OPEN CALL: ACDF and Delfina Foundation applications to Bukhara Biennial Curatorial School

The Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation (ACDF) and Delfina Foundation are pleased to announce an open call for early-career curators to participate in the Curatorial School of the inaugural Bukhara Biennial starting next month. The BBBB Curatorial School will take place in Bukhara and will bring together six curators, three selected from Uzbekistan and three based in Asia, to experiment with new approaches to commissioning and exhibition-making. The programme culminates in a major exhibition in an international venue in Spring 2026, co-curated by the participants.

Commissioned by Gayane Umerova and led by Bukhara Biennial Artistic Director Diana Campbell, the BBBB Curatorial School is not a conventional academic environment; it is a collaborative and peer-driven platform designed to foster shared learning, critical reflection, and long-term professional relationships. Participants will gain unique access to the workings of a major biennial while exploring how exhibitions can respond meaningfully to their cultural and historical contexts, with an international faculty of visiting curators.

  • Applicants must be under the age of 30 at the time of application.
  • We welcome curators at various stages of their early career, including those finding their curatorial voice to those working with institutions or independently in grassroots/community settings.
  • Uzbek applicants may be based in Uzbekistan or abroad.
  • Applicants from Asia (including West Asia) must be currently based in Asia.
  • Selected curators must be available to attend all in-person sessions on the dates listed in the Guidance Notes. They must also be available to work on and install this project in Spring 2026.

For more information about the open call and residency, please read the Guidance Notes document.

To apply: Complete and submit the application form. We strongly recommend you read the Guidance Notes carefully before commencing an application.

Application deadline: Tuesday, 19 August, 23:59 BST