Promote creation and artists
Are you fascinated by art and contemporary creation, would you like to share your passion for art with as many people as possible, introduce artists, or show works in a new light?
In two years, this Master will let you deepen your knowledge of contemporary art movements, master the workings of its market, and acquire the expertise that will let you organize exhibitions yourself, support artists, or lead collections.
This Master leads in particular to careers as curator, exhibition curator, art advisor, or collection manager.
Key Information About the Master
| Program | Master Exhibition Curation |
|---|---|
| Duration | 2 years |
| Admission | Bac+3 for entry into the 1st year |
| Lateral Admission | Possible in the 2nd year depending on profile |
| Start Date | October 2027 |
| Schedule | Professional program, work-study possible |
| Certification | RNCP title no. 42330 – level 7 "Artistic and Cultural Projects Administrator" |
| 2027-2028 Fees | €9,700 in the 1st year; €10,300 for M2 lateral admission; €150 in tuition fees |
Why Choose the IESA Master in Exhibition Curation?
Designing Exhibitions from A to Z
- Artistic research and selection of works
- Relations with artists
- Scenography and stage management
- Transport, insurance, and budget
- Mediation and Communication
→ You learn to turn a curatorial idea into a concrete exhibition.
Develop a Solid Culture of Contemporary Art
- Visual Arts of the 20th and 21st Centuries
- International Art Scenes
- Photography, video, design
- NFTs, virtual and augmented reality
- Physical and digital exhibitions
→ A complete view of contemporary practices.
Working on Real Projects
- Exhibition design
- Charity auction
- Group projects
- Professional events
- Personal project in the 2nd year
→ You develop operational skills: project management, communication, coordination.
Learn from Industry Professionals
- Speakers from the art market
- Meetings with curators, artists, critics
- Exchanges with galleries, institutions, and art centers
→ Direct immersion in the professional network.
Integrate Current Exhibition Issues
- Eco-design and environmental impact
- Accessibility and audience inclusion
- Circular economy
- Immersive and interactive formats
- Virtual and hybrid exhibitions
→ A responsible and innovative approach to curating.
Go International
- Professional English classes
- International artistic approaches
- International speakers
- Study trip (e.g., Venice Biennale)
→ An opening onto global art scenes.
What Are the Goals of This Program?
This master aims to train operational experts in the design and production of artistic or cultural exhibitions:
- The acquisition of in-depth knowledge of the different movements of 20th- and 21st-century visual arts and the issues affecting contemporary art;
- The acquisition of skills specific to designing and producing exhibitions, physical or virtual: scenography, artwork transport, marketing, communication, etc.;
- Training in project management, in particular the budgetary, administrative, legal, and ecological challenges of organizing exhibitions;
- Coaching on how to start a career as an exhibition curator (professional status, building a network, etc.)
What You Will Learn in This Master
The Administrator of Artistic and Cultural Projects title aims at the acquisition of the following skills:
- Defining an Artistic and Cultural Project
- Conducting Administrative and Financial Operations of an Artistic and Cultural Project
- Deploy a digital strategy for the marketing and distribution of an artistic and cultural project
- Manage an artistic and cultural project
- Appraise and package artworks and art objects (Specialization)
What Is the Curriculum of the Master in Exhibition Curation?
