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Unit outline_

ARHT5902: Writing for the Art and Museum Sector

Semester 2, 2023 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Writing is essential for working in art galleries and museums, such as interpretive texts for audiences, research for publications, education, criticism, or for digital media. This unit will study essential texts by curators and critics and offers workshops to develop skills in writing for a range of contexts, objects, and art forms. Engage in research and writing methods for object labels, podcasts and audio guides, audiences with diverse needs, auction catalogues and other contexts. The modules offer interactive platforms and collaborative learning opportunities with the Chau Chak Wing Museum and local collections to build experience and enhance skills for career readiness or development.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit Art History
Credit points 6
Prerequisites
? 
None
Corequisites
? 
None
Prohibitions
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator Yvonne Low, yvonne.low@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s) Yvonne Low, yvonne.low@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Assignment Essay
n/a
50% Formal exam period
Due date: 06 Nov 2023 at 23:59
2500 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Participation Participation
n/a
10% Ongoing Ongoing
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2
Assignment Art Blog Entry
n/a
15% Week 06
Due date: 06 Sep 2023 at 23:59
1000 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2
Assignment Gallery guide
n/a
25% Week 09
Due date: 26 Oct 2023 at 23:59
2500 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2

Assessment summary

Detailed information for each assessment can be found in the Canvas site for this unit.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a High distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a Distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

 

Distinction

75 - 84

 

Credit

65 - 74

 

Pass

50 - 64

 

Fail

0 - 49

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 Introduction: Ways of Seeing, Ways of Writing Seminar (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 02 Engaging with Audience (Dr Jennifer Blunden) Seminar (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 03 Art Writer’s Toolkit Part 1 (Dr Jennifer Blunden) Seminar (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 04 Art Writer’s Toolkit Part 2 (Dr Jennifer Blunden) Seminar (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 05 Blogs and Biographies: Making (Art) History Interesting! Seminar (2 hr) LO2 LO3 LO4
Week 06 Art, Objects and their Stories [Site Visit: Chau Chak Wing Museum] Seminar (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Week 07 The Art of ‘Guided Looking’ Seminar (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 08 [Workshop and Site Visit] Audio-Guide Development Seminar (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Week 09 Representation, Voice and Agency (Dr Jennifer Blunden) Seminar (2 hr) LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 10 [Site Visit] Art Gallery of New South Wales: Developing Narratives Seminar (2 hr) LO2 LO3 LO4
Week 11 Finding the Critical Voice Seminar (2 hr) LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 12 [Workshop] Researching for your Essay (Final Assignment development) Seminar (2 hr) LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 13 A Coda: Developing your professional writing portfolio Seminar (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4

Attendance and class requirements

  • Attendance: According to Faculty Board Resolutions, students in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences are expected to attend 90% of their classes. If you attend less than 50% of classes, regardless of the reasons, you may be referred to the Examiner’s Board. The Examiner’s Board will decide whether you should pass or fail the unit of study if your attendance falls below this threshold.
  • Lecture recording: Most lectures (in recording-equipped venues) will be recorded and may be made available to students on the LMS. However, you should not rely on lecture recording to substitute your classroom learning experience.
  • Preparation: Students should commit to spend approximately three hours’ preparation time (reading, studying, homework, essays, etc.) for every hour of scheduled instruction.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

Week 1: 2 August 2023
An Introduction: Ways of seeing, Ways of writing
Dr Yvonne Low 

This seminar introduces the unit, assessments and learning outcomes. We will explore art writing as a critical ‘curator’s’ tool and to consider more expansively the function of writing in exhibitions and the wider museum industry. What does it mean to write purposefully, ‘plainly’ or creatively in a gallery and museum? How does art writing change the way we engage with and see art? 

