July 5–17, 2026
New York NY 10075
USA
T +1 646 405 8067
info@cclcurators.org
The Center for Curatorial Leadership (CCL) is pleased to introduce the 2026 cohort of the CCL/Mellon Foundation Seminar in Curatorial Practice. Now entering its twelfth year, the Seminar brings together twelve exceptional students from across the US to explore the evolving roles and responsibilities of museums today.
The 2026 cohort will convene in person in New York City for an intensive two-week program this July. Through one-on-one mentorship, Columbia Business School coursework, conversations with leaders across the field, and site visits to a wide range of museums and art institutions, participants will gain insight into the many facets of curatorial practice.
With the support of the Mellon Foundation, CCL remains committed to providing advanced graduate students with the knowledge, experience, and professional networks needed to pursue careers in museums. This year’s cohort represents eight universities, including three that are new to CCL, and a wide range of scholarly interests, including Contemporary Caribbean art, Islamic art, 18th century French art, Contemporary African art, and more. Together, the cohort brings a dynamic range of expertise and research that will continue to shape and strengthen the field.
CCL is delighted to welcome the 2026 Seminar cohort into our network and looks forward to following their future accomplishments.
The 2026 seminar participants, listed alphabetically, are: Danielle Burke, University of Wisconsin-Madison / Isabel Elson-Enriquez, CUNY Graduate Center / Rodrigo Guzman-Serrano, Cornell University / Ava Hess, University of California Los Angeles / Jennifer Laffick, Southern Methodist University / Cen Liu, CUNY Graduate Center / Kimia Maleki, Johns Hopkins University / Mirella Maria, University of Wisconsin-Madison / María de Lourdes Mariño Fernandez, Temple University / Heather Nickels, Columbia University / Kale Serrato Doyen, University of Pittsburgh / Gabriella Shypula, Stony Brook University.
To learn more about the program visit here.
