Curating Difference – Different Curating? Long table discussion

Curating Difference – Different Curating? Strategies for Sustainable Change in Structures: Diversity, Leadership, Programming

What are the tools we need to lead art institutions in a socially sustainable way and change them from within - on a personal and structural level? Take a seat at a table and exchange your ideas with artists, curators and many others. Together we will address questions about sustainable change in structures related to diversity, leadership, and programming. We will reflect on ongoing challenges, changing ideas of leadership and curation, and necessary coalitions and supportive structures. 

With Tasnim Baghdadi and Catherine Reymond, (Co-direction, Migros Museum für Gegenwartskunst), Felicity Lunn (Head of Division Design and Art, Hochschule der Künste Bern), Christine Sandercock (Head of the Art Department, Zürcher Kantonalbank), Kathleen Bühler (Chief curator, Kunstmuseum Bern), iLiana Fokianaki (Director, Kunsthalle Bern), Dorothea Strauss (freie Transformationsexpertin & Curator), Fabienne Schellenberg (Head of Innovation & Society, Pro Helvetia), Sascia Bailer (independent curator), Sarah Merten (Curator of Contemporary Art, Museum zu Allerheiligen Schaffhausen) and Dominique Grisard and Andrea Zimmermann (Art of Intervention)

An adapted version of Lois Weaver’s format «long table» allows for in-depth discussions at four thematic tables:

1 Leadership & power
moderated by
Tasnim Baghdadi, Co-directon, Migros Museum für Gegenwartskunst
Catherine Reymond, Co-directon,Migros Museum für Gegenwartskunst

2 Supportive structures & powerful allies
moderated by
Felicity Lunn, Head of Division Design and Art, Hochschule der Künste Bern
Christine Sandercock, Head of the Art Department, Zürcher Kantonalbank

3 Curating diversity? 
moderated by
Kathleen Bühler, Chief curator, Kunstmuseum Bern
iLiana Fokianaki, Director, Kunsthalle Bern

4 Social sustainability in the Swiss art world
moderated by
Dorothea Strauss, freie Transformationsexpertin & Kuratorin
Fabienne Schellenberg, Head of Innovation & Society, Pro Helvetia

5 Caring infrastructures
moderated by
Sascia Bailer, Independent curator
Sarah Merten, Curator Gegenwartskunst, Museum zu Allerheiligen Schaffhausen 

How does it work?
Every table will seat two moderators and provide empty chairs for interested participants.  We will repeat this three times which will allow participants to visit three different tables.

The public «long table» exchange is preceded by a research lab (by invitation only). Invited are leading women* in the Swiss art world, e.g. directors and head curators of Swiss arts museums, professional associations for visual artists and curators, freelance curators, cantonal and national cultural officers.

Who is inviting?
“Curating Difference – Different Curating?” is organized by Art of Intervention in conjunction with the Swiss Association for Gender Studies SAGS (Dominique Grisard & Andrea Zimmermann), hosted by Kunstmuseum Bern (Kathleen Bühler), and funded by the Swiss Academy of Humanities and Social Sciences SAGW. 

The event will be held in German and English.

Learn more artofintervention.ch