The Courtauld Institute today announced a new partnership with the National Portrait Gallery as part of a long-term strategy to offer its students the opportunity to learn from within leading institutions.
The new partnership will give students in the Courtauld Institute’s MA Curating programme the chance to benefit from the deep expertise of two of the world’s leading visual arts institutions through a collaborative ‘Working within Institutions’ teaching strand, alongside the potential for dissertation co-supervision and future opportunities for postgraduate research collaboration.
The MA Curating programme at the Courtauld Institute offers an unmatched opportunity for students to immerse themselves in the theory and practice of curating in a unique scholarly and professional context, complemented by the Courtauld Gallery’s internationally renowned curatorial excellence and the ambitious scholarship underpinning its exhibition programme.
The programme provides intensive training focused on the issues that shape the curatorial field and their practical implications for today’s art world. Its global alumni network spans 83 countries, forming an international powerhouse that influences the arts and creative sectors at all levels. Many of the Courtauld’s graduates have gone on to work in and lead prestigious museums and galleries, including Tate, Guggenheim, The National Gallery in London and The National Gallery of Art in Washington DC, amongst many others.
Earlier this year, students from the programme had the opportunity to curate exhibitions and public programmes at the Nicoletta Fiorucci Foundation, St Mary le Strand Church in central London, Strawberry Hill House & Garden, Twickenham, as well as organise a two-day symposium and a performance in partnership with the Freud Museum.
Dr Devika Singh and Dr Sofia Gotti lead the MA Curating programme at the Courtauld Institute and are both art historians and internationally renowned curators. Singh curates internationally in a diverse range of contexts, recently curating the Voices sector of Paris Photo (2025), and was previously Curator, International Art at Tate Modern. Gotti has worked with institutions and galleries internationally, and she was part of the curatorial team of the Venice Biennale (2024). Both will be guest curating the Spotlight section of Frieze Masters in London’s Regents Park in October 2026.
Students coming onto the MA Curating programme in 2027-28 will have the unparalleled opportunity to learn from leading professionals in the field both at the Courtauld and now also in partnership with the National Portrait Gallery.
Mark Hallett, Märit Rausing Director of the Courtauld said: “The National Portrait Gallery continues to innovate in the curation and public presentation of art. We are thrilled that our MA Curating students will have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience within this world-class context and with experts in their field.”
Victoria Siddall, Director of the National Portrait Gallery said: “We are thrilled to be launching this collaboration between the Courtauld and the National Portrait Gallery that will support the next generation of curators, researchers and cultural leaders. I hope that this partnership will create meaningful opportunities for students and help to shape the future of our sector, as well as inform our own thinking about what museums can be today.”
Applications for entry to the Courtauld Institute’s MA Curating programme in 2027 open next month.
