# Curate

[View the designed case study](https://rbkh.design/projects/curate)

- **Role:** Co-creator, Design and Engineering

- **Scope:** iOS, Expo

- **Tenure:** 2017–???

- **Status:** Past work

## Overview

Co-creator, a social bookmarking app for art lovers and their friends.

## A lot of my friendships begin with art.

There's something really special about a shared appreciation for creative work. Music, film, television, literature... nothing makes me feel seen like finding someone else who already knows my "deep cuts," who recommends shows I love, or who shares new movies that remind me of my old favorites. Curate began with a desire to capture that magic.

![Curate project image](https://rbkh.design/projects/curate/curate-wires.png)

Most of my friendships are still scored by a steady stream of recommendations: *you've got to listen to this new album. Did you catch the new season? I read this and thought of you.* They're dropped into a conversation or message or dm, present for a moment, then lost to time as everyday chatting pushes them out of view.

![Curate project image](https://rbkh.design/projects/curate/curate-original.jpg)

The people I surround myself with could really use a dedicated space for these kind of recommendations. What if, the next time I had an evening and didn't know how to spend it, that list of experiences was waiting for me? At its most simple, that's what Curate is: a way for me and the people I trust to keep track of the art we share with one another. At its most ambitious, it lets *anyone* be that friend for people they'll never meet, spreading the art they love so everyone else can enjoy it too.

![Curate project image](https://rbkh.design/projects/curate/curate-v2.jpg)

My business partner John and I designed the core experience in late 2018 and I spent early 2019 prototyping the experience with React. I revisit it about once a year with a fresh eye and some new technology to try out, like building the core UI in React Native in early 2021 or rethinking the browsing experience in 2023.

![Curate project image](https://rbkh.design/projects/curate/curate-experiments.png)

I've set it aside for the time being, but the itch it scratches isn't going away.

> With [AI-powered dev tools](https://rbkh.design/popmelt) lowering the barrier to building in a big way, this concept is high on my weekend project hit list.