Year 1
Unit 1 — Knowledge of Contemporary Art
- M1 orientation seminar
- Organization of the contemporary art market (19th century to today)
- Contemporary art history (from the avant-gardes to today)
- Contemporary Chinese art
- Contemporary art from Africa and its diasporas
- The emerging scene in the 21st century
- Contemporary art news
- Contemporary art theories
- Design (from Art Nouveau to today)
- Contemporary drawing
- The artist’s daily life in managing their career
- Tutorial: Galleries and exhibition venues
- Cultural policies in France
- Study trip to Madrid (March 2027)
Unit 2 — Communication and Marketing
- Traditional communication and press
- Digital communication
- Marketing fundamentals
- Contemporary art, luxury, and fashion
Unit 3 — Producing an Exhibition
- Design, plan, and budget an exhibition project
- Crowdfunding
- Exhibiting contemporary art: design and implementation
- Group PGR
- Design and edit an exhibition catalog
Unit 4 — Professional Skills
- Professional Development
- Theater and improvisation
- Write a text on an artwork
- Deliver an oral presentation on an artwork
- DTP
- Excel
Unit 5 — Law, Management, Economics
- Economics of the contemporary art market
- Managing a gallery or exhibition venue
- Copyright law
- Cultural sponsorship
Unit 6B — Exhibition Curation Specialty
- Tutorial: studio visits: scouting and discovering an artist
- Exhibition curation practical case
- Producing an exhibition
- Contemporary photography
Exams and Defenses
Year 2
Unit 1 — Knowledge of Contemporary Art
- M2 orientation seminar
- Overall approach to artworks
- Building a private collection
- Contemporary art news
- Contemporary art of Southeast Asia
- Contemporary art of Latin America
- Contemporary photography
- Contemporary art of post-socialist countries
- Video art
- AI, NFTs in contemporary art
- The art of the living
- The artist’s daily life in managing their career
- Tutorial: visits to institutional exhibitions
- Tutorial: Galleries and exhibition venues (Galleries, Artists Run Space…)
- Private visit of a collection
- Study trip to the Dakar Biennale (Dec. 2026)
Unit 2 — Producing an Exhibition
- Stage management, insurance, and preservation of contemporary art
- Eco-design of exhibitions / Transition and positive impact (CSR)
- PGR Coaching
- Cultural Mediation
- Scenography
- Risk management — FMEA tool
- Exhibition funding: grants, partnerships, and internal funding
Unit 3 — Professional Skills
- Professional Development
- Manage a team
Unit 4 — Law, Management, Economics
- Status and contracts of artists and exhibition curators
- Museums and foundations: new business models
- Entrepreneurship and financial management of a project
- Administrative management of a project
Unit 5 — Communication and Marketing
- Marketing and customer file management
- Community management techniques
Unit 6B — Exhibition Curation Specialty
- History and aesthetics of the exhibition
- Art criticism
- Oral expression and public speaking
- Fashion and Photography in Contemporary Art
Exams and Defenses
How Are Students Assessed?
Throughout the program, students are assessed through continuous assessment (case studies, presentations, reports, written and oral assignments) and semester exams validating theoretical and methodological knowledge.
Students also complete internships or follow the program through an apprenticeship contract. These periods in a professional setting result in an internship or work experience report, defended orally before an academic jury. This assessment verifies students' ability to apply what they have learned in real-world contexts in the arts and culture sector.
Assessment linked to the professional certification of RNCP title 42330:
The level 7 certified title “Administrator of Artistic and Cultural Projects” is awarded after validation of the 5 skills blocks. Each block involves simulated or real professional scenarios, with structured deliverables assessed by a jury of professionals.
Block 1: Defining an artistic and cultural project
Professional simulation based on a real or fictional case on defining an artistic and/or cultural project.
Case study based on a real or fictional case of designing a cultural and artistic mediation proposal, including documentation on defining an artistic and cultural project.
Block 2: Conducting the administrative and financial operations of an artistic and cultural project
Practical case based on a real or fictional case on conducting the administrative and financial operations of an artistic and cultural project.
Professional simulation based on a real or fictional professional situation of implementing a partnership.
Block 3: Deploying a sales and distribution strategy for an artistic and cultural project
Professional simulation of a real or fictional case of deploying a digital sales and distribution strategy for an artistic and/or cultural project.
Practical case based on a real or fictional project to carry out in the art market and/or cultural industries sector.
Block 4: Leading an artistic and cultural project
Professional simulations based on a real or fictional case on coordinating a project’s stakeholders and on a real or fictional case of implementing a quality system after project closure.
