Community Stories, Curated by the People Who Live Them
Community Curator Program
The Community Curator Program is central to the Somerville Museum’s mission.
Through the Community Curator program, the Somerville Museum invites community members to shape how Somerville tells its own story—through history, art, culture, and lived experience. Exhibitions are curated by people with deep connections to the city, creating space for many voices and perspectives helping us better understand ourselves and one another, opening conversation, and strengthening community.
Each Community Curator exhibition is participatory by design. Visitors are invited to engage in hands-on opportunities that allow people to respond, participate and contribute, helping people see themselves reflected in the gallery and understand that their experiences belong here. Curator-led tours, talks, workshops, and performances offering multiple ways to access the exhibition and deepen connection.
More about the program and application process.
The Somerville Museum is the City of Somerville’s mirror, playing a central role in preserving the past, reflecting the present, and helping to shape the future of this diverse urban community. Through its innovative programming, the Museum seeks to engage our audience in an on-going dialogue with local artists, scholars, and educators, with the larger aim of fostering cultural education and understanding.
Each year in November, the Somerville Museum invites applications for collaboration on public exhibitions at the museum two-three years in advance. Up to two Community Curators will be selected each year and will receive a seed grant of $2,500 and exhibition space in the galleries at One Westwood Road, Somerville, MA. This program is supported in part by membership donations.
The application process is closed for 2025.
Please join our mailing list to stay up to date for this call and deadlines.
For frequently asked questions, FAQ
The Museum welcomes proposals from those with extensive resumes as well as those with little experience yet ample vision. We encourage applicants to visit both the Museum and its website (http://www.somervillemuseum.org/) in order to learn more about the Museum’s wide-ranging exhibition history. Strong proposals should be clear and concise, presenting innovative and engaging ideas, along with an active programming agenda that will attract a diverse group of participants and visitors.
Selection criteria:
Proposals can be on any topic, but preference is given to exhibitions that incorporate a connection to the City of Somerville, past, present or future, and serve to enhance understanding and appreciation of the history, arts, and culture of the City. All submissions are welcome and will be judged on the quality of the proposal.
Creative use of artifacts/artwork and engaging exhibition design is important. Use of the Museum’s collections is encouraged but not required.
Collaboration with other artists, scholars, and like-minded local organizations is strongly encouraged.
Exhibitions should use the smaller gallery to create accompanying hands-on experiences for visitors that relate to the exhibition and space for visitors contributions to be displayed.
Exhibitions should foster dialogue among local artists, historians and educators and the broader community to enrich understanding and lifelong learning. Innovative programming that engages diverse, if not new, audiences is therefore sought as part of every exhibition. Examples of programming include concerts, lectures, readings, film screenings, gallery tours, workshops, and talks at area schools.
Selected exhibits are generally scheduled to be installed within two years of receiving the award.
Somerville Museum floor plan: [Click to download a floor plan of the galleries]
Additional Information:
Exhibition Information: Duration of exhibits is typically for 8-12 weeks.
Design: The Somerville Museum’s Pisa Gallery includes six (6) moveable walls, which can be rearranged to create additional space for seating during programs, talks and concerts. Exhibition materials should be securely affixed to these walls. The Sloane Gallery has moveable walls and all walls must remain in respective galleries. Exhibitors can use either one of these galleries or both if the exhibition warrants.
Promotion:
Curators are expected to understand and outreach to target audiences for their exhibition through connections and community partners. The museum designs promotional materials based on images, descriptions, and messaging supplied by the curators.
Programming:
Curators are expected to organize at least three (3) related public programs at the Museum to take place during the exhibition; past examples have included talks by scholars, panel discussions, and concerts. Curators might be asked to lead additional tours of their exhibitions for local schools, senior, and non-profit groups.
Meetings: Curators are invited to meet with the Program Committee on a periodic basis to discuss exhibition progress and design.
Funding:
The museum contributes $2,500 toward exhibition costs. The museum holds back $500 for design, printing and promotion and basic reception costs usually handled by the museum. $2,000 is awarded to the curator in installments as seed money to assist with the costs of presenting the exhibition and use as leverage for additional funding. Selected curators will be strongly encouraged to apply to the Somerville Arts Council (mid-October deadline) and additional grants in order to help with both installation and programming expenses. Curators are responsible for additional fundraising as well as sponsorship from local sources to help offset costs of the exhibition and engagement events.
Resources:
Selected curators will be guided by the Executive Director, Art + Culture Assistant, and Program Team. They will also have assistance from the Museum’s Graphic Designer and volunteers.
For More Information Contact:
Stephanie Marlin-Curiel, Executive Director
stephanie@somervillemuseum.org
For more information check out our FAQ page.
Past Community Curators