In its current structure the Urban Media Art Academy offers educational intensives in various artistic, practical and intellectual environments around the world. Programs are developed in partnerships with local arts and culture organizations, city labs and universities and designed for the specific local context and its urgencies. Programs combine readings, keynotes, lectures, field trips, seminars, workshops, and public symposia. The methodology will include participatory design and co-creation processes.
GOALS
The Academy has three main goals:
- Research the histories and further theoretical knowledge on urban media art (and its related aesethetic fields) as a domain of criticality, experimentation and facilitator of a supplementary state of mediation in today’s complex media context.
- Advance inquiry and practice with urban media art to facilitate and intermediate co-creation processes and methodologies for city making and urban change.
- Further knowledge, practice and network in this domain in local and global contexts.
CURRICULA
The curricula of the Urban Media Art Academy examine and facilitate knowledge production about urban media art as an aesthetic interference with current and potentially future urban environments. The curricula introduce participants to internationally oriented historical and theoretical knowledge on urban media art in a combination of artistic, creative, technological and curatorial practices. The UMAA curricula combine learning on urban media art histories, urban theory, curatorial inquiries and criticality as well as ‘knowledge from the field’ gathered via field trips, studio visits and conversations with professionals.
Each program develops between theory, practice and network and presents a curriculum designed for the specific urban context and theme in between the topical pillars of critical inquiry, creative technologies and city making.
- Theory – urban media art history, philosophy and inquiry with learning in aesthetic theories on temporary and media-based art forms; philosophies on space, time and perception; curatorial theories and approaches; and methodologies for artistic research and aesthetic inquiry.
- Practice – from conceptualisation to practical realisation of an artwork or exhibition including learning on creative technologies as well as urban interfaces, sensing technologies, data generation, motion tracking, media architecture, screen infrastructures, streaming technologies, real-time technologies. Approaches derive from methodologies from artistic research, concept development, curatorial practice, co-design, prototyping and design thinking.
- Network – methodologies and perspectives for creative city making and urban change in a networked reality in consideration of sharing cultures and economies.
LEARNING EXPERIENCE
The program offers a high-level international learning experience:
- Examining issues related to urban media art from their historical depths to future scenarios
- Employing methodologies and practical approaches from different disciplines such as artistic research, curatorial practice, cultural practices and community engagement, methods for city making, experiments with creative technologies.
- Offering participants, partners and faculty to enter a global network related to the field of urban media art
PARTICIPANTS
Participants (students) come from many groups, both university students, professionals from architecture, art and media production, design, and established artists. After completion of a program, students receive a certificate and gain membership with the UMAA Global Network.