Foreword by the Dean Imagine your future, the future of art and the future of the ever-changing world. What does the creative stage look like? How do we collaborate and develop new art? How do you develop your professional foundation in such a way, that you, as an artist and/or an art educator can contribute to this world? The future is there for those artists and art educators who can embrace change, who are confident and explorative in the creative field and who practice their skills profoundly. FHK wants to offer you an inspiring environment in which you can develop the skills you need to succeed in a rapidly changing society. We want you to discover not only the richness of your talent, but also the social and environmental impact of your actions and practices. Therefor FHK is going to invest in interdisciplinary learning, in exploring social involvement and in building an international learning community. FHK needs partners to achieve this mission and you as a student are an important partner in this. We will challenge and test your ideas and we will give you opportunities to challenge FHK and the world we share. Karen Neervoort, Dean Fontys School of Fine and Performing Arts, Tilburg Positioning between goals and reality On May 17th a group of 30 students from different departments at the Fontys School of Fine and Performing Arts (FHK) in Tilburg gathered for an evening to reflect on the school’s three recently chosen strategic goals. During the passed year the management, tutors and administration have worked on defining what these goals could and should be. But they had until now discussed these goals only to some extent with the students of the academy. The three goals are defined as follows: FHK provides structural interdisciplinary cross-bordered education. Gives shape to its social involvement through education in co-creation with a hybrid (work) environment. is an international learning community.
A new phase has started. The school is looking how we can translate these goals into a reality, into the way tutors and students work, learn and interact at this school. The aim is to achieve this through co-creation and dialogue with peers, communities and partners around the world and in Tilburg. But before doing so, it is important to learn more about how the students feel about these goals and how they imagine their future as artists, educators and practitioners. This future perspective in term influences the outlook and organization of education at the academy. Thus the co-creation session was about finding out, discussing with each other and learning from the students how their perspective on the school’s future is. The evening consisted of two parts. The first, and that will take up the main part of this publication, was an exercise coming from the domain of the performing arts, dance to be specific, and is called ‘positioning’. In the next pages you will find 40 statements which moderator Dirk Dumon (lecturer Dance department) shared with the students. The statements reflect on the strategic goals, questioning and opposing, making fun of them and reinforcing them. The students responded to the statements by voting with their feet, positioning themselves in a triangular space. They could answer three things: Yes, No and Not sure.
e Yes r u s t o N No
It created an openness and physical manifestation of how the students sometimes thought very similar and at other times had opposing opinions. It ensured for quite some debate about topics ranging from social involvement, the possibility of a nomadic academy, the love of disciplines (and their collaboration), the local vs. international outlook of the school and to what extent students feel at home at the academy and feel comfortable with the strategic goals. What do they mean for them? How do they look at the future? What does it mean for the school to make these goals a reality? In the second part of the evening Kai van Hasselt, (associate lecturer on design thinking) asked the students to come up with pilot projects around their ideas on the strategic goals. The students came up with four concepts, which they presented in small groups and on which they voted. The description and the results you will find in the final part of this booklet. It should be noted that the goal around interdisciplinarity played a part in all four concepts and was voted as the number one goal with a clear majority. We would like to conclude with thanking the participating students for sharing their insights with each other and with us and for reflecting on the academy’s future based upon their experiences and wishes for the art academy in the 21ste century. Karen Neervoort, Dean of FHK introduced the need for the three goals; What follows are the 40 statements and their voting results. Thereafter you will find the four student concepts briefly described as well as rated in terms of priority and impact. Dirk Dumon & Kai van Hasselt, facilitators session
I 64% Yes
28 Not s
8% sure
love 8% No
. t n a b a r B
l o v I e I
love
52% Yes
16 Not s
. l a v a arn
e C
6% sure
32% No
I feel at
hom 76% Yes
at
20 Not s
me 4% No
the academy.
0% sure
Our 8% Yes
a trans
68 Not s
academy is
sparent academy.
8% sure
24% No
recom d l u o Iw
this 80% Yes
to others.
20 Not s
mmend
s academy
.
0% sure
0% No
to others.
k o o l I 92% Yes
8% Not s
forward to
% sure
0% No
the future.
I see clear develop 52% Yes
the future
32 Not s
pments towards of the
2% sure
16% No
academy.
Can interdis 60% Yes
24 Not s
sciplinarity be 16% No
taught?
4% sure
Interdisciplina is esse 88% Yes
future d
4% Not s
arity ential for my
8% No
developmen
% sure
t.
