Harriet Tubman Center for Expanded Curatorial Practice

The Harriet Tubman Center for Expanded Curatorial Practice was a project that came out of KSMoCA and existed from 2018 to 2020. . It was directed by PSU professors Lisa Jarrett and Harrell Fletcher along with support from the PSU Art and Social Practice MFA Program and students and alumni from the PSU School of Art and Design as well as professional curators, artists, arts organizations both locally and internationally. The project met with Harriet Tubman Middle School students every week during the school year and during special sessions over the summer. The students learned about various curatorial approaches that included working with visual art, performance, public art, historical materials, social practice as well as writing and critical assessment of contemporary art and culture. The students applied their skills as a curatorial team working on projects at the middle school and various off-site locations. As part of the center’s activities, students met with visiting curators and went on field trips to learn about local institutions including the Portland Art Museum, The Historical Society, and the Portland Institute for Contemporary Art.

Some work by middle school students in the Harriet Tubman Center for Expanded Curatorial Practice are archived below.

Generously supported by Regional Arts and Culture Council (RACC).

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