The artist as researcher and social change agent

Research restricted to a university? No way! At ArtEZ, you can also be fully involved in practicebased and practice-driven research. At the heart of this research lies the artist’s own practice.

Marjolijn Brussaard, Maarten Bremer, and Tamara Rumiantsev discuss research and the preparation of students for professional practice.

ArtEZ is not only a university of the arts, but also a knowledge institution with plenty of room for research. But what exactly should we picture in terms of research in the field of art education?

“Research in the arts is closely connected to the making process, reflecting on it and enabling the artist to gain a deeper insight into this making process,” Marjolijn explains. She is responsible for research as chair of the Executive Board.

But it can also contain a response to (big) social issues, such as climate change. The form in which this happens may not be immediately recognized as research: it could be a play or a dance performance, or a written text.

Interdisciplinary research

Tamara, director of Research and Valorisation at ArtEZ, agrees: “Indeed. What is special about practice-based artistic research is that the artist and the researcher are the same person. As a research-oriented artist, you can really delve into your own field of expertise, just because you know it inside and out and are working in it. By conducting this kind of research projects, you can further strengthen your profile in professional practice,” Tamara explains.

We also work closely with various other disciplines and partners, such as museums, art institutions, or designers. This makes it very interdisciplinary!

Students and professorships working together

At the various courses offered by ArtEZ, students and teachers work on their own research projects. Maarten is a member of the Executive Board and has ‘education’ as his focal point. Every day he sees the most beautiful cross-pollination between education and research every day. Maarten:

ArtEZ’s professorships are closely involved with education and students. The professorships help develop the curriculum and work together with bachelor’s and master’s students on their research projects: a truly unique way for students to gain research experience, and a chance for the professors to draw inspiration from the new generation of artists!

Photo: Eva Broekema