Artistic and Cultural Orientation
Pre-study program for migrants interested in studying the arts
The single-semester program Artistic and Cultural Orientation (ACO) of the Hochschule für bildende Künste Hamburg (University of Fine Arts, HFBK) was for asylum seekers and refugees who were interested in artistic and/or design issues related to film, photography/graphic art, design, and painting/sculpture who may later wish to apply to study fine arts from 2016-2018.
In a seminar, 20 programme participants engaged theoretically with the thought traditions of Western art, culture and society and tried out practical forms of work from local art academies in artistic workshops with HFBK alumni. Presentations of the main areas of study gave an insight into the various methodological and media approaches of the HFBK, and subject-specific counselling enabled a targeted approach to individual educational biographies.
A mentor system complemented the programme, i.e. enrolled HFBK art students accompanied programme participants throughout the semester, helping them to find their way around the university, giving them an impression of everyday life at the university, answering practical questions and helping them to get to know the art scene.
Excursions and guided tours focussing on contemporary art life in Hamburg contributed to a better understanding of the surroundings and culture. At the end of the one-semester programme, a final documentation (exhibition and/or publication) took place, which made the experiences and results of the exchange visible to the public.
The courses were predominantly held in German. German as a foreign language courses were therefore also part of the programme.
Another component of the programme was the lecture series Cross-Cultural Challenges with artists, theorists and curators who brought with them a non-European perspective and their own particular aesthetic strategies for dealing with current events. This was aimed at all members of the university and promoted the discourse on cultural transfers and different "schools of seeing"
Important information
Please note that the program is halted for the time being.
Contact
Program coordinator
- Sabine Boshamer
- Room:145a Le
- Phone: +49 40 42 89 89-205
- Mail:sabine.boshamer@hfbk.hamburg.de