Should interdisciplin 60% Yes
of your futu
24 Not s
narity be a t r a p core 16% No
ure ? m u l u c i r r u c
4% sure
I love my discpline 36% Yes
24 Not s
more
40% No
. s r e h t o n a th
4% sure
Interdisci
14% Yes
middle nam
48 Not s
iplinarity
me.
8% sure
is my 28% No
When two di work togethe is more 60% Yes
than the su
28 Not s
isciplines er the result 12% No
um of the parts.
8% sure
I have no 4% Yes
interdiscip
20 Not s
76% No
time for
plinarity.
0% sure
m a I
able
to ma
48% Yes
from one discipline to
24 Not s
ake transfers
o another.
4% sure
28% No
i l p i c s i d r e t In p 12% Yes
are a waste o
20 Not s
y r ina projects at the school
of time.
0% sure
68% No
pro vid es K FH interd 16% Yes
20 Not s
s structural disciplinary cross-border
0% sure
64% No
education.
e v a h I 28% Yes
a good und of social in
56 Not s
derstanding nvolvement in the arts. 6%
sure
16% No
In 32% Yes
practice I am socia
34 Not s
y l i a d my
ally
4% sure
24% No
involved.
We
16% Yes
socially
28 Not s
are a
involved
school.
8% sure
56% No
Socia
68% Yes
new . k c a l b
16 Not s
al involvement is the
6% sure
16% No
Social inv 20% Yes
72 Not s
volvement is the new
2% sure
8% No
. n e e gr
By focusing o social 12% Yes
losing our
36 Not s
on our involvement we are
52% No
artistry.
6% sure
I have a of whe 8% Yes
4% Not s
clear idea ere I will work 88% No
in the future.
% sure
I have a clear of how 32% Yes
20 Not s
r idea w I will 48% No
work in the future.
0% sure
I love to co-cre 68% Yes
20 Not s
eate.
0% sure
12% No
56% Yes
32 Not s
I am a
12% No
co-creator.
2% sure
Co-creat is the futu 20% Yes
56 Not s
ting ure of the arts.
6% sure
24% No
Co-creatin 0% Yes
is killing
12 Not s
ng 88% No
imagination.
2% sure
As a stude academy I fe 28% Yes
of an in learning
12 Not s
ent in this eel part
nternational community.
2% sure
60% No
My teache
En 40% Yes
(enough)
40 Not s
ers speak
nglish well.
0% sure
20% No
I would like 72% Yes
20 Not s
e to
0% sure
work abroad.
8% No
I would lov 32% Yes
in Belgium.
52 Not s
ve to
2% sure
work 16% No
My body 56% Yes
28 Not s
is 16% No
international.
8% sure
My mind 4% Yes
28 Not s
thinks . y l l a n o i t a n
8% sure
68% No
My future w l l i w 48% Yes
. d e t a t orien
32 Not s
work y l e l b a c o l g
2% sure
20% No
My e c i t c a r p 68% Yes
will be
32 Not s
artistic
0% No
. c i d a nom
2% sure
e r u t u ef
h t of 48% Yes
would be nomad
32 Not s
My dream y m e d a c a
a dic academy.
2% sure
20% No
My academy internat 48% Yes
. d e t a t n orie
28 Not s
is tionally
8% sure
24% No
Concepts: After the positioning sessions, the students divided in four groups. They discussed what was important for them from the discussed statements. This resulted in four concept or pilot projects. From each group two students presented to the others, whilst the rest of the group visited the other groups. In this way all students learned about each other’s plans. We concluded with ranking the presented pilot projects in order of priority and of potential impact on the school, with the help of two questions: With which project would you start if you were the school? (Priority) Which project has the most impact on making the strategic goals a reality? (Impact) The four projects were ranked as follows: Name project
Average priority
Ranking priority
Average impact
Ranking impact
Trinity
2,2
2
2,6
3
People
2,8
4
2,9
Shopping Student-like
2,1 2,3
1 3
2,5 1,9
4 2
More students filled in the ranking for priority than for impact, due to that not everyone understood the difference and/ or that it were two different questions. Thus the ranking for priority should receive most attention. It should also be noted that the average priority ranking given to the concepts Trinity, Shopping and Student-like did not differ so much and that the difference with the People concept was relatively bigger, than the difference between the three mutual concepts. We also asked the students to rank or prioritise the school’s three strategic goals. Twenty or more students filled in the question and the answers read as follows: Average priority
Ranking priority
Interdisciplinarity
1,4
1
Social involvement
2 2,5
2 3
Int. learning community
1
Interdisciplinarity is the key strategic goal with the most priority according to the students. At the same time, during the positioning exercise we noticed that this does not mean that it does not create a debate or difference of opinion or understanding. The students stated that they would like to know more about what the school exactly understands when it speak about working and studying an interdisciplinary way. To a lesser extent this goes for all three strategic goals. They are there, they are outspoken, but they are also multi-interpretable and not only because of their Dutch-English translation but also because of the many things they refer to or want to capture; they mean more different things to different persons. That forms a hurdle to work with them in the future and in the end for their realization. And thus, as Karen Neervoort responded to the students at the roundup of the evening, the session made much clear to her about how and what they think about the goals and consequently what (kind of) work the management of the school has to do to take these goals further. Below follow brief descriptions of the student concepts.
