Faculty of Artistic Research and Curatorial Studies

The core of studies at the Faculty of Artistic Research and Curatorial Studies are research projects conducted by an international class of specialists who combine academic activity with curatorial or museological practice, work with archives of contemporary art, deal with cultural heritage and urban space, organize exhibitions and artistic interventions, cooperate with local communities. The faculty provides an extraordinary opportunity to create partnerships between lecturers and students – exhibition projects, analyses, and publications are prepared in a team.

The priority for the Faculty of Artistic Research and Curatorial Studies is to enable students to apply the knowledge acquired during theoretical classes as quickly as possible. Therefore, the faculty builds and tightens cooperation with leading cultural institutions in Poland, such as the Museum of Modern Art or the Museum of Warsaw, which significantly expands teaching opportunities. As part of cooperation with these cultural institutions, there are conducted classes on curating exhibitions or preparing research interviews with artists.
Students visit the most important cultural institutions in Warsaw and take part in internships in one (or several) of them. The faculty aims to provide a solid foundation necessary to work in the cultural sector and skills useful not only in the world of art. Graduates of the faculty are employed in Warsaw galleries, media, non – governmental organizations and cultural institutions like the Museum of Modern Art, Museum of Warsaw, POLIN Museum, National Museum in Warsaw, Arton Foundation, Bęc Zmiana Foundation, Biennale Warsaw, Radio Kapitał, and HER Docs Festival.

„Artistic research is not just the study of art. It is mainly an examination of reality through art. The programme of this interdisciplinary field of study is the result of a creative synthesis of art history, social sciences of art, and practical artistic studies. We are interested in art that is rooted in society, draws from local cultures and strengthens them, and at the same time can critically respond to global processes. Our graduates run their own artistic and research practice, but also join the staff of cultural institutions or create their organizations” – Dr Marika Kuźmicz, Dean of the Faculty of Artistic Research and Curatorial Studies

The Faculty of Artistic Research and Curatorial Studies educates students on two – cycle bachelor’s and master’s studies, within the field of Artistic Research. Our staff consists of artists and researchers representing disciplines such as art history, sociology, philosophy, law, and political science. An important field of the programme is the history of art, especially contemporary art in a broadened research perspective. Our classes include the organization of current artistic life, along with art criticism, and legal regulations in the field of copyright and post – artistic practices. It is very important to us that students have the opportunity to apply the knowledge they have acquired during theoretical classes as quickly as possible. That is why we try to build and strengthen cooperation with leading cultural institutions in Poland, such as the Museum of Modern Art or the Museum of Warsaw, which significantly expands our teaching possibilities.
As part of our cooperation with these entities, we conduct classes on curating exhibitions or preparing research interviews with artists. The study programme is very diverse and flexible – we offer many classes to choose from, within several modules. Important elements of the programme are laboratories that combine theoretical and practical classes.
Our graduates run their own artistic and research practices and also join the staff of cultural institutions or create their own organizations.