Micro-Curating:The Role of SVAOs (Small Visual Arts Organisations) in the History of Exhibition-Making

The present paper discusses the emergence and development of Small Visual Arts Organisa- tions (SVAOs) in various parts of the world from the 1990s to the present. SVAOs are structur- ally small, non-profit spaces that are dedicated both to the production and to the dissemination of contemporary art. They are characterised by their interest in the local community in which they are located, as well as in diverse urban issues ranging from new technologies to the social art practices in their cities. In spite of the potential practical and ideological similarities with artist-run spaces, community arts organisations, and New Institutions, I argue that SVAOs are a curatorial phenomenon in their own right and, as such, represent a missing piece in the recent history of exhibition making.