K U N S T P O D I U M T:
T A L E N T D E V E L O P M E N T A C R O S S T H E B O A R D
1. De Nieuwe Vincent
Target group: children between 9 and 14
The reasoning for the title ‘De Nieuwe Vincent’ lies on the fact that Vincent van Gogh had his first drawing lesson at the place now called Vincent’s drawing room
De Nieuwe Vincent is a talent development programme for children in primary education and secondary schools, and is sustained through collaboration between Kunstpodium T and Vincent’s Drawing Room.
In 2014-15, 80 Noord-Brabant educational classes participated in the project, they had an intensive talent programme including several workshops and visits to art studios and museums. At the end of the year De Nieuwe Vincent will close with an exhibition at Het Noordbrabants Museum in Den Bosch, in honour of the year of Van Gogh. And In 2016 the De Nieuwe Vincent project will go national.
> Jan Naaijkens award junior
In December 2015 a winner will be chosen from the participants of the De Nieuwe Vincent project. The Noord-Brabants Genootschap offers the Jan Naaijkens Award Junior to the De Nieuwe Vincent. The award includes a sum of money, which can be used to develop his or her talents further, and a workshop with an Apprentice that the young students will choose from the Apprentice/Master project.
2. Apprentice/Master junior pilot)
Target group: secondary school graduate students
Kunstpodium T is currently working on the development of an Apprentice/Master junior project. A pilot of this project will be executed together with 'De Nieuwste School' in Tilburg, this year. Graduate students from this particular school with a specific interest in the arts can apply. During their graduation year the students will work towards an exhibition in Kunstpodium T. Together with their fellow students they will choose one Dutch Master artist from the Apprentice/Master exhibitions. The ‘master artist’ of this new exhibition will be an ex-apprentice from the previous season. In collaboration with the master they will then work towards a group exhibition at Kunstpodium T.
3. Apprentice/Master project
Target group: talented, graduating art students (BA/MA) from European art schools
For eight years, Kunstpodium T has organised the Apprentice/Master project (previously: Leerling/Meester project), a Tilburg initiative that has aspired to bridge the gap between the art school and the professional context of the ‘art world’.
The project hopes to achieve this by connecting talented, graduating art students (BA/MA) from various international art schools throughout Europe to renowned contemporary artists and their prospective European cities.
The exhibitors are chosen based on various factors, this ranges from aspects of the creative feel of city itself and its art movements, also on connections and points of interest which is presented in a symposium week at the start of the project. During the project the selected group will work together with 4-7 other students and their master artist to create a unique group exhibition in their selected city.
In the past few years the Apprentice/Master project has expanded exponentially.
In 2006 the project was founded by current director Zeus Hoenderop, with an idea to create bonds and links throughout graduating students in the Netherlands, the project is now recognized as an international initiative that connects successful art schools, students and experienced practicing artists in the field.
This season the project hosts a series of 23 exhibitions throughout Europe and involves selected Master artists and Students from China, UK, Spain, Lithuania, Belgium, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia, Ireland and Netherlands.
> Day of the Young Artist at De Pont Museum
The ‘Day of the Young Artist’ is the starting point of the Apprentice/Master project. During this annual, international symposium young artists from all over Europe come together in De Pont museum, Tilburg.
Day of the Young Artist offers a programme that crosses borders in which the dialogue between young artists, art schools and the art world is key. Together we critically explore the artist’s identity with their position and role within the society we live: who indeed is the artist? What are their dreams and ambitions? How do you survive as a young artist when subsidies become scarce? In addition to the advice, from experienced persons practicing in the creative field
We also look back on the Day of the Young Artist with questions such as: How does the present day art scene relate to that of the past? And what relevant statements can we subsequently make about the future, through stimulating lectures, inspiring discussions and exciting workshops we endeavour to understand what it means to be an artist in the modern day. The ‘Day of the Young Artist’ is a perfect opportunity to meet, exchange experience and knowledge and create bonds through networks and international connections.
