Art as Social Practice

Art as Social Practice is an interdisciplinary continuing education program for artists of all disciplines who wish to situate or further develop their work within social, public, or political contexts. The program is aimed at artists who work with groups, neighborhoods, educational institutions, social service organizations, initiatives, or other social actors, or who wish to engage more deeply with social fields in the future.

The focus is on artistic practices that have an impact in social contexts—such as collaborative projects, participatory formats in public spaces, artistic interventions in social institutions, or long-term collaborations with local communities. The program combines artistic practice, reflection, and collective learning in five multi-day modules. It offers space to refine one’s own working methods, experiment with new formats, and network with colleagues.

 In terms of content, the cohort is closely linked to the artistic-scholarly research priorities

1. Materializing the Political,

2. Inventing Learning and

3. Shaping Social Conditions.

The artistic leadership team works in parallel with these questions at the intersection of art and social fields and continuously incorporates these insights into the modules..

The three artistic-academic research positions will be advertised shortly. If you are interested, you can sign up for our career newsletter: Sign up

 The Program:

• Five multi-day modules
• Certificate program worth 10 ECTS credits
• Close integration of continuing education and artistic research
• Free participation
• Coverage or organization of travel, accommodation, and meal expenses within the scope of the modules
• Participation requires a binding commitment to all modules.

Initiated and funded by the Crespo Foundation, “Art as Social Practice” is offered at Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences in collaboration with the Center for Continuing Education and Human Resources Development (WAkE), the Hessian Theater Academy, and the Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts.

The program consists of five modules and supplementary formats:

 Module 1: Listening

Coming together, perceiving, and finding our place. Working on attention, context, and relationship-building.

Module 2: Materializing the Political

Artistic practice as a concrete engagement with social situations, imaginations, and participation.

Module 3: Inventing Learning

Learning as a shared practice. Developing formats in which knowledge emerges through action, in order to address uncertainty regarding learning objectives and a lack of future prospects.

Module 4: Shaping Social Conditions

Interaction and intervention by and with artistic projects in the social field, focusing on conditions for success and challenges, as well as their long-term integration into networks, institutions, and local structures.

Module 5: Taking Root

Reflection, visibility within the network, and further development of one’s own practice.

Support Formats - Supporting You

Monthly Consultations

Consultation hours with the program directors and the artistic research centers, individual support for projects, practical career questions, and content development.

Taking Root – Alumni Meeting

Annual meeting of the current cohort and alumni for exchange, collaborative work, and networking.

What the program offers

•  Five multi-day modules featuring guest lecturers and artistic researchers
•  Opportunities for exchange, reflection, and the development of artistic practice
•  Individual mentoring
•  Networking with artists, alumni, and (para-)institutional structures
•  Integration into a growing network at the intersection of art, education, and social practice
•  Insight into ongoing artistic-scholarly projects and their conditions

Accessibility and compatibility

We aim to make participation in the program as accessible as possible. Please let us know of any specific needs when you apply.

These may include:

• Language needs
• Needs regarding sign language interpretation or other forms of support
• Accessibility needs at the event venues
• Needs related to childcare or bringing children who require care
• Other organizational requirements for participation

We will do our best to find suitable solutions within the scope of our possibilities.

Application

Please send us your application materials in a single PDF file (max. 10 MB):

• A brief statement of purpose, including a description of your previous experience (max. 1 page)
• Artistic CV
• Portfolio / samples of work featuring two projects from social, participatory, or public contexts, as well as two projects from your own artistic practice, or relevant links to samples of work (max. 10 pages)

Send application materials to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Selection Criteria

In the selection process, we pay particular attention to:

• The quality and originality of your artistic practice
• Initial experience in social, participatory, educational, or public contexts
• Interest in reflection, collaboration, and professional development
• Fit with the program and availability for all modules