Readings:

. Surface, Mary Hall and Ryan, Nathalie. ‘Developing close looking, creativity, and community through writing and art’, Journal of Museum Education 43, no. 4 (2018): 356-364.
. Sabeti, Shari. ‘Writing creatively in a museum: tracing lines through persons, art objects and texts’, Literacy 50, no. 3 (2016): 141-148 

Week 2: 9 August 2023
Engaging with Audience
Dr Jennifer Blunden 

There are many different audiences that visual art curators and programmers must engage with through written text. This ranges from not just external visitors of different demographics, but written communication with colleagues and industry. It is important to know who your audience is, be clear on what your objective is in communicating with them, including what you want to say and what you want them to know. We will look at how a specific exhibition narrative with clear conceptual positioning, can be best communicated through the different forms of writing needed in the context of an exhibition display. This week we look at effective modes of different audience engagement, including some practical examples of exhibition catalogues.

Readings:
.
Jane Deeth ‘Engaging Strangeness in the Art Museum: an audience development strategy’, Museum & Society, 10 no. 1 (Mar 2012): 1-14. Download Jane Deeth ‘Engaging Strangeness in the Art Museum: an audience development strategy’, Museum & Society, 10 no. 1 (Mar 2012): 1-14.
. Megan Kidd, ‘Labels, the Audience Experience and Curatorial Strategy in Art Museum Exhibitions’ academia.edu.au

Week 3: 16 August 2023
Art Writer’s Toolkit Part 1
Dr Jennifer Blunden 

In this and the following session, we will take a close-up look at how writing makes meaning. We will explore some key concepts about language and show how they can be used as powerful tools for creating and critiquing different types of museum texts – powerful in the sense of ‘sharpening our eyes’ so we can see more clearly the implications in meaning of choices we make in language, and use those insights to create, shape, deconstruct and talk about written texts with greater precision and delicacy. In this first session we will explore the concept of ‘meaning’ itself, and how text interacts with other modes such as image, artefact, design and space in various museum contexts.

 Readings: 

. Hooper-Greenhill, Eilean. ‘Changing Values in the Art Museum: Rethinking Communication and Learning’,International Journal of Heritage Studies 6, no 1 (2000): 9–31
. Hoskin, Dawn. ‘Creating the New Europe 1600–1815 Galleries: Writing Labels and Gallery Text’, V&A Museum blog. View at https://www.vam.ac.uk/blog/creating-new-europe-1600-1800-galleries/labels-gallery-text?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIxKfrn7ib5wIVRpWPCh3jWQpNEAAYASAAEgLaMfD_BwE

Week 4: 23 August 2023
Art Writer’s Toolkit Part 2

Dr Jennifer Blunden 

This session will delve more deeply into the qualities and features of written language, and how they can be ‘flexed’ to suit different contexts and audiences. We will look at structure and flow of meaning, the impact of specific word choices and order, ‘active’ language and the power of verbs, what ‘accessible’ means in terms of writing, and the critical relationship between talking and writing.

Readings:
. Sword, Helen. ‘Verbal Verve’ and ‘Noun Density’, The Writer’s Diet, chapters 1& 2, Auckland: Auckland University Press (2015), pp 5–28 
. Williams, Gilda. ‘Practical “How-To”s’, How to Write about Contemporary Art, chapter 4, New York: Thames & Hudson (2015), pp 68–105 

Week 5: 30 August 2023
Blogs and Biographies: Making (Art) History Interesting!
Dr Yvonne Low

Platforms such as Khan Academy and SmartHistory are highly popular sites designed to educate both broad and targetted audience on the rich and dynamic histories of art spanning the historical and the contemporary. Often written by specialists, these entries are written journalistically with the aim of making history interesting, as opposed to dull and prosaic! Students will be introduced to their first assignment (due in Week 6) and will have the opportunity to develop a piece of writing on an art object of their choice. Students will focus now on developing biographical narratives. Artists’ biographies is a popular genre of writing and does much to give visibility to artists who may be left out from canonical art histories. Often diverse and dynamic (no one person’s life is ever the same as another!) students will examine current examples such as projects initiated by AWARE and others.

