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Inclusive curation
Implementing
EDI and Compliance strategies
in museums and art collections
This is a summary of the Lecture given for our ODBK team member Kornelia Starczewska at the Conference “(CURE)ators UAP: (Re)defining Curatorship – Contemporary Practices and Theories of Curating” – Paper titled “Inclusive Curating: Implementing EDI and Compliance Strategies in Museums and Art Collections” (May 2025, Magdalena Abakanowicz University of the Arts Poznań)
Abrstract:
The speech focused on the democratisation of art museums, emphasizing the need for inclusive strategies. It introduced EDI and Compliance policies (equality, diversity, inclusivity, and ethical conformity) as key tools to support this transformation. A central example was Tate Modern’s ‘Transforming Collections: Reimagining Art, Nation and Heritage’ (2021–2024) project, which rethinks national and cultural narratives through art. The speaker also presented methods for evaluating inclusivity in museums developed by the Organisation for the Democratization of the Visual Arts (ODBK). Which involved presenting 5 key sectors mapped by ODBK:
- Representation and inclusivity in art selection
- Ethical considerations in acquiring artworks
- Audience engagement and accessibility
- Transparency in decision-making
-
Long-term impact of curatorial choice
In conclusion, the speech addressed the risk of tokenism in EDI efforts and linked it to historical and legal challenges around restitution of cultural property, highlighting the British Museum vs. Turkey dispute over the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus.
Material
(Re)definiując kuratorstwo: współczesne praktyki i teorie kuratorskie.
https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1ENakhb4H5/?mibextid=wwXIfr
The discussion on the evaluation of accessibility in museum institutions is a topic that is increasingly taken up both in the practice of cultural institutions and in scientific discourse. One of the tools for building open and inclusive narratives is the inclusion of the EDI strategy and the Compliance policy in curatorial practices and the internal policy of the institution.
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) is a conceptual framework that promotes the fair treatment and full participation of all people, especially groups that have been historically underrepresented or discriminated against based on origin, identity, disability, etc.
– American Psychological Association
Definition and Importance of EDI in the Context of Cultural Institutions
Collection building strategies that incorporate EDI aims to ensure that all individuals, regardless of background, have access to cultural programs, leading to a more diverse and inclusive environment. In the context of museums, implementing EDI requires rethinking collection management and the accessibility of exhibitions and educational programs.
EDI Strategy
Key areas of assessment:
1. Representation and Inclusivity in Art Selection
2. Ethical Considerations in Art Acquisitions
3. Audience Engagement and Accessibility
4. Transparency in Decision-Making
5. Long-Term Impact of Curatorial Choices
‘Transforming Collections’ project
Transforming Collections is a Tate Modern initiative to transform the way the institution presents its collections. The project, which runs from 2021 to 2024, will reinterpret themes of culture, art and heritage, drawing on a diversity of perspectives and including voices often overlooked in traditional narratives.
Compliance
Compliance is compliance with all the obligations of the organization – both legal and ethical. Compliance with the image and values proclaimed by the organization. Compliance obligations are requirements that the organization must or wants to meet. The perspective of action must be long-term through embedding in the organizational culture of a given institution and maintaining and awareness of all the elements that make up the atmosphere of openness and honesty. Building a compliance culture involves establishing a catalog of the organization’s values and a code of ethics, engaging management to enforce values in the team at various stages from recruitment to equal treatment and ethics.
Examples of areas discussed in the context of compliance in the art market:
- Counteracting money laundering
- Whistleblower Protection Act
Challenges of EDI implementation
Implementing EDI strategies in museums is faced with many challenges, including a lack of adequate financial and staff resources, resistance from staff, and difficulty measuring effectiveness. In addition, organizations must address the varying expectations of visitors and local communities. Ensuring that EDI policies are fully understood and adopted by all staff is also a key challenge, often requiring training and initiatives to promote a culture of inclusiveness. Other challenges to implementing EDI at the collection-building level include the legal framework, such as statute of limitations or directives from international conventions, such as the provision in the 1970 UNESCO Convention on the issue of restitution of works of art.
About Kornelia
Kornelia Starczewska (1999) is an aspiring Polish research professional with a strong foundation in art history. She holds a Master’s degree in Art History from Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, along with dual Bachelor’s degrees in Curatorial Studies and Art Theory from the Magdalena Abakanowicz University of the Arts Poznań, and Interdisciplinary Individual Studies in the Humanities and Social Sciences from Adam Mickiewicz University. With a passion for bridging the gap between art and audiences, she is dedicated to crafting meaningful narratives.
