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Syllabus⇝

Curating Alternative Presents (MDEF Festival + Elisava’s Masters Exhibition + IAAC's Masters Exhibition)

This course offers hands-on experience in curating an academic one-day festival and two themed exhibitions. Students will explore the principles of curatorial practice, from concept development and research to spatial design and public engagement. Through collaborative planning and real-world implementation, participants will gain practical skills in event coordination, exhibition-making, and audience outreach within academic and cultural contexts.

Keywords:

Curation, Narratives, Exhibition Design, Critical Reflection

Learning Objectives⇝

  • Develop curatorial concepts: Students will learn to conceptualize and articulate curatorial themes that connect scholarly content with social impact.
  • Plan and execute cultural events: Students will gain practical experience in organizing, managing the logistics and production of an academic festival and two public exhibitions.
  • Collaboration and team management: Students will work in teams to curate events and dynamics, integrating diverse perspectives and areas of expertise.
  • Design engaging narratives and visitor experiences: Students will explore strategies to create meaningful and accessible narratives that engage varied audiences.
  • Reflect on Curatorial Practice: Students will critically assess the social, academic, and cultural impact of their curatorial decisions.

Methodological Strategies⇝

  • Case studies
  • Lectures
  • Group discussions
  • Prototyping
  • Team-based learning

Schedule⇝

  • Course Introduction + dynamics + objectives
  • Cluster agreement + first draft proposals
  • Production teams agreement + first draft proposals
  • Cluster dynamics presentation and feedback
  • Production dynamics presentation and feedback
  • Communication Plan
  • Cluster dynamics presentation and feedback
  • Production dynamics presentation and feedback
  • Final Rehearsal

Deliverables⇝

  • Flag
  • Exhibition supports
  • Communication Plan
  • Blueprints

Grading Method⇝

Percentage Description
40% Participation
20% Flag Design
30% Blueprints
10% Personal reflections

European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS)

3 ECTS

Faculty⇝

Saúl Baeza

Saúl Baeza

MDEF Co-Director

Saúl Baeza is DOES and MAYBE Creative Director, VISIONS BY Founder and Editor-in-chief and VIBE content director. While lecturing at Elisava Barcelona University of Design and Engineering he also researches functional and digital identities as part of the “Making with..." Research Group (TU Eindhoven Research) and "Futures Now" Research Group (Elisava Research). Saúl is the co-director of the Master in Design For Emergent Futures (MDEF), organised by the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC) and Elisava Barcelona School of Design and Engineering, in collaboration with the Fab Academy. Saúl has been visiting professor and lecturer at international universities, educational institutions and cultural venues such as Harvard GSD, Central Saint Martins and London College of Communication (UAL), Institute for advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC), RMIT University Melbourne, Rhode Island School of Design, Pascual Bravo University in Medellín, Sónar+D, Victoria&Albert Museum, CCCB and DHUB, among others.