Art as Social Practice is a programme for artists of all disciplines who want to situate and expand their practice within social fields. How can artistic practices connect with the concerns of cultural, socio-cultural and political education and their existing pedagogical and systemic dimensions? How can we generate and weave alternative knowledge in collective artistic processes?
The programme invites participants to discuss the hopes and challenges of artistic processes in social practices together with other practitioners and guest lecturers, and to imagine future forms of working and relating across different groups of knowledge.
Art as social practice takes place in a variety of constellations and moves within different political and social contexts and their specific conditions. Exemplary fields of work are collaborations with schools and daycare centres, neighbourhood work, artistic work with different age and interest groups, actionist interventions and many more. Initiating and moderating participation and collaboration as artistic processes in these different contexts requires not only a high degree of sensitivity and interprofessional understanding from artists, but also a great deal of inventiveness in order to encounter different settings and groups of knowledge.
The programme invites artists who already have some initial experience working artistically in social fields or cultural education. In the framework of five dialogue-oriented modules, the programme offers the opportunity to learn from and with guest lecturers from different contexts of cultural, socio-cultural and socio-political work and to exchange ideas about their own practices and disciplines. In addition to studying transferable skills and teaching tools and strategies, the programme aims to stimulate exchange and networking between arts practitioners and (para-)institutional structure and to create a platform for collaboration. As a complement to an artistic Master's degree or an artistic practice recognised as equivalent, Art as Social Practice imparts knowledge and (self-)awareness to enable artists to cooperate on an equal footing and responsibly with actors and institutions of societal and social contexts as well as within fields of cultural education.
Art as Social Practice is being initiated and supported by Crespo Foundation and offered by the Hessian Theatre Academy and the Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts in dialogue with the Hessian art academies and is aimed at artists of all disciplines. In distinction to a formal degree, the programme serves as a platform for exchange and networking in an experimental sense, enabling free discourse with experts and colleagues and equipping artists with more self-confidence and ability to act in cooperation with educational and art institutions.
Art as Social Practice will be launched for the first time in October 2023 as a pilot programme. Between October 2023 and March 2024 participants will meet in the context of five modules lasting several days (see below for dates) at various locations in Frankfurt, Hesse and the surrounding area. Suitable accommodation will be provided and travel expenses will be reimbursed as part of a lump sum. Between the modules there will be a series of awareness-raising trainings (online) as well as independent work on artistic project designs.
Dates:
MODULE 1 (LISTENING) 20.-22.10.2023
MODULE 2 (CONTEXTS) 16 - 19.11.2023
MODULE 3 (STRATEGIES) 14 - 17.12.2023
MODULE 4 (IN-DEPTH STUDIES) 17-21.1.2024
MODULE 5 (CONCLUSION) 8 - 10.3.2024
To participate, please apply by 3rd of July 2023 with the following documents:
The application can be submitted in writing (as one pdf document not exceeding 10 MB) or as an audio or video message. If you are submitting videos or audios, upload them to Vimeo or YouTube or SoundCloud and send us the respective links. Please send your application documents to bewerbung_at_kunstalssozialepraxis.de.
There will be an Info Zoom for those interested on 24th of May 2023 at 5pm, Link sent on request.
Where possible and necessary, suitable accommodation will be provided and travel costs to attend the modules will be reimbursed. The programme will take place in German and English spoken language as agreed. The venues are still being planned and will be wheelchair accessible if possible. Unlearning ableist and discriminatory structures is part of the curriculum; nevertheless, the programme still acts in a world that continues to dis-able. We rely on feedback to break down existing barriers. If you need assistance or support, or have questions about or feedback on accessibility, please be in touch via info_at_kunstalssozialepraxis.de.
Frida Laux, frida.laux_at_hfmdk-frankfurt.de