Practices of curating contemporary art programmes within three historic house settings in Scotland: a mixed methods inquiry

Abstract

Building on UK-based scholarship from 2020 by Nick Cass, Rebecca Farley, Niki Black, and others, which established the area of study referred to as contemporary art in heritage, this thesis offers insight into the nuances of curating arts programmes in historic house settings. Despite the rapid expansion of the practice of contemporary art commissioning and programming in designated heritage contexts (including historic houses) since the 1990s, few studies in the academic fields of heritage, art history, or museology critically evaluate the role and impact of this practice. This thesis addresses this gap, foregrounding the perspectives of contemporary curators and artists, and reassessing the relevance of heritage engagement in creative practices enacted at historic house sites. The methodology used combines case study, ethnographic, and curatorial practice-based research approaches to examine three cases of contemporary art programmes based within rural historic estates in Scotland – Hospitalfield in Arbroath, Mount Stuart on the Isle of Bute, and Jupiter Artland west of Edinburgh. First, the thesis maps the missions of all three organisations to understand how each defines and publicly represents its heritage context. Second, it contrasts organisational perspectives with the claims of recent arts graduates, commissioned artists, programme directors, and exhibition coordinators who have engaged with these programmes to assess how/if heritage plays a role in creative practices, as well as the perceived benefits and challenges of practicing within historic house contexts. Finally, it demonstrates the breadth of alternative vocabulary used by curators and artists to redefine established commissioning models; the unique curatorial approaches each organisation employs in their efforts to host contemporary artists, adapt to practical challenges, and relate to wider arts networks; and the benefits and challenges of carrying out commissions and/or participating in residency programmes at each of these sites. The thesis has relevance to debates about site specificity, artists’ interventions, place-based art practices, and creative ecologies. It also offers a toolbox of practical recommendations for more artist-centred approaches to creative programming in heritage settings