Community Curator Program: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is a Community Curator?
A Community Curator is someone who is selected through this application process to collaborate with the Somerville Museum on an exhibition. It’s important to note that this is a collaboration, a partnership, with the Somerville Museum. What does this mean? It means that the Museum’s staff and volunteers support the curators every step of the way - through further visualization of the project idea, promotion, event planning, and exhibition design. It also means that the Museum approves all scheduling, titles, promotional materials and public facing materials before they go to print and/or the exhibition opens to the public. This is to ensure that all community exhibitions and programming meet the Museum’s mission. It also means that the Museum donates in-kind costs that include:
Use of the space (including building overhead, utilities, staffing)
Some budget items (exterior display items, etc.)
Does the Museum charge admission?
Yes, the Museum charges admission to the exhibition and events. This includes any receptions. The Somerville Museum is a private non-profit organization. In order to cover the costs of operating a physical building with staff we must charge admission. Admission ranges from $5–$25.
Do curators get in for free?
Of course! All curators, participating artists, and specific partners are admitted for free. For opening receptions we offer a handful of VIP tickets to the curator, but names must be given to the Executive Director in advance.
Who manages the events?
Museum staff coordinates the events/programming that includes scheduling, working with the curator on subject matter and details along with creating Eventbrites/ticketing, and greeting visitors.
Can I reapply if I was selected in a past round?
Yes! We encourage past applicants to apply again. Please reach out to us with questions about how to improve your past application.
How much does an exhibition cost?
Exhibitions range greatly in costs. They can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $50,000 and more! The $2,500 given to curators is a seed grant, meaning it helps offset costs but isn’t intended to cover all the costs of the exhibition nor is it meant to necessarily pay curators for their time. Curators are encouraged to apply for additional grant money to help cover other costs. The Museum team will work with curators on creating a budget and identifying possible grants. The Museum will also look for grant funds but cannot guarantee additional funds.
Does the exhibition have to relate to Somerville?
The strongest applications will have some connection to Somerville. Whether that relationship is to its history, art, culture or some combination. Every exhibition must meet our mission of playing a central role in preserving the past, reflecting the present, and helping to shape the future of our diverse urban community.
What do I need to know about the gallery spaces?
The Pisa Gallery is the large gallery. It has recently been renovated with new flooring and paint. There is a historic 1792 Bulfinch staircase and Loring door in the space. The staircase cannot be used as public access and only in a very limited artwork display situation. We encourage curators to get creative! There are (6) moveable walls in the space all measuring 8’ x 8’ and move around on casters. These cannot be moved from the space. There is an installation checklist/agreement form that must be signed by the curator and any artists or volunteers assisting with installation.
The Sloane Gallery is potentially available depending on scheduling. It is a smaller gallery with moveable walls that cannot be removed from the space. It has also recently been renovated with new flooring and paint.
The max capacity for the gallery spaces is 100 people.
What is the volunteer engagement?
As a mostly volunteer run organization we encourage volunteer engagement for installation support and front desk coverage. However, the curator is ultimately responsible for the installation and de-installation of the exhibition. They’re encouraged to enlist friends and other volunteers to help. There is no installer or carpenter on staff.
Can the Museum use the space for events unrelated to the exhibition?
Yes, the Museum will often host concerts or unrelated events in the space outside of regular open hours or scheduled exhibition programming. These events might include Duo Maresienne concerts, private rentals, Museum fundraisers, etc. The staff and volunteers will move walls and artifacts/artworks as necessary and move them back when the event is over.
Who is responsible for promotion and marketing?
This is a partnership. We’ll work together to create a marketing plan based on our resources, networks, and experience. If there are specific ways you would like to promote that cost money we recommend including that in grant applications. As an effort to continue raising awareness about the Museum in the community we will often participate in outdoor events, festivals (i.e. Fluff Festival, ArtBeat, SomerStreets, Farmer’s Markets, etc.). The curator is encouraged to attend and help with these events to promote the exhibition.
What meetings will I be required to attend?
All curators are strongly encouraged to attend Program Team meetings, which occur every month or every other month. They will also be required to meet as necessary with the Executive Director and Art + Culture Asst. to discuss progress and ideas. These meetings can happen via zoom or in-person. Curators are also required to attend scheduled exhibition events, on time and prepared as necessary.
What do I need to know about the budget?
The Museum team will review the budget with selected curators. Note that there are designated items that the Museum covers and designated items that the Curator covers with the seed grant and other funds raised.
What if I have questions about the application?
Contact Alison Drasner, Executive Director, alison@somervillemuseum.org