Self-organisation in Contemporary Arts
Summary
Self-organisation in Contemporary Arts is a new online course for artistic practitioners, curators, creative producers, organisers and hybrid practitioners across art forms. The course explores self-organisation as a contemporary artistic practice through shared discussion, critical reflection and project-based work. Participants will develop and test a proposal of their own.
About
What are the conditions for self-organisation — and its imaginaries — in a world intent on deepening exclusions and divisions, reducing access and justifying extraction and assimilation, whilst revering individualism by celebrating elitism and vindicating those already in positions of domination to consolidate their power further?
With its roots in paradigms of refusal and resistance; independence, alternativity, secession and disassociation; and in practices that foster operative solidarities, how is self-organisation now being imagined, and under what conditions? With its focus on co-working, the sharing of knowledge and resources, and its diversification from traditional artistic skills towards models and structures of organising otherwise, can self-organisation be understood as an artistic practice?
This course will provide a platform for participants to co-learn through debating and deliberating on these types of questions. During the course, participants will explore self-organisational practices and skills by developing and testing a project proposal.
Examination
Participants are examined via:
- a presentation on why artists self-organise in relation to political, cultural, and social conditions
- a report that reflects on their own explorations of skillsets of self-organisation
- a written proposal developed and tested over the course that situates their practices within self-organisation
Post-study:
Participants will be equipped to analyse and communicate the conditions and relevance of self-organisation; argue whether self-organisation may be understood as an artistic practice; identify and apply skillsets to continue working with self-organisation.Self-organisation in Contemporary Arts is taught by Jason E. Bowman and Dr. Kerry Guinan. Guests will include Dr. Julie Crawshaw, Dr. Dave Beech, and The Otolith Group.This course is an affiliated initiative of the Centre for Art and Political Imaginaries, CAPIm.
Practicalities
- The course is taught in English online via Zoom.
- It consists of presentations, seminars, workshops, open forums, group and individual tutorials.
- The course runs from 31 August 2026 to 28 March 2027. Dates for the course will be published closer to the application period.
- There will be an option to attend a conference and exhibition on self-organisation at Liverpool John Moores University (UK) from 27–29 November 2026 at the student’s own expense.
- You will require reliable internet access and headphones with a microphone.
Prerequisites and selection
Entry requirements
Bachelor's Degree of at least 180 credits or the equivalent knowledge. Applicants must prove their knowledge of English: English 6, English B or English level 2 from Swedish Upper Secondary School or the equivalent level of an internationally recognised test, for example TOEFL, IELTS.
Special instructions for application
- Apply via universityadmissions.se. Deadline April 15, 2026.
- Submit a Letter of intent via SlideRoom. Deadline April 15, 2026.
- Submit documentation proving you meet the entry requirements of the course on universityadmissions.se (Bachelor's Degree of at least 180 credits or equivalent and English 6/English B from Swedish Upper Secondary School or the equivalent level of an internationally recognized English test, for example TOEFL, IELTS. Deadline June 18, 2026.
Letter of intent
The letter of intent should consist of a short, clear and coherent statement on the relevance of the course to your interests and experiences. The letter should be written in English.
Your application must be anonymous. Please do not include your name or any personal information in your application.
Your application will be assessed based on the following criteria
- The clarity and coherence of the letter of intent as a written statement of the applicant’s interests in the course; and
- The applicant’s ability to position their interests and experiences in relation to the course description and its thematic focus.
Prior learning and exemption
If you do meet the formal entry requirements, you may be able to qualify through other knowledge and experience. You can apply to have this knowledge and experience recognised as prior learning.
Applying for assessment of prior learning
Please note that the application must be received by the application deadline.
Selection
The selection is based on a submitted Letter of Intent.
