As of September 1st, all research professorships ('lectoraten') on art and visual culture will be part of Willem de Kooning Academy again. This includes the professorships on Autonomous Practices (Florian Cramer), Social Practices (Michelle Teran), Commercial Practices, and a joint research professorship on Bio-Based Art and Design with Avans Hogeschool Breda / AKV|St. Joost. The professorships will be part of WdKA's Research Station and will closely collaborate with colleagues from the Codarts conservatoire and Erasmus University Rotterdam in the Rotterdam Arts & Sciences Lab (RASL).
The professors will collaborate with students, teachers and external parties and strengthen WdKA's cross-disciplinary art and design curriculum in the Autonomous, Social and Commercial Practices. These collaborations will focus on artistic and design research.
With the return of the professorships, the following externally funded research projects will now be part of WdKA and closely interwoven with its Bachelor and Master curricula:
- The research project 'The Autonomous Fabric of Rotterdam', the mapping, investigation, and networking of more than 80 artist-run and self-organised spaces and initiatives, financed by a KIEM research grant and done in collaboration with Leeszaal West, Showroom MaMa, HipHopHuis and Stager B.V.;
- The research project 'Bridging Art, Design and Technology through Critical Making' in collaboration with Leiden University, Het Nieuwe Instituut, Waag Society and West Den Haag, in which two WdKA teachers pursue PhD research;
- The research project 'Make It Public!' on new work methods for publishing and editorial design, which is closely linked to WdKA's Hybrid Publishing lab;
- The research project 'GAMPSISS: GAmeful Music Performances for Smart, Inclusive, and Sustainable Societies' in collaboration with CodArts, Erasmus University and TU Delft in which WdKA Honours' students develop new playful designs for listening culture.
From 2012 to 2018, the art and visual culture professorships were part of the external research unit Creating 010. Creating 010 will continue as a research centre on digital technology affiliated to Hogeschool Rotterdam's School of Communication, Media and Information Technology.
