New Delhi, July 2025.
To nurture India’s future cultural
leaders, World University of Design (WUD) is introducing country’s
first-of-its-kind Master of Visual Arts (MVA) program in Curation of
Contemporary Art & Design. Designed to meet global benchmarks, this program
opens career pathways in art curation and redefines the curator’s role in
connecting art, artists and communities through innovative models of
exhibition-making, institution-building, and social engagement.
While curation has featured in the
curriculum of several Indian Universities, WUD is now the first to offer it as
a dedicated, two-year Master’s program. With the launch of new course, WUD aims
to bring this international standard to Indian students enabling to develop the
skills and perspectives needed to thrive in the global curatorial landscape.
Speaking about the course, Vice Chancellor, World University of Design,
Prof. (Dr.) Sanjay Gupta said, "WUD's groundbreaking
Master of Visual Arts program in Curation launches at a pivotal moment. With
the global art market valued at $73.43 billion and growing 3.10% annually, and
India's art market doubling to $250 million with a remarkable 14.9% growth
rate, demand for skilled curators has never been higher. As institutions expand
rapidly across India and 91% of art collectors remain optimistic, we're
witnessing a cultural renaissance. Our MVA program fills this critical gap,
preparing India's next generation of curatorial leaders with
international-standard training to bridge art, artists, and communities in our
rapidly evolving cultural landscape."
Students will have expert mentorship
from leading artists & curators along with hands-on experience through
curated exhibitions, workshops, and international projects, while also
benefiting from strong industry partnerships with leading galleries such as Kala
Srot Gallery (Lucknow), Niv Art Centre (Delhi), and The Art Route Gallery
(Gurgaon).
With a specialized interdisciplinary
approach combining art history, museum studies and anthropology, the MVA in
Curation program provides students with expert mentorship from renowned artists
and curators. Limited sponsorships are also available, offering a tuition fee
discount of ₹1,00,000 for selected students.
Prof. Rajan
Shripad Fulari, Dean, School of Visual Arts, World University of Design further added, “Our program offers a hands-on curriculum
that balances collaboration and socially engaged practices with academic
research in history and theory. Students work in diverse experimental contexts
and explore alternative models of exhibition planning building links among
artists, institutions and communities. Through real-world collaborative
exhibits, they raise awareness, bridge societal gaps and catalyze
cross-disciplinary exchanges within and beyond the art world.”
Graduates of the program will emerge
as cultural leaders, dedicated to fostering inclusive and collaborative
practices. They will possess a nuanced understanding of the curator’s evolving
role within cultural institutions, galleries, the art market, and their
communities.
The academic session is scheduled to
begin in August. Eligibility criteria is simple, just a Bachelor's degree in
any discipline with a minimum of 50% marks. Admission will be based on the PG
Art Aptitude Test followed by a personal interview. Admissions are open until August 10th,
2025, with online entrance exams held every Friday.