Art Curation a Career Option in Westman

When he left Neepawa Collegiate about ten years ago, George Phillips knew he had an interest in visual arts but it wasn’t something he felt he could pursue as a career. Instead, he got a culinary degree and worked in that field for several years before returning to take the fine arts program at Brandon University as an adult. 

In an interview with Neepawa Community TV Journalist, Rrain Prior, tells the story about how he managed to steer himself into a career in the area of his first love, the visual arts.

As a small city, Brandon’s art community is very connected, and from the fine arts program Phillips got a job at the reception desk of the Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba (AGSM), the only professional gallery in the province outside of Winnipeg. (Professional refers to the gallery paying artists professional rates to display their art and is not related to whether or not the artist identifies as a professional.) That opportunity led directly into him finding a love for art curation and gallery work, a field which is focused on how to present art to the public both for aesthetic and interpretive purposes.

It’s not something Phillips thought he would find outside of Winnipeg, even considering that he might have to leave the province entirely. This past year he had the opportunity to curate his own show, under the guidance of AGSM head curator Lucie Lederhendler, which focused on the art of youth artists in the Westman area. Phillips also assisted with studio tours and planning for exhibitions that will not see fruition for some time, as galleries often book years in advance. Part of his education under Lederhendler’s mentorship includes learning how to approach and work with artists and how to install exhibitions considering both the flow of the artwork and the functionality of the display space. There are a lot of creative careers in the arts, says Phillips, that aren’t just being an artist.

For young people from small communities, like himself, Phillips offers the advice that there are many opportunities that exist within Manitoba. This is true for all fields, but specific to his own field in the arts, he indicates that it is common practice to just reach out to galleries and present yourself. The opportunities are out there, but sometimes you have to make an effort to look for them and find the right fit.