This seminar offers direct engagement with the Lower Manhattan nonprofit exhibition space Carriage Trade, as well as the broader cultural context within which it operates. Combining the non-commercial mission of a nonprofit, the programming flexibility of a small gallery, and the historical scope of a museum, Carriage Trade’s goal is to present an alternative to a market-based culture that focuses on artists’ individual achievements over larger social, political, and aesthetic concerns that might connect their work. Existing as an alternative to the primacy of one-person shows and art fairs, Carriage Trade presents primarily group exhibitions which link artists through the exploration of common themes while underlining historical precedents that might be found in their work. In the process of reviewing some of the exhibitions in the Carriage Trade’s fifteen-year history along with current projects and research, the gallery will serve as a starting point for discussions and readings on contemporary art and its relationship to larger social, political, and aesthetic issues. Through visits to New York City museums and galleries and the introduction of seminar participants to some of the artists, writers, and gallerists who play critical roles in NYC’s art community, Alternative Space, NYC will familiarize students with current issues and debates within contemporary art and discourse. The seminar will also consider the challenges of producing non-commercial cultural programming, issues of scale and alternatives to the consolidation of cultural production, and the possibilities for meaningful agency and participation through the pursuit of activities that propose alternatives to the cultural status quo.