Emerging Curators Institute

Video description: Slideshow presenting ECI's history from 2016-2023 with a light blue background. Text introduction fading in reads: "Emerging Curators Institute 2016-2023. 2016 - 2018: thinking, listening to our communities needs and interests leading to creating the fellowship. Our Fellows." Fellows are then shown in individualized slides, of various shapes and sizes, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color; women, non-binary, and gender-non-conforming; chronologically charting from 2018-2023, with distinct years that they were Fellows noted in the lower corner of the slide along with their names. The final part of the video reads: "16 Fellowships 7 Years of Cultivating, Supporting Curatorial Practices in Minnesota $7000 goal to honor 7 years. We invite you to join in celebrating our Seven for Seven fundraiser Contribute today.”

Join us in celebrating ECI's "Seven for Seven" fundraiser!

Emerging Curators Institute (ECI) was founded by Jehra Patrick, an artist and curator practicing in Minneapolis, MN. In 2016, Jehra initiated conversations with artists, thinkers and curators to better understand gaps in the arts ecosystem, and learned of barriers for emerging curators; particularly those who were BIPOC, women, LGBTQIA+ and gender non-confirming. Emerging Curators Institute’s fellowship was launched in 2018 in response to these conversations.

“The future of curation is really working with people, building relationships and valuing artists as equals, rather than subjects.” – Jehra Patrick

Throughout its 7 year journey, in continuing to be guided by thoughtful exchanges and engagement with diverse communities, ECI inspires progressive curatorial practices through the paid fellowship; offering Fellows access to learning about curation within a cohort of peers, mentorship guidance, space to research, public programs led by local and global curators and artists exploring unique visions for furthering an inclusive arts ecology, and much needed opportunities to present curatorial projects in partnership with venues across Minnesota.

Since 2018, ECI has awarded 16 fellowships; 14 to individuals and 2 to two-person teams. In celebration of this milestone and in marking 7 years, we are seeking to raise $7,000 by the time we move into 2024!

Please join ECI in honoring this significant milestone by contributing towards our goal. Your contribution directly supports us in furthering pathways for the next generation of Minnesota curators through:

• Providing a welcoming environment to thoughtfully explore curatorial practice within an adaptive learning and exhibiting fellowship period.
• Facilitating free public programming where we discuss compelling topics on contemporary arts, culture and curation. 
• Creating more accessible spaces for us to come together and witness exciting curating, creativity and art

Creating New Pathways - 2023 and Beyond

Image credit: Nikki Bruce

In 2023 we welcomed Barak adé Soleil (they + he) as the new Director, who brings a distinct vision to ECI:

“We're taking an intersectional approach to deepen our awareness of where power resides and the absences that have led to initiatives such as ECI. An approach that embraces those who are disabled, queer, Black, Indigenous and folks of color; those who might not have felt that curation was for them, that it was a possibility." –Barak adé Soleil

Much like migration patterns found in nature, pathways shift, adapt, join together, and sustain a journey forward. Barak’s vision is shaped by care, intersectionality, and access; drawing from 30+ years of experience in art making, curation, community engagement and administration in the US, Canada and Europe. Soon after Barak began, we awarded new fellowships to: Eshay Brantley, Josephine Hoffman, Nance Musinguzi, and Makeda “Keda” Tadesse.

This fall in partnership with Franconia Sculpture Park, Public Functionary and New Studio Gallery, we supported the culmination of curatorial projects by 2022-23 Fellows: Za’Nia Coleman, Alondra M Garza and Raíz Symbiotisk (Pamela Vázquez Torres and Emma Wood). Guided by Barak’s leadership and vision - unique to previous fellowship years - each of these Fellow’s presentations emphasized accessibility through engaging ASL interpreters within the public programs, audio descriptions of exhibitions, and access-centered exhibition design. In this pivotal moment where we have introduced access elements into the exhibition presentation of our most recent Fellows and seek to make accessibility embedded in the practice of every new curatorial Fellow, sustainability of resources to make this possible is key. Your contribution affirms this possibility.

Broadening horizons, ECI advances towards a future of curating that is fluid, adaptive, responsive, embracing of change and shaped by those who may have not felt that being a curator was even possible. We invite you to join us in continuing to pave this way towards a more inclusive arts ecosystem, towards a more inclusive creatively abundant world!