>Artist Meetings at Fontys Hogeschool voor de Kunsten
Prior to the Apprentice/Master season Kunstpodium T, invites all participating students to the Day of the Young Artist and the Artist Meetings in Tilburg. All students give an insight into their practice through presentations during the Artist Meetings to each other and to the team of Kunstpodium T.
These presentations take place in the Fontys Hogeschool voor de Kunsten in Tilburg and offer an insider view, into what is going on in Europe in the field of contemporary Art. The week is a breeding ground for new collaborations and insights. On the basis of the portfolio presentations Kunstpodium T, creates a selection of groupings for the upcoming new season of the Apprentice/Master exhibitions.
> Public preview
Prior to every Apprentice/Master exhibition is a public preview that takes place, This is generally hosted as a walk through the exhibition. In which we enter into a dialogue with the exhibitors. The year master, Thom Puckey, either leads this preview or, Maria Schnyder, Assistant Curator of De Pont museum.
During this time, both the individual work of each artist, and the exhibition as a whole is discussed. By doing this, the visitors of the opening, get a personal understanding to the artistic process of the exhibitors.
> Master talks in De Pont museum
In collaboration with Museum De Pont, Kunstpodium T organises five 'Master Talks' in the museum's auditorium. These interactive talks with the Master Artist of selected exhibitions, deal with the artists professional practice after the academy.
The purpose of these discussions is to give young artists ' tips and tricks for life after the Academy. The talks are open to the public, and are offered free of charge to all participating academies in the Apprentice/Master project.
> Apprentice/Master meet-up at De Brakke Grond
In 2015, for the first time, a final interactive discussion session was devised, the Apprentice/Master meet-up in De Brakke Grond in Amsterdam. During this event the year was evaluated together with master artists, students and other stakeholders.
Every collaboration created a wealth of information and during the meet-up, and this information was felt as being necessary for a cross evaluation between all the exhibitions’ groups. Kunstpodium T tried to ‘turn the tables’, so to speak.
And during the event there were no intensive talks of experienced experts, but however, questions were introduced, which gave rise to the exchanging of experiences, solutions and alternatives ways of thinking. Collectively we took a close look at the artist's identity, position and role in society.
> Jan Naaijkens Award
In 1987 the first ‘Jan Naaijkens Prijs’ was awarded. This award, established by the Noordbrabants Genootschap, was granted to a person or institution that has made a significant contribution to the development of the cultural life in North Brabant.
Since 2014 the Noordbrabants Genootschap has established a relationship with the Apprentice/Master project of Kunstpodium T, and by awarding the Jan Naaijkensprijs to one of the students who have participated in the project. The award consists of a monetary prize and a workshop with a master artist from the project of their choice.
4. New Masters (in research)
Target group: graduates and young artists at the beginning of their career
The first years after finishing art school are very important for the further career as an artist. During the Apprentice/Master project, graduating artists are introduced intensively to their creative practice completely unencumbered by the constraints of university for the first time, and in doing so they have to rely on the established contact with their fellow graduates and those networks they have made throughout their life.
At this point Kunstpodium T examines the opportunities of the initial network of the young artists that have arisen from the Apprentice/Master programme, to strengthen and expand to a lively, informative and supporting network for national and international artists who are at the beginning of their careers. The exact form for this initiative is now being investigated, by ways of an evaluation survey among alumni of the Apprentice/Master project.
We think now to strengthening and the continuation of the initial Apprentice/Master network, by further enhancing the bond between the contacts of networks of the young artists who participated.
For this we use informal forms of communication, such as social media (A/M Alumni), but also more structured forms, such as an online platform, initiating projects, cross-border collaboration and knowledge exchange on funding of projects etc.
On the other hand, it is important, in our view, to strengthen the position of the young artist in the current cultural world. The existing network of Apprentice/Master alumni is a strong starting point for young artists to determine their relationship and to initiate projects with other parties in the cultural sector, such as the galleries, potential customers, funds, and European cultural bodies. Kunstpodium T can play an active role by firstly expanding it’s existing events as 'Day of the Young Artist' with initiatives for alumni and to strengthen the existing network. In addition, we are examining possibilities for wider international presentation possibilities for 'New Masters' in the form of exhibitions, performances, direct contacts with galleries, museums and collectors.