Group 1 Trinity Step 1) The Meeting. A network evening: informal, wearing badges to highlight disciplines. Step 2) The Proposal. Write a proposal including artists, equipment and budget necessary to make your project. Give good practice to the professional field, as many artists have to apply to festivals or for funding. If the proposal is good and the budget realistic, the funding is given to the project. Step 3) The Show. A space is provided for showing the finished projects. A prize (such as a place at a festival) is given to the most promising project. Main points: It is not obligatory; therefore only students who are enthusiastic about it take part. Incentives to take part: Meet new people, get your project funded, a chance to go to a festival (we thought about incorporating the international element and it could be an international festival), a chance and space to create and explore. Incentives for school: Get promising and high-quality projects, students develop skills in creating, co-creating, money is spent only on students who are enthusiastic and want to develop themselves, everyone is given a fair and equal chance in applying. Notes by Hannah Rogerson
Group 2 People No description available
Group 3 Shopping A short description of the idea called ‘Shopping’ centres on allowing FHK students to temporarily immerse themselves in an unknown environment within the larger Fontys group of schools. For instance a dance student spending a week with students of Fontys Electrical Engineering in Eindhoven, learning everything about their world, if this is somehow of interest for the student. Basically this would allow the students to learn whatever they want to learn, outside of the framework of their discipline. It could give way to new connections and collaborations. Notes by Kars Helderman
Group 4 Student-like Our group’s concept introduced the interdisciplinary idea very early (even on admission exams) and mainly on the introduction day as an example of what will be expected of them during their study at the FHK. During their first and second year, the students could be obligated to bare witness to an interdisciplinary project and may be allowed to prepare and perform one of their own at the end of the school year. And perhaps on the third or fourth year they may be required to do so. This concept comes from the idea that the first (and sometimes second) year students may not yet necessarily know what they want and if interdisciplinary is their style. One of the details of our concepts (which coincides perfectly with the first group’s idea) was to organize a “speed date” or a “FHK get to know each other” event were all FHK students get to meet each other and have the opportunity to exchange ideas for future collaborations. One can learn more about the details of this from group 1. Notes by Xavier Geerman
List of participating students: Kars Helderman, Rockacademie Kinga Szilรกgyi, Master of music Celeste Engel, Conservatory Veronica Della Ventura, Master of Architecture Elysia Mc Mullen, Dance Academy
Melissa Sipma, ABV
Hannah Rogerson, Dance Academy
Simone Steeghs, ABV
Laurens van Genderen, ABV
Thulani Rachia, exchange student ArtCoDe
Tess Brekelmans, Dance Academy
Stefano Andreottola, exchange student ArtCoDe Richard Meeuws, ABV
Lucia, exchange student ArtCoDe
Laila el Bazi, Dance Academy
Nick van Kuipers, Muziektheater Klassiek
Anthony Lubbers, Conservatory
Jet Pronk, ABV
Romany van Tienen, ABV
Femke de Jager, Theater
Anneriche Geert, Danseducatie
Iris de Vries, ABV Xavier Geerman, Conservatorium
Marco, exchange student ArtCoDe
Laura Jonkers, Danseducatie Dylan Holly, Dance Academy
Maaike de Haard, Artcode
Colophon: Concept and texts: Dirk Dumon, Kai van Hasselt and Karen Neervoort. Graphic design: Miquel Hervás Gómez. Printed and bound it at the Gerrit Rietveld Academie. Many thanks to all participating students and to Mariëlle Hulshof, Ingeborg Vugs, Jur van der Lecq and Herma Tuunter for their support to realize this session. © School of Fine and Performing Arts, Tilburg, May-June 2016