Curating is the process by which a festival’s programme (indeed, perhaps even a festival itself) is conceived and realised. Depending on the model of curation, the focus and organisation of this process may vary. Curatorial processes overseen by an artistic director, for example, may be primarily concerned with aesthetic value or an understanding of “high” art. In contrast, curation through an open call, may concentrate on scheduling and venues to prioritise both audience and artist accessibility. 

Different factors can heavily shape the curatorial process. The festival’s mission, budget, stakeholders, audience demographic, location, amongst other elements will be outlined here. However, regardless of which method of curation a festival favours and which influencing factors impact this process, all festivals are curated. Decisions are made. Events happen. Even the rejection of programming (as seen in the “Jazz & The City Salzburg” case study) is a curatorial choice on itself. 

Though the act of curating is universal, the processes linked with programming are diverse. This toolkit defines a range of curatorial models and features case studies that demonstrate some of these different approaches, but the list—and examples provided—are by no means definitive. Some festivals use a combination of multiple curatorial models and new methods of regarding curatorial processes are constantly being tested. 

Programming and curation models are not fixed and may change gradually over time or instantly in response to the community they appeal towards. For example, socio-political tensions, climate change, amongst an innumerable number of factors can shape these models. In turn, curatorial models and practices also have the potential to impact socio-political factors and reshape our understanding of art forms. 

One clear example are film festivals, given they showcase the impact of curation on a specific medium. The creation and evolution of film festivals is linked to a shift in both the understanding of film as an art form and its utilization as a tool for cultivating national identity. For example, the “Venice Film Festival” was launched in 1932 during Benito Mussolini’s Fascist regime and it featured a curated programme which specifically positioned Italian cinema as an art medium to be respected alongside great Italian music and heritage. This simultaneously stimulated a social understanding of film as art and followed an idea of glorifying (and solidifying) the nation state. 

As film festivals evolved, curatorial models based on selecting a limited number of submissions, offering competitions, and acquiring specific texts, allowed the respective curatorial panels to separate, categorize, and assign value to different types of cinema genre and perspectives. Similarly, the use of retrospectives in film festival programming continues to uphold the artistic and aesthetic value (and authority) of certain directors. They demonstrate the power of curation beyond the creation of a festival—as curatorial choices have the potential to influence our global understandings of art forms, power structures, and complex national identities.

Curation has an authoritative role, but one which is influenced by socio-political systems, geographic, economic, and historic contexts, and the relationship between aesthetics and audiences. While festivals may exist outside everyday curatorial processes, they are not immune to existing power structures and/or oppressive practices. The authority of selection, the desire to dazzle, the fear of the other, the colonial lens, etc. are some of the aspects that are important to continually consider throughout the stages of the curatorial process and how that impacts our choices. 

“Festivals are powerful tools for building social cohesion, understanding international relations, celebrating artists, and fostering community wellbeing”2 . The curatorial process—and the context in which it takes place—affects the design and impact of all festivals. Understanding how the process shapes a festival, therefore, is key to that festival’s success.

There is no “one size fits all,” no “correct answer,” no “best practice” when it comes to curation. Every festival is different and requires a different approach. This toolkit is designed to help readers think critically about curation, consider the pros and cons of each approach, and understand what factors might affect decision making. Here are some of the questions to consider when thinking about curating your festival:

• Does your festival present, commission and/or (co)produce artworks?

• Does your festival work with local artists? International artists? Both?

• Does your festival work with emerging artists? Established artists? Both?

• Does your festival work with local communities? International communities? Both? 

• Are your festivals themed?

• Does your festival centralise or distribute artistic decision-making?

• Is artistic decision making a top-down or bottom-up process? 

• Which individuals or collectives are making the artistic decisions?  

• Who sets and controls your programme budget?

• How long does it take to create your programme?

• Do geographic, governmental, historical, religious, or social factors impact your programming?

• What is the mandate to and from your governing board?

• Does an artistic selection process assure quality?

• Does an open call selection process assure access & greater participation?

• Does a committee or community selection process assure greater inclusion? 

• Does an individual selection process lead to exclusion? 

• Are your answers to the above fixed or changeable?

• How does space play into curation? Does the location impact the curatorial decisions?

• Does your festival consider and/or addresses the specificities of the location in which is presented (social, political, historical, aesthetical)?

• Is curation only for presenting artistic work? Are other aspects of the festival that are curated as well?

2 Salzburg Global Festival, “Introduction” in What Future for Festivals? Report on Session 646, ed. Susanna Seidl-Fox, Ping-Ann Addo, Beatriz Garcia, and Louise Hallman (Salzburg: Salzburg Global Seminar, 2020), 8-9.

• Losing it, or putting it into the wrong thing.

• Do whatever you love, and people will pay you for it.

• Invest energy and passion —> being passionate is your best risk BUT passion can blind you, misdirect you, make you clutch the puppy too hard or can break your heart.

•  You have to share that passion and get people in.

• Enjoy the gig.

• Delegate the work and be available to meet people and deal with things.

• You have to: trust, brief & team build, then debrief after.

• Get versatile people who can cover for each other.

• Emotional intelligence.