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An institution is defined by its ability to ask questions ... a report on the 2008 IKT congress in Montreal: renegotiating a critical curatorial practice in the face of new challenges.

Article Excerpt
When some 140 contemporary art curators met in Montreal for the 2008 International Association of Curators of Contemporary Art (IKT) Congress in May, it was the organization's first meeting outside Europe. IKT exists to stimulate innovation and debate within curatorial practice as well as to en gage with the evolving dynamics between the production, distribution and conservation of contemporary art. (1) Founded by the late Harald Szeeman, a highly regarded pioneer in curatorial practice, IKT will celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2009 and is the largest association of its kind, with a membership of more than 500 contemporary art curators, directors and cultural managers from non-profit exhibition spaces and museums as well as freelance curators, representing 50 countries.

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IKT began organizing international congresses on a regular and nomadic basis in 1994. It was at the 2005 meeting in Poland that Parachute Director Chantal Pontbriand proposed Montreal and Quebec City as host cities for the 2008 congress. (2) Pontbriand recognized that hosting the congress would provide an unprecedented opportunity for Canadian curators to connect to an international network and find potential partners for projects--something that is increasingly important given funding cuts like the slashing of the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade's discretionary Public Diplomacy budget that provided support to artists and curators presenting exhibitions abroad. (3) Bringing IKT to Montreal and Quebec in 2008 was ideal, as it coincided with the new Triennale quebecoise at the Musee d'art contemporain de Montreal, Manif d'art and the 400th anniversary of Quebec City. Hosting IKT also served to increase awareness of the organization in Canada and to attract new Canadian members (myself included) and to introduce international curators to some of their Canadian counterparts, artists and institutions. The well-orchestrated program interspersed a members' forum, panel discussion and annual general assembly with a charged itinerary of visits to Montreal exhibition spaces, vernissages, a "Situationist" bus tour of Montreal and a day trip to exhibitions in Quebec City. (4) There was ample time for networking and conversation over organized breakfasts, lunches and dinners, and when bussing between venues. During the members' forum held on the first full day, a mic was passed around the packed auditorium, inviting everyone to...

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