Decolonial Curatorial Methods: Impacts on Collections, Narratives, and Publics

Nyiramukama Diana Kashaka

Faculty of Education, Kampala International University, Uganda

                                                                                       ABSTRACT
This article examines decolonial curatorial methods and their transformative impacts on collections, exhibition narratives, and public engagement within cultural institutions. Grounded in postcolonial and decolonial theoretical frameworks, the study highlights how museums and related institutions are increasingly confronting their historical entanglements with colonialism and re-evaluating their roles as producers and custodians of knowledge. Decolonial curatorial practices are shown to operate across three key domains: the reframing of collections through provenance research, restitution, and shared stewardship; the reconstitution of exhibition narratives through multivocality, inclusive storytelling, and the integration of marginalized knowledge systems; and the reimagining of publics through participatory and community-driven approaches. The article further explores the ethical, institutional, and policy implications of these practices, including governance challenges, legal constraints, funding limitations, and risks of essentialism or performative decolonization. Drawing on case studies and emerging practices, it underscores the importance of epistemic justice, transparency, and collaboration in reshaping curatorial work. Ultimately, the paper argues that while decolonial curatorship offers significant opportunities for institutional transformation and social justice, its implementation requires sustained commitment, reflexivity, and structural change to ensure meaningful and lasting impact.

Keywords: Decolonial curatorship, Epistemic justice, Museum collections, Participatory curation, and Cultural heritage.

CITE AS: Nyiramukama Diana Kashaka (2026). Decolonial Curatorial Methods: Impacts on Collections, Narratives, and Publics. IDOSR JOURNAL OF ARTS AND HUMANITIES 12(1):11-21.
https://doi.org/10.59298/IDOSRJAH/2025/121112