Resources/Readings:
. View examples on AWARE, https://awarewomenartists.com
. Goodman, Dena, and Emily Talbot. “Documenting Art, Writing Biography: Construction of the Silvestre Family History, 1660–1868.” Journal of Family History 40, no. 3 (2015): 277–304.
. Butlin, Judith F. “Archives - an Invaluable Resource: Writing a Biography - Alternative Sources of Information When There Are No Personal Archives.” History of Economics Review 78, no. 1 (2021): 60–69.

. View examples on smarthistory: The center for public art history, https://smarthistory.org
. Williams, Gilda. How to Write About Contemporary Art. London: Thames & Hudson, 2014.

Week 6: 6 September 2023
Art, Objects and their Stories [Site Visit: Chau Chak Wing Museum]
Dr Yvonne Low

We will visit the Chau Chak Wing Museum and explore the exhibitions that are currently up. For the first half of the seminar (10-11am) we will hear from Dr Shuxia how she has framed the show, Chinese Toggles: Culture in Miniature. Applying our skills and knowledge from previous weeks, we will consider the different types of writings (conceptual positioning) that frames the narrative of the exhibition: Wall text, catalogue entries, and others.

This is then followed by an OBL workshop facilitated by Dr Eve Guerry and Dr Jane Thogersen where students will encounter a range of objects and artworks and consider how to situate the objects in a narrative. Students will be introduced to examples of audio recordings centred around the objects currently available to all visitors in the form of self-guided tours. They are encouraged here to begin thinking about their assignment on the Audio Guide.

Activity and details will be provided on Canvas before the Seminar.

Week 7: 13 September 2023 
The Art of ‘Guided Looking’  
Dr Yvonne Low 

For this seminar, we will explore strategies of social inclusion in a museum context so as to offer a rich and rewarding experience to all visitors. What does it mean to engage audience meaningfully in a primarily visuo-centric environment? We will explore a range of strategies used by curators to engage visitors, and to expand their experiences; we will discuss the benefits of incorporating Audio Description (AD) in Standard Audio Guides (SAG) and we will look at current audio tours offered by the AGNSW to gain an insight to current practice. We will then apply these strategies to the writing and designing of an audio-guide for Chau Chak Wing Museum.

Readings:
. Hutchinson, Rachel and Eardely, Alison. ‘Inclusive museum audio guides: ‘guided looking’ through audio description enhances memorability of artworks for sighted audiences’, Museum management and curatorship 36, no. 4 (2021): 427-446. 
. Hadley Bree, and Rieger, Janice. ‘Co-designing choice: objectivity, aesthetics and agency in audio-description’, Museum management and curatorship 36, no. 1 (2021): 189-203.  

Week 8: 20 September 2023
[Workshop and Site Visit] Audio-Guide Development
Dr Yvonne Low

This is an opportunity for students to research on the object of their choice, and to develop an outline for their guided tours. Students will meet first at CCWM from 10-11am, where they will consider spatially how the tour will be conceived across the gallery and visualise the display of the art/object chosen. In the respective tutorials, the students will share their plans and obtain feedback from their peers and tutor. They will have the opportunity to develop a draft of their audio guide.

MID SEMESTER BREAK 25 Sep - 29 Sep 2023 

Week 9: 4 October 2023
Representation, Voice and Agency
Dr Jennifer Blunden

In this seminar we consider some of the debates and issues that face museums and galleries today, and, as writers, our role and responsibilities relative to these broader community contexts and expectations. We will focus on issues around representation, voice and agency, particularly in relation to contexts of decolonisation and gender, and in terms of content, process and impact.

Readings:

. Coombes, Annie & Phillips, Ruth. ‘Introduction: dynamics of democratization and decolonisation’ in Coombes, Annie & Phillips, Ruth (eds), Museum transformations: decolonization and democratization, Wiley Blackwell, Hokoben NJ & Chichester UK, 2020.
. Janke, Terri, First Peoples: A roadmap for enhancing Indigenous engagement in museums and galleries, Australian Museums and Galleries Association (AMAGA), 2018. View at https://www.amaga.org.au/shop/first-peoples-roadmap-enhancing-indigenous-engagement-museums-and-galleries-hardcopy-version
. Smith, Linda Tuhiwai. ‘Twenty-five Indigenous projects’, (chapter 8) in Decolonising methodologies: research and Indigenous peoples, Zed Books, London & New York, 2012 