Practical case based on a real or fictional case presenting project management process optimization challenges.
Block 5: Appraising and packaging artworks and art objects
As part of a professional simulation or a practical case, the candidate authenticates and comments on three artworks, produces a condition report, prepares documentation, estimates the value of a work and determines its sale price, and selects a transport offer and an insurance policy.
Project-based learning
The Master in Exhibition Curation is based on active teaching that combines theoretical instruction, applied research, curatorial experimentation, and professional immersion. It trains exhibition curators able to imagine and carry out committed, innovative projects suited to the changes in the arts sector.
Academic courses give students a solid grounding in contemporary art and exhibitions, while incorporating the current issues of the curatorial field: new artistic practices, institutional transformations, mediation and reception issues, art law, logistics, partnerships, and production. This content is accompanied by a rigorous introduction to curatorial research, which lets students develop critical thinking attuned to contemporary aesthetic and societal debates.
Social and environmental responsibility (CSR) issues, now central to exhibition setup, are covered in dedicated workshops: eco-design, reducing carbon footprint, including remote audiences, accessibility, as well as curatorial ethics, dialogue with artists, and respect for the pace of creation. These issues are addressed through case studies, directed research, and exchanges with field professionals.
In addition, the program actively explores new exhibition formats: immersive formats, interactive digital installations, virtual exhibitions, and the blending of physical and digital spaces. These dimensions are covered in practical and experimental modules, in connection with the sector’s innovations, and let students test these formats in their own projects.
Meetings with curators, critics, artists, and managers of galleries or art centers — organized as lectures, seminars, or professional visits — anchor learning in the realities of the field and allow a direct putting into perspective of the knowledge acquired.
In parallel, students carry out several real projects: organizing a charity auction, designing exhibitions with partner venues, and taking part in professional events. These group projects take them through every stage of curation, from sourcing works to scenography, including mediation and communication.
In the second year, each student designs a personal exhibition project, supported by a professional tutor. This project, presented before a certification jury, demonstrates all the skills acquired, while asserting a personal curatorial vision rooted in the contemporary realities of the arts sector.
Open Day: December 5
Open days let you discover the campus, meet the teams, ask your questions about the program, admissions, work-study, student projects and career opportunities.
It is also an opportunity to better understand the teaching approach of IESA arts&culture and the organization of these programs.
Work-Study, Internships, and Professionalization
The Master in Exhibition Curation can be completed as a work-study program. The curriculum is based on an alternating schedule, with periods in a professional organization as internships and/or work-study.
These placement periods are mandatory to validate the program. They allow students to connect what they learn to the realities of the arts and culture sector.
Professionalizing During the Master
Professionalization is at the heart of the program. It allows students to build their professional project and face the realities of the sector.
It is based on:
- an alternating schedule (internships or work-study);
- courses taught by professionals;
- individual and group projects;
- meetings with art world players;
- personalized support.
Work-study funding
In work-study, tuition fees under a professionalization contract or an apprenticeship contract may be covered in whole or in part by the company or a funding body, depending on the applicable conditions.
What careers after a Master in Exhibition Curation?
The Master in Exhibition Curation prepares students for roles related to the design, production, mediation, communication, stage management, promotion, and distribution of artistic or cultural exhibitions.
Graduates can work in galleries, art centers, foundations, cultural institutions, exhibition venues, fairs, biennials, production companies, private collections, or organizations linked to the art market.
Curation and Curatorship
Exhibition Curator
Art curator Advisory and Collection Art advisor or art consultant
Gallery Owner
Artist Agent Production and Stage ManagementArtwork Handler
Scenographer
Cultural Project Manager Communication and AudiencesMarketing or Communications Manager for an Exhibition or Exhibition Venue
Art Critic
International Focus and English-Taught Courses
The program has a strong international focus, thanks to:
- A faculty that includes international speakers or speakers of foreign origin who bring their knowledge of international best practices
- Professional English courses
- The possibility of taking a semester of study at one of IESA’s partner universities or doing internships abroad to develop expertise or knowledge of a specific market
- The presence of 20% international students at the school, fostering intercultural exchange and dialogue
Our Former Students Share Their Experience
"While the École du Louvre trains curators and art historians, I think I can say that IESA is the school whose students you most frequently find in the market: in galleries, foundations and other institutions, auction houses, working with artists, exhibition curators… and the list goes on!"
