Smart Tactics: Curating Difficult Content/ Arts Advocacy Program; National Coalition Against Censorship

"Report and handbook.

High-profile art controversies today come at a frequency unseen since the 1990s Culture Wars. But those who work in art institutions know that headlines and hashtags are just a fraction of the real story. The long-term effects of public censorship controversies on museums and other art institutions are just a fraction of the political, community and financial pressures curators face when preparing exhibitions. In the long run, the agility with which curators and museum directors navigate these internal and external forces determines the openness of the cultural field--much more so than any individual controversy. SMART TACTICS: Curating Difficult Content examines the internal and external pressures curators must navigate when considering potentially controversial material. Combining decades of advocacy experience with extensive interviews and curatorial surveys, this volume includes both a report on what happens behind the scenes in art institutions and a handbook for confronting the challenges of curating difficult content. A must-read for curators at every stage of their careers. The National Coalition Against Censorship is committed to preserving freedom of expression as a vital element of a democratic society and an essential human right. For over 40 years, NCAC has worked to protect the rights of all to think, create and explore new ideas. NCAC’s Arts Advocacy Program is the only national project dedicated to working directly with individual artists and curators involved in censorship disputes. For bulk institutional orders, contact NCAC directly."

English