Abstract

Engagement curating can be a key tool for cultural organizations to spearhead the needed changes to raise up to the current societal demands. This practice entails identifying and establishing a profound connection with the diverse communities that cultural organizations are poised to serve, through unique collaborative relationship building with artists, and has the potential of fostering meaningful dialogue and long-standing relationships, weaving these insights from various backgrounds and perspectives into the fabric of thoughtful curatorial and programming decisions. However, the practice of engagement curating frequently struggles to harness the agency and leadership required to translate its ambitions into tangible impact. This article analyzes some of the main limitations or challenges that engagement curators might find in the day to day of their practice, particularly in the context of large US-based predominantly white organizations, and it aims to present some strategies or solutions from the field.