“By empowering emerging curators to take risks, explore themes relevant to them, and utilize DCAC’s resources, the program encourages a more inclusive representation of the region’s vibrant art scene.”
—Fabiola R. Delgado
Mentor Curator, The Curatorial Initiative 2024
The
Curatorial
Initiative
Fostering the next generation of diverse curators by providing access to a historically inaccessible field.
The
Curatorial
Initiative
Fostering the next generation of diverse curators by providing access to a historically inaccessible field.
“By empowering emerging curators to take risks, explore themes relevant to them, and utilize DCAC’s resources, the program encourages a more inclusive representation of the region’s vibrant art scene.”
—Fabiola R. Delgado
Mentor Curator, The Curatorial Initiative 2024
Providing access to
a field that’s historically inaccessible.
About the
Curatorial Initiative
The Curatorial Initiative reflects The DC Arts Center's commitment to fostering underrepresented artists by offering a rare, year-long opportunity to develop the fundamental skills of artistic curation. Each year, one to two Apprentice Curators are selected to work alongside a professional Mentor Curator in planning and mounting two to three full-scale exhibitions at The DC Arts Center.
First, with the assistance of the Apprentice Curator, the Mentor Curator leads the curatorial process -- honing vision, selecting artists, crafting a catalog, and bringing an exhibition from concept to installation. Then, the roles are reversed, and the Apprentice Curator leads the curatorial process with the assistance and advice of the Mentor Curator.
The Curatorial Initiative offers the next generation of diverse curators the chance to develop a critical and practical understanding of artistic curation while simultaneously developing an essential professional relationship with an industry-leading curator. Combined, one's newly developed skillset, relationship, and experience make a future in artistic curation possible.
Introducing the
2025 Mentor Curator
Mentor Curator
Dr. Lauren P. Davidson
Dr. Lauren Davidson is an independent art curator and the founder of Museum Nectar Art Consultancy, L.L.C., with a focus on African Diasporic art and the promotion of emerging and mid-career artists. Through her curatorial practice, she sparks meaningful dialogues about the Black experience in contemporary art.
Davidson has curated several significant exhibitions, including the critically acclaimed The Ties That Bind and Zero Dollar Bill: The Prints of Imar Lyman at International Arts & Artists (IA&A) at Hillyer in Washington, D.C. A standout moment in the latter was a powerful conversation between artist Imar Lyman and filmmaker Haile Gerima, highlighting their shared commitment to social justice through printmaking and film. Davidson also curated The Ties That Bind at the Brentwood Arts Exchange, featuring works by Wesley Clarke, Rodney Buck! Herring, Angelique Scott, Austin Miles, Olivia Bruce, Omari Jesse, and Bria Edwards, which garnered attention in the Washington Post Art Review. Another key exhibition, Solace and Sisterhood at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) Arlington, showcased the work of Evita Tezeno, Amber Robles-Gordon, and Lavett Ballard, and is set to travel to The David C. Driskell Center at the University of Maryland in 2025.
In addition to her curatorial practice, Davidson leads a successful art advisory business, sourcing works for both private and corporate collections. She is actively involved in the local arts community, serving as a docent at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery and collaborating with organizations like the IA&A at Hillyer Advisory Committee and the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities. Davidson’s academic background is equally diverse, holding a Bachelor of Science from Cornell University, a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Florida, and a Master of Arts in Museum Studies from Johns Hopkins University.
2025 Cohort
Introducing the
Dr. Lauren Davidson
Mentor Curator
-
Dr. Lauren Davidson is an independent art curator and the founder of Museum Nectar Art Consultancy, L.L.C., with a focus on African Diasporic art and the promotion of emerging and mid-career artists. Through her curatorial practice, she sparks meaningful dialogues about the Black experience in contemporary art.
Davidson has curated several significant exhibitions, including the critically acclaimed The Ties That Bind and Zero Dollar Bill: The Prints of Imar Lyman at International Arts & Artists (IA&A) at Hillyer in Washington, D.C. A standout moment in the latter was a powerful conversation between artist Imar Lyman and filmmaker Haile Gerima, highlighting their shared commitment to social justice through printmaking and film. Davidson also curated The Ties That Bind at the Brentwood Arts Exchange, featuring works by Wesley Clarke, Rodney Buck! Herring, Angelique Scott, Austin Miles, Olivia Bruce, Omari Jesse, and Bria Edwards, which garnered attention in the Washington Post Art Review. Another key exhibition, Solace and Sisterhood at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) Arlington, showcased the work of Evita Tezeno, Amber Robles-Gordon, and Lavett Ballard, and is set to travel to The David C. Driskell Center at the University of Maryland in 2025.
