Federate around the project: sponsors, artists, corporations and visitors

The curatorial practice is not only about setting up the theoretical framework of an exhibition, writing and selecting artefacts. It is also about federating people around a project they understand is beneficial for them. Dreams of Progress was my first exhibition, it gave me the opportunity to gain experience on every front:

• Getting the permissions from artists to display their work and getting additional material. Overall, I got the permission to use all the work I wanted to use but the artists’ responsiveness was really varied. Some were excited about the project and very supportive, some had to be reminded many times before delivering their part.

• Getting permission from Microsoft and Squint/opera. This was very easy and I got all the help I needed in obtaining the dvds. Utopian visions from corporations generate a lot of criticism in the public but corporations seemed to be very open to discussion. This experience made me less cynical about their views as they make the first move after all.

• Finding a venue, the Westminster Reference Library, and then a sponsor for some the video equipment, Westminster Arts.
• Marketing the exhibition by sending the press release to art websites (it was featured on www.artrabbit.com and www.criticalnetwork.co.uk), distributing flyers to venues around the exhibition, putting posters in the Library.
• Marketing the philosophical debate by contacting the philosophical groups in London, philosophical colleges, members of the library, putting the event on facebook, upcoming, eventful.