Middle schoolers will be curators in new UK Art Museum summer camp
LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 3, 2024) — When we see art on exhibit in a museum or gallery, we often don’t think about the decision making process of selecting artwork and how to properly display it. A new summer program for middle schoolers, offered by the University of Kentucky Art Museum, seeks to pull back the curtain on the how and why of planning an art exhibit.
Representatives at the museum believe that informing students about the inner workings of the museum heightens the knowledge of the human effort that goes into their exhibitions, which can engender a more personable visitor experience, provoke an additional layer of critical thinking and model potential career paths.
Called “Create and Curate,” this summer camp will run June 17-21 for students in grades 6 through 8. There is no session on June 19 in observance of Juneteenth. Campers will go behind the scenes and discover the secrets of the UK Art Museum’s collection, collaborate with peers to design exhibition layouts, coordinate with museum staff in a variety of roles and put on a showcase in the galleries for family and friends.
Other activities include creating original sculptures for a “cabinet of curiosities,” crafting artwork miniatures for maquettes and staging personalized portrait photos.
"Participants in the camp will have a unique opportunity to occupy our ground floor galleries while we are between exhibitions and get hands-on with all the aspects of putting on a museum show, bringing the playful and creative side of curation to the forefront,” said Dan Solberg, UK Art Museum’s curator of education. “Campers will participate in a week of art and museum-based activities and walk away with knowledge about how museums function, including staff roles that are normally behind-the-scenes."
This is the inaugural edition of “Create and Curate,” and UK Art Museum Director Stuart Horodner says this initiative is part of the museum’s effort to reach new audiences and expand its educational programs.
“The idea of a summer camp that uses our museum’s professional practices is very exciting and we hope Lexington families take advantage of this first time offer," Horodner said.
Camp hours are 1-5 p.m. daily, and students must be picked up before 5:30 p.m.
Early registration ends on June 10, but the museum will take registrations up to June 16 as space allows.
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