Valerie Kabov is an educator, writer and researcher with over a decade of international experience of teaching, training and implementing projects in the field of art and audience engagement and intercultural dialogue. She is completing her doctorate in Art History and Cultural Policy at the University of Paris 1, Sorbonne, focusing on the relationship between cultural policy, audience engagement, interculturality, cultural economy and globalization in art. Valerie holds a Masters in Curatorship and Modern Art from the University of Sydney, as well as degrees in Law and Economics from the University of Melbourne, Australia. She combines academic research in art history and cultural policy with curatorial and educational projects and initiatives aimed at development of support for emerging and contemporary art by broader audiences.
She has lectured and trained at graduate, undergraduate levels as well as developing specialized educational programming for art professionals and broad audiences.
The overarching aim of her research and educational work is to support and to:
a) re-integrate contemporary art and artists into the broader social fabric;
b) enable artists and cultural managers to develop projects and programmes which genuinely engage and foster supportive audiences;
c) demonstrate how are can become a forum for intercultural dialogue and social cohesion at a crucial historical juncture, humanity is facing as a whole;
d) support development of viable careers and improve artist access to international opportunities through effective engagement with the art industry and through education.
Most recently, Valerie’s lecturing and teaching work has involved working as trainer as part of British Council’s Creative Enterprise Programme in Africa in Zimbabwe. She has delivered broad range of guest lectures internationally on the issues of audience engagement, globalisation and role of tradition in contemporary art. Since 2010 Valerie has been delivering in-service/continuing professional education courses and programmes, which she developed specifically for art educators and curators, under the EU Lifelong Learning Programme and Learning Partnerships focusing on art, intercultural dialogue and audience engagement. Valerie is the co-founder (in 2009) of First Floor Gallery in Harare, Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe’s first contemporary emerging artist run initiative (http://www.firstfloorgalleryharare.com), where she is the Director of Education and International Projects.
She has lectured and trained at graduate, undergraduate levels as well as developing specialized educational programming for art professionals and broad audiences.
The overarching aim of her research and educational work is to support and to:
a) re-integrate contemporary art and artists into the broader social fabric;
b) enable artists and cultural managers to develop projects and programmes which genuinely engage and foster supportive audiences;
c) demonstrate how are can become a forum for intercultural dialogue and social cohesion at a crucial historical juncture, humanity is facing as a whole;
d) support development of viable careers and improve artist access to international opportunities through effective engagement with the art industry and through education.
Most recently, Valerie’s lecturing and teaching work has involved working as trainer as part of British Council’s Creative Enterprise Programme in Africa in Zimbabwe. She has delivered broad range of guest lectures internationally on the issues of audience engagement, globalisation and role of tradition in contemporary art. Since 2010 Valerie has been delivering in-service/continuing professional education courses and programmes, which she developed specifically for art educators and curators, under the EU Lifelong Learning Programme and Learning Partnerships focusing on art, intercultural dialogue and audience engagement. Valerie is the co-founder (in 2009) of First Floor Gallery in Harare, Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe’s first contemporary emerging artist run initiative (http://www.firstfloorgalleryharare.com), where she is the Director of Education and International Projects.
