathe life into art.

Study one Master’s programme and you’ll gain two degrees, one from the UK and one from the US. This programme can be taken in one year full-time or over two years, part-time.

This MA is unique as it straddles the publicly funded (Not for Profit) and commercial visual arts sector. It will equip you with the professional skills and experience to work successfully in a variety of arts and cultural industries.

Our core modules balance theory and practice, beginning with an exploration of research methods, which are vital for any career in the cultural world; at Richmond, you’ll be considered as a junior research colleague. You’ll go on to study arts policy and visual arts management and marketing, where you’ll learn how museums, galleries, auction houses, creative start-ups, collectors and funders operate in today’s increasingly global art world.

During the second semester, the focus will be on curating, as you develop the skills needed to curate a range of art and design objects for both public and private collections. Through our module on Art Education you’ll explore the various methods of teaching art, using a combination of artistic materials, assessment methods and education techniques. Finally, you’ll learn about the fascinatingly diverse international art market.

You will be encouraged to participate in a range of exhibition openings, networking events, artist talks, festivals and conferences. Many classes are taught externally in museums and galleries, and students leave with extensive contacts from which they can develop and expand their own professional network.

You’ll have the choice in the final semester of doing either an internship with a dissertation or an extended research project, both great opportunities to provide hands-on experience to increase your employability.

Optional Accredited Internship
The optional accredited Internship integrates theory with practice. Students will be challenged to relate classroom situations to the workplace, make contacts which may prove valuable to their future employment prospects, and gain confidence in their capabilities, creativity and communication skills. It will provide you with the opportunity to use skills learned on the programme in a real world setting.

Top 5 Reasons to study Visual Arts Management & Curating:

• Gain in-depth knowledge of visual arts management and curating which will equip you for a career in the creative and cultural industries
• Studying in central London, one of the world’s top cultural centres, provides inspirational setting for this programme
• Benefit from small classes (average 10–15 students) and academic support from faculty engaged in leading research and professional practice in the art industry
• The ability to learn first-hand by frequent on-site visits to the world’s most prestigious museums, galleries and art exhibitions
• Benefit from an integrated internship that will allow you to apply what you have learned in a real-world workplace setting

Modules Breakdown