In addition to her curatorial practice, Davidson leads a successful art advisory business, sourcing works for both private and corporate collections. She is actively involved in the local arts community, serving as a docent at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery and collaborating with organizations like the IA&A at Hillyer Advisory Committee and the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities. Davidson’s academic background is equally diverse, holding a Bachelor of Science from Cornell University, a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Florida, and a Master of Arts in Museum Studies from Johns Hopkins University.
Cassie Shang
Apprentice Curator
-
Cassie Shang (Zixin Shang) is a multi-media artist and curator with a background in public art and studio art. She is currently enrolled in the MFA program in Studio Art at George Washington University, where she was awarded a $55,000 Dean's Scholarship from the Corcoran School of Art.
Her work in painting, installation, 3D modeling, and photography focuses on cross-cultural narratives and the expression of female identity and emotional memory. In 2024, her graduation installation << Feast >> was exhibited at the Gpark Mall in Xi'an, China, where she explored the cultural relationship between ritual and consumption through a multi-visual experience. And was selected for inclusion in the ‘2025 Chinese Contemporary Students' Artwork Annual. Corcoran Museum of Art in December 2023, where she independently curated and completed a solo exhibition.
Her current art practice focuses on the mental world and bodily experiences of Asian women, and extends to an ongoing exploration of the boundaries of gender, materiality, and identity. As an artist and curator, she not only thinks about the visual presentation of the works, but also focuses on how the exhibition can be a structure and channel for the spread of ideas.
The Application Process
The DC Arts Center (DCAC) accepts proposals from interested candidates between January and November. Each year, 1 - 2 apprentice curators are selected for the program.
Applications are evaluated following the submission deadline, and candidates who advance in the process will be asked to interview in December. Final decision outcomes will be communicated by December 11, and successful candidates will begin the onboarding process before the winter holidays. The program runs for one year, from January to December.
We accept applications from all artists working seriously in their field and do not discriminate on any basis.
Application Requirements
Artist Statement & Biography
Artist Resumé
Short Answer Questions
Writing Sample
2 References
$25 application fee
Waived for Artist Members
Program Cost
$250
Waived for Artist Members
Gallery Quick Facts
The DC Arts Center has two newly renovated art galleries — The Main Gallery and the Nano Gallery.
The Main Gallery features full-size work of all mediums and is approximately 700 square feet.
The Nano Gallery features small-format work that can be easily hung and is approximately 125 square feet.
Artists retain a 60% commission on all work sold. 70% for Artist Members!
The Application Process
The DC Arts Center (DCAC) is currently accepting proposals from interested candidates between May and October. Each year, 1 - 2 apprentice curators are selected for the program.
Applications are evaluated following the submission deadline, and candidates who advance in the process will be asked to interview in November. Final decision outcomes will be communicated in December, and successful candidates will begin the onboarding process following the winter holidays. The program runs for one year, from January to December.
We accept applications from all artists working seriously in their field and do not discriminate on any basis.
Application Requirements
Artist Statement & Biography
Artist Resumé
Short Answer Questions
Writing Sample
2 References
$25 application fee
Waived for Artist Members
Program Cost
$250
Waived for Artist Members
Gallery Quick Facts
The DC Arts Center has two newly renovated art galleries — The Main Gallery and the Nano Gallery.
The Main Gallery features full-size work of all mediums and is approximately 700 square feet.
The Nano Gallery features small-format work that can be easily hung and is approximately 125 square feet.
Artists retain a 60% commission on all work sold. 70% for Artist Members!
Apply for the 2026 Cohort
Applications for the 2026 Curatorial Initiative will be accepted through Sunday, October 26, 2025.
The 2026 program will run January 1 - December 31, 2026.
Alumni &
Past Exhibitions
2024
Fabiola R. Delgado
Mentor Curator
Carter Wynne
Apprentice Curator
Between, Through, Across
Curated by Fabiola R. Delgado and assisted by Carter Wynne
Intrinsic Play
Curated by Carter Wynne
2023
Jeffry Cudlin
Mentor Curator
Benedetta Castrioto & FAITH McCorkle
Apprentice Curators
A Shared Sense of Time
Curated by Jeffry Cuddlin and assisted by Benedetta Castrioto and FAITH McCorkle
Labor of Fire*
Curated by Benedetta Castrioto
Da Cipher: responding to the call*
Curated by FAITH McCorkle
*Due to historic gallery renovations, the 2023 Apprentice Curators’ exhibitions took place in 2024.
