APPLICATION DEADLINE: 19 August 2025, 23:59 BST

The Art and Culture Development Foundation under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan, together with Delfina Foundation, is pleased to announce an Open Call for early-career curators to take part in the Curatorial School of the inaugural Bukhara Biennial.

The BBBB Curatorial School will take place in Bukhara, bringing together six curators — three from Uzbekistan and three from across Asia — to experiment with new approaches to curating and exhibition-making. The programme will culminate in a major international exhibition in spring 2026, co-curated by all participants.

Commissioned by Gayane Umerova and led by Bukhara Biennial Artistic Director Diana Campbell, the BBBB Curatorial School is not a conventional academic institution but a collaborative platform for shared learning, critical reflection, and building long-term professional relationships. Participants will gain unique access to the inner workings of a major biennial and explore how exhibitions can meaningfully respond to cultural and historical contexts.

Programme Chapters

Chapter 1 — 16–25 September 2025
Introduction to the Biennial: Guided tours of exhibitions and heritage sites in Bukhara; networking with artists and visiting curators; lectures and case studies on generative curating and commissioning practices.

Chapter 2 — 1–9 October 2025
Context & Collaboration: Participation in the Central Asia Symposium; presentation of early curatorial concepts for the collaborative exhibition; identifying shared themes and intersections.

Chapter 3 — 1–8 November 2025
Mentorship & Exhibition Development: Working with international curatorial mentors; studio visits in Tashkent; meetings with exhibition designers and previous biennial collaborators.

Chapter 4 — 16–22 November 2025
Reflection & Review: Participation in the biennial’s closing events; workshops on curatorial critique, evaluation, and self-reflection.

Finale — Spring 2026
The international exhibition will take place in a yet-to-be-announced location. Two site visits are planned between January and March 2026, with installation and opening scheduled for April/May 2026.

Eligibility

  • Applicants must be under 30 years of age at the time of application.
  • Open to early-career curators — from those developing their curatorial voice to those working in institutions or independently.
  • Uzbek applicants may be based in Uzbekistan or abroad.
  • Applicants from Asia (including West Asia) must be currently based in Asia.
  • Attendance at all in-person chapters is mandatory, along with availability to work on the exhibition in spring 2026.
  • The working language of the programme is English.

Each curator will receive:

  • Mentorship from internationally recognised curators and access to BBBB’s network of artists and curators.
  • Round-trip travel to Bukhara, Uzbekistan, for all four programme chapters.
  • Accommodation during all programme chapters.
  • Two international site visits to the 2026 exhibition venue.
  • A curatorial honorarium for developing a new exhibition.


The exhibition budget will be covered by ACDF, with further details to be announced in autumn 2025.

How to Apply
Submit your application by 19 August 2025, 23:59 (BST) via this link: OPEN CALL FOR EMERGING CURATORS

Your application should include:

  1. A one-page CV.
  2. Contact details for two referees (phone and email).
  3. A 500-word proposal describing a context familiar to you in which you would like to commission a new artwork. Specify the artist you would invite and explain why this context is significant. Briefly describe your approach to collaboration, whether with artists, peers, or communities.

Selection Process

  • The selection will be carried out by a panel including Bukhara Biennial Artistic Director Diana Campbell, ACDF representatives, and Delfina Foundation.
  • 25–26 August 2025: Online interviews with shortlisted candidates.
  • 28 August 2025: Announcement of final participants.