From November 7, 2024 – January 5, 2025, The Arlington Museum of Art collaborates with the University of Texas Arlington for a juried show in the HELP Center Gallery, juried by Emily Edwards. Emily is an Associate Curator for Dallas Contemporary. She is really excited about the AMA | UTA Annual Juried Exhibition Fall 2024 because she thinks it is a fantastic opportunity to be exposed to so many of the students and their work. She is inspired by the different perspectives coming together and how each student interprets their ideas in this show. She, along with UTA and AMA, is looking forward to connecting with students and celebrating the amazing artistic community at UTA.
Everyone has a unique journey of getting to where they are now. Sometimes all it takes is for one person to believe in you or introduce you to new ideas. For Emily’s case, her journey to becoming a curator first sparked when she was in high school. Though she had always had a passion for art, it wasn’t until she took an AP Art History class, where her teacher taught her how curators are ‘storytellers through visual art.’ From that moment, she was hooked on the idea.
Emily went on to study Art History at the University of Texas in Austin. She took contemporary art history courses that solidified her desire and passion to work with living artists. After accomplishing her undergrad, her first job took place in the curatorial department at the 9/11 Memorial Museum. This learning experience only deepened her interest in how art engages with contemporary socio-political issues. Once she graduated from UT Austin, she pursued a Master of Arts in Art History and Museum Studies at Georgetown University. She joined the Dallas Contemporary as a curator six years ago, and has loved it ever since.
One of her missions is to work with artists who are committed to substantive social change. Her focus is on artists who use their practice to not only propose solutions, but to create positive ripple effects in our community. One of her proudest achievements at the Dallas Contemporary was when she curated an exhibition with Gabrielle Goliath, featuring her 
powerful multi-channel video and audio work titled, Chorus. This project addresses the crisis of sexual violence in both South Africa and across the globe. What started with discussions with Gabrielle over the course of several years, blossomed into something beautiful. Emily was driven to bring Gabrielle’s work to Dallas, and when she finally made it happen, it was a monumental experience. Chorus resonated deeply with the community and sparked important conversations.
The opportunity to work closely with individual artists to help bring their creative visions to life is her favorite part of being a curator. For her, it is a rewarding experience to collaborate with each individual and see how their ideas transform into an exhibition that can inspire others. On the flip side, one of the challenges she faces is securing funding for shows. Locating the necessary resources in order to fully realize an artist’s vision can be a challenge. With this said, Emily finds that overcoming these obstacles makes the final outcome even more fulfilling.
Emily has curated over a dozen different exhibitions both at Dallas Contemporary and other outside opportunities. Though she has had many moments of fulfillment throughout her career thus far, she strives to keep pushing forward. Each show has been a milestone that she cherishes and uses to motivate her.
As she looks ahead towards the future, one of her big goals is to curate more international shows. She seeks to develop an exhibition that travels to different sites outside of Dallas. She is proud of the journey, and excited to see where these opportunities take her too next.
“I believe sharing art across diverse communities can create powerful connections.”
About Our Partnership with UTA
Over the years, The Arlington Museum of Art and The University of Texas Arlington have fostered many different collaborations and projects together. Formulating and growing a strong foundation for the arts and culture in Arlington. Some of our collaborations include student internships, our CREATE COLLAB project with Dr. Erika Pribanic-Smith, community-based exhibitions, the list goes on.
AMA | UTA Annual Juried Exhibition Fall 2024 will be open November 8, 2024 – January 5, 2025. Admission is free to the public.