2022
Claudia Rousseau
Mentor Curator
Ashley McDonald
Apprentice Curator
The Fragility of Their Nature
Curated by Claudia Rousseau and assisted by Ashley McDonald
On What I Can Control
Curated by Ashley McDonald
2021
Jayme McClellan
Mentor Curator
Katie Lee
Apprentice Curator
Navigating Through
Curated by Jayme McClellan and assisted by Katie Lee
The Vanishing Half
Curated by Katie Lee
2020
Jayme McClellan
Mentor Curator
Christina Stoddard
Apprentice Curator
Navigating Through
Curated by Jayme McClellan and assisted by Christina Stoddard
Postponed due to the COVID-19 Pandemic
2019
Dawne Langford
Mentor Curator
Monique Muse Dodd
Apprentice Curator
Intermediate: Fluxus Interpretations
Curated by Dawne Langford and assisted by Monique Muse Dodd
Reparations Realized
Curated by Monique Muse Dodd
2018
Tim Doud & Zoe Charlton
Mentor Curators
Andy Johnson
Apprentice Curator
Queer(ing) Pleasure
Curated by Andy Johnson and assisted by Tim Doud & Zoe Charlton
Queer(ed) Performativity
Curated by Andy Johnson and assisted by Tim Doud & Zoe Charlton
2017
Rebecca Cross
Mentor Curator
Sarah Burford
Apprentice Curator
Macho - The Mask of Masculinity
Curated by Rebecca Cross and assisted by Sarah Burford
Denatured
Curated by Sarah Burford
2016
Tomas Drymon
Mentor Curator
Martina Dodd
Apprentice Curator
Sip and Paint Van Gogh’s The Starry Night
Curated by Tomas Drymon and assisted by Martina Dodd
Public Displays of Privacy
Curated by Martina Dodd
2015
Jefferson Pinder
Mentor Curator
Kayleigh Bryant-Greenwell
Apprentice Curator
Self/Non-Self: Sequence and Abstraction
Curated by Jefferson Pinder and assisted by Kayleigh Bryant-Greenwell
Studio Sacrilege
Curated by Kayleigh Bryant-Greenwell
2014
Jarvis DuBois
Mentor Curator
Gia Harewood
Apprentice Curator
(in)Visible & (dis)Embodied
Curated by Jarvis DuBois and assisted by Gia Harewood
Baggage Claim
Curated by Gia Harewood
2013
Helen C. Fredrick
Mentor Curator
Jessica Pavone
Apprentice Curator
Fear Strikes Back
Curated by Helen C. Fredrick and assisted by Jessica Pavone
Non Serviam
Curated by Jessica Pavone
2012
Ellen Weiss and Sondra Arkin
Mentor Curators
Amanda Jirón-Murphy
Apprentice Curator
Zeitgiest; Too Much Information
Curated by Ellen Weiss and Sondra Arkin and assisted by Amanda Jirón-Murphy
Microscapes
Curated by Amanda Jirón-Murphy
2011
Isabel Manalo
Mentor Curator
Metasebia Yoseph
Apprentice Curator
Recollections
Curated by Isabel Manalo and assisted by Metasebia Yoseph
Organic Plasticity
Curated by Metasebia Yoseph
2010
Trudi Van Dyke
Mentor Curator
Pam Rogers
Apprentice Curator
Abstract Realities
Curated by Trudi Van Dyke and assisted by Pam Rogers
Elements
Curated by Pam Rogers
2009
Laura Roulet
Mentor Curator
Landria Shack
Apprentice Curator
Gift Exchange
Curated by Laura Roulet and assisted by Landria Shack
Poetics of Material
Curated by Landria Shack
2008
James Mahoney
Mentor Curator
Ellen Tani
Apprentice Curator
Astral Bodies
Curated by James Mahoney and assisted by Ellen Tani
Kid Mutiny
Curated by Ellen Tani
2006 - 2007
Margaret Boozer, Suzan Shown Harjo, Clare Huschle, James Mahoney, and Ori Sotles
Mentor Curators
Liz Flyntz, Lisa McCarty, Cara Ober, Anne Surak
Apprentice Curators
Hystoria (2006)
Curated by James Mahoney and assisted by Lisa McCarty
Space of Change (2006)
Curated by Margaret Boozer and Clare Huschle and assisted by Anne Surak
Sea to Shining Sea (2006)
Curated by Ori Sotles and assisted by Cara Ober
American Icons Through Indigenous Eyes (2007)
Curated by Suzan Shown Harjo and assisted by Liz Flyntz
American Idolatry (2007)
Curated by Anne Surak
By Change(2007)
Curated by Lisa McCarty
Jolly Cowboy (2007)
Curated by Cara Ober
Sloganeers (2007)
Cureated by Liz Flyntz