Arnaud Faure Beaulieu
Certification
This master’s program prepares for the RNCP title level 7:
"Artistic and Cultural Project Administrator"
| Employment Rate | 74% at 6 months for students awarded the title, class of 2024 (most recent France Compétences rate - RNCP title 42330) |
|---|---|
| Certification Rate | 94.4%, class of 2025 (Master in Exhibition Curation) |
| RNCP Code | RNCP42330 |
This title is issued by: ECAD Consultants - IESA arts&culture by decision of the Director General of France Compétences dated 05/29/2026 for a period of 3 years.
How to Apply to IESA?
Admission is based on an application file and an interview with the admissions committee
- 1. You find out about the school and its programs.
- 2. You apply to the school by filling out a form on the website.
- 3. We call you to schedule an admission interview
- 4. A few days after the interview, you receive your admissibility decision
How Much Does the Program Cost?
For the 2027-2028 year, the fees are as follows:
| Year | Tuition |
|---|---|
| 1st year | 9 700 € |
| 2nd year | 10 300 € |
| Tuition fees | 150 € |
Applicants can contact the admissions team to find out about:
- payment options
- funding options
- the conditions related to work-study
In work-study, program fees under a professionalization contract or an apprenticeship contract will be covered in full or in part by the employer or by a funding body (OPCO).
The Master lasts 2 years.
Number of in-class teaching hours and exams:
- M1: 630 h
- M2: 550 h
Current-year schedule: the number of hours may vary slightly from year to year.
The program follows an alternating schedule, allowing for part-time and full-time professional placements (internships and/or work-study), which are mandatory to complete the program.
Initial prerequisite and work-study:
- Entry into the 1st year (M1): Hold a level 6 certification, or an equivalent degree (foreign degree, etc.), or have earned 180 ECTS credits in the targeted or a related field (art history, culture, etc.)
- Entry into the 2nd year (M2): Hold a level 6 certification, or an equivalent degree (foreign degree, etc.), or have earned 240 ECTS credits, in the targeted or a related field (art history, culture, etc.)
Admission is based on the submission of an application file and an interview with the admissions committee.
Access timeframes: Admissions are open from October 2026 to September 2027 for an October 2027 start. Applications are processed within 3 weeks maximum after receipt of the complete file. Enrollment is possible until the start date, subject to available places. By exception, enrollment is possible after the program start date, following review and verification of the learner’s ability to catch up on the learning already delivered, within a maximum of two months after the start of the program.
This program can be completed as work-study. The program follows an alternating schedule, with internships and/or work-study at professional organizations. These placement periods are part of the program’s validation.
Apprentice pass rate: 83.33% class of 2024 (Contemporary Art and Exhibition Curation)
Apprentice dropout rate at CFA ECAD during the 2024-2025 year: 2% (Class of 2025)
The program takes place at IESA on the LE DELTA campus (16 rue Claude Bernard, 75005 Paris) and at partner cultural venues.
IESA premises are accessible to people with disabilities. The admission interview and the course of study can be adapted to the needs of those concerned, who are therefore invited to express them as soon as they apply to the school. Contact: handicap@iesa.fr
If you do not obtain the RNCP title, please note that if you have validated all the skills of a block, that skill block is yours permanently.
Equivalences: In the case of an equivalence, whether through VAE and/or the award of a skill block or an equivalent certification, it is up to the applicant to present this equivalence to the jury for validation.
Bridging paths: No bridging path for this program.
Further studies: This program is designed for professional entry.