Week 10: 11 October 2023
[Site Visit] Art Gallery of New South Wales: Developing Narratives
Dr Yvonne Low

This seminar will be conducted on-site at the Art Gallery of New South Wales (AGNSW). We will explore a range of specialist collections - First Nations and Asian Art. We will consider the development of the Asian collection and examine the Lower Asian Gallery to better understand the curatorial processes that typically take place. Students will gain a good understanding of curatorial and collection policies at State galleries, as well as how objects of art have been curatorially framed. 

More details on the Tutorial activity will be provided on canvas.  

Readings: 
. Sambrani, Chaitanya. ‘New lanterns for old: how far can Australian engagement with Asia transcend old shibboleths? How new are the perspectives offered by the ‘New Asian Galleries’ at the Art Gallery of New South Wales’, Meanjin 63, no. 2 (2004): 65. 
. Ajioka, Chiaki. ‘Representation of Japanese Art at the Art Gallery of New South Wales’ in Educating in the Arts The Asian Experience: Twenty-four Essays, ed. Lindy Joubert (Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands, 2008) 103-120. 

Week 11: 18 October 2023
Finding the Critical Voice
Dr Yvonne Low

How does a critical perspective help provide ways to view, appreciate, understand and enjoy art and culture? This week, the role of the critical voice will be explored particularly in relation to the visual arts. Art criticism is a process of responding to, interpreting meaning, and making critical judgments about specific works of art or objects. Looking to the core steps of describing, analysing, interpreting and evaluating, we address the balance needed to provide a comprehensive analysis through these points of consideration.

Readings:
. James, B. “Writing Critically in Visual and Performing Arts.” Changing Education (Geelong, Vic.) 3, no. 1 (1996): 20–21.
. Daichendt, G. James, and G. James Daichendt. Artist Scholar: Reflections on Writing and Research. Bristol: NBN International, 2011.

Week 12: 25 October 2023
[Workshop] Researching for your Essay (Final Assignment development)
Dr Yvonne Low

This week we discuss methods and approaches to talking to living artists and industry personnel, as part of researching for a written piece or recorded interview. We will go through suggested steps to take to make the most of your interview. We will explore methods of interviewing, ethical considerations, and reflect on the role and responsibility of interpreting personal, subjective opinions and perspectives in the context of objective information seeking. Students will be introduced proper referencing and citation of materials for research papers. In tutorials, they will have the opportunity to discuss their outline for their final research paper and obtain feedback from their peers and tutor.

More resources will be made available on Canvas.

Week 13: 1 November 2023
A Coda: Developing your professional writing portfolio 
Dr Yvonne Low

This seminar will review key concepts, writing and research skills. From developing an area of specialism, to writing flexibly and expansively, we will explore and discuss practical tips for developing your professional writing portfolio. We will also broadly discuss and reflect on the various publication types. How might we keep abreast of latest research and writing opportunities? Where do we go from here?

Readings/Resources:
. “What the experts said: Making it in arts journalism”, The Guardian, 9 Dec 2010, accessed on 12 Jun 2023, https://www.theguardian.com/careers/what-the-experts-said-making-it-in-arts-journalism  

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. obtain a critical understanding and knowledge of exhibition and collection in Australian institutions
  • LO2. develop a critical awareness of the place and uses of art writing in art galleries and museums
  • LO3. develop communication skills with the ability to present a sustained and properly supported argument in both oral and written form
  • LO4. obtain skills in visual analysis, with a particular focus on the ability to critically reflect on the relation between text and image
  • LO5. develop an awareness of cultural and social difference with the the ability to critically assess the relation between art and society.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

This unit is co-developed with communication specialist Dr Jennifer Blunden who is delivering four key lectures. It has been re-designed to give students time in-class/in-person to complete writing activities and develop key skills as required by the sector.

Students will be working on the collection and exhibitions at the Art Gallery of New South Wales instead of Chau Chak Wing Museum. 

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.