Curators Return to School: TEFAF’s Unique Course for Emerging Talent
In an unusual twist, some of the world’s most esteemed museum curators, many holding Ph.D.s, are heading back to the classroom this month. The occasion? The prestigious art fair in Maastricht, Netherlands, hosted by the European Fine Art Foundation (TEFAF). Last year, TEFAF launched its inaugural Curator Course, a groundbreaking initiative that has quickly gained traction in the art world. This year, the second edition of the course welcomes 10 emerging curators from globally renowned institutions such as the Minneapolis Institute of Art, the Hong Kong Palace Museum, and the Frans Hals Museum in Haarlem. These participants are eager to deepen their understanding of the art market, an area often neglected in traditional academic and curatorial training.
The five-day course, held during the art fair, is uniquely designed to bridge the gap between the academic expertise of curators and the practical realities of the art market. The curriculum includes lectures, panel discussions, and mentoring sessions on critical topics such as insuring artworks, negotiating transactions, fund-raising, and acquiring pieces for museum collections. Participants also gain exclusive insights into TEFAF’s rigorous vetting process, which ensures the authenticity and provenance of artworks displayed at the fair. While the museums cover their curators’ travel expenses, the course itself is free of charge, reflecting TEFAF’s commitment to fostering the next generation of museum professionals.
The Vision Behind the Course: Bridging the Market-Academia Divide
The idea for the Curator Course was conceived by Paul van den Biesen, TEFAF’s head of museums and collectors, during an informal dinner following a board meeting. When asked about his "dream for TEFAF," van den Biesen proposed creating a program to educate curators about the art market. He partnered with Rachel Pownall, a professor of art and finance at Maastricht University, to bring this vision to life. Pownall, with her expertise in the intersection of art and finance, leads the course alongside guest lecturers and specialists from the art world. The initiative has proven popular, with around 80 applications for just 10 spots in the 2024 class.
Van den Biesen emphasized the importance of equipping curators with market savvy, noting that while they are experts in the historical and cultural significance of artworks, many lack exposure to the dynamics of buying and selling. "Most curators don’t have the opportunity to get involved in the market and learn about it,” he said. "We wanted to bridge that gap." This sentiment resonates with many in the field, as museums increasingly compete with private collectors and dealers in acquiring rare and valuable pieces.
A Learning Experience: Curators Share Their Insights
Participants in the TEFAF Curator Course represent a diverse range of backgrounds and levels of experience, from newcomers to seasoned professionals. Katharina Weiler, a decorative arts curator at Museum Angewandte Kunst in Frankfurt, completed the course last year. Weiler oversees a collection of 40,000 objects and found the program invaluable for understanding the inner workings of the art market. "The job is preserving the existing collection, but it also means adding to the collection," she said. "What made me curious about the curator course is the insight into the art market and its players, and it gave me deeper insight into those dynamics."
Weiler, who had never attended TEFAF Maastricht before, was struck by the fair’s reputation as a "must-go" event and described it as a "playground of the most magnificent objects, all in one place." Her experience highlights the course’s ability to connect curators with the broader art ecosystem. On the other hand, Ada de Wit, a curator of decorative art at the Cleveland Museum of Art, has been a regular at the fair since 2010. De Wit, who previously worked at the Wallace Collection in London, appreciated the course’s focus on topics like provenance and the challenges of competing with private buyers. She noted, however, that the program could benefit from clearer definitions of its target audience to ensure content aligns with participants’ needs.
The TEFAF Fair: A Hub for Museum Leaders and Art Dealers
The Maastricht fair has long been a magnet for art world luminaries, attracting 525 museum directors and 622 curators last year alone. James Rolleston, a London-based dealer specializing in English furniture and Asian art, summed up the fair’s reputation: "This is where the museums go to shop." The fair’s reputation for showcasing high-quality, meticulously vetted works makes it a critical destination for institutions seeking to expand their collections.
Dealers like Rolleston understand the importance of building relationships with curators and museum leaders. "I liked talking to dealers about how they see those transactions," said Ada de Wit, reflecting on her course experience. "It’s hard for museums to compete with private buyers, who can move much faster. There’s prestige in selling to a museum, but also risk." This dynamic underscores the challenges curators face in navigating the market while balancing their institutions’ missions and budgets.
The Next Generation of Curators: Learning and Growing
Among this year’s course participants is Tara Contractor, an assistant curator of European painting and sculpture at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Contractor, who specializes in British painting, is relatively new to the curator role and has only recently begun exploring art fairs. She attended New York’s Winter Show in January and is now preparing for her first TEFAF experience. "I’m pretty new to art fairs," she admitted, though she is already strategizing potential acquisitions. Contractor’s department at the Philadelphia Museum acquires only a handful of works annually, but she sees TEFAF as an opportunity to identify significant pieces, particularly those by women artists—a priority for her institution.
The course culminates in an "acquisition presentation," where participants pitch potential purchases to Wim Pijbes, TEFAF’s global chairman of vetting and former director of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. This exercise helps curators develop the storytelling skills necessary to justify acquisitions to their institutions. Katharina Weiler, who did not initiate any purchases during her time at the fair, found the presentation exercise particularly useful. She is currently eyeing a 13th-century reliquary casket from Limoges, France, which she hopes to acquire in honor of her museum’s 150th anniversary in 2027. As she prepares to return to Maastricht this year, Weiler reflected, "If you really want something, you have to know how to convince others."
A Catalyst for Change: The Future of Curatorial Education
The TEFAF Curator Course represents a bold step in addressing the evolving needs of museum professionals. By combining academic rigor with practical insights, the program equips curators with the skills to navigate the complexities of the art market. While some participants, like Ada de Wit, have suggested areas for improvement, the course has been widely praised as a "great initiative" that fills a critical gap in curatorial training. As the art world continues to grapple with issues like provenance, sustainability, and accessibility, initiatives like the TEFAF Curator Course play a vital role in shaping the next generation of museum leaders.
For curators like Katharina Weiler, Ada de Wit, and Tara Contractor, the course offers more than just knowledge—it provides a network, a platform, and a renewed sense of purpose. As they return to their respective institutions, armed with fresh insights and skills, these emerging curators are poised to make a meaningful impact on the art world. Whether negotiating with dealers, championing underrepresented artists, or advocating for their institutions’ goals, they embody the future of museums and the art they preserve.
