Meet specialists from Jan van Eyck Academie and Rijksakademie van beeldende kunsten in Helsinki on 19 September 2024
The Academy of Fine Arts and Saastamoinen Foundation partnership program offers speeddates for alumni interested in applying for the Rijksakademie residency – register by 15 September!
On September 19, The Academy of Fine Arts will host an event for its alumni, students and staff to meet representatives from residency organisations Jan van Eyck Academie and Rijksakademie van beeldende kunsten. In the event, the specialists will present their activities this year with a particular focus on the material and technical possibilities of the workshops. After the presentations, there will be an opportunity to ask the specialists from both Jan van Eyck and Rijksakademie questions, as well as meet with representatives from Rijksakademie in speeddating sessions. The presentations are open to students and staff at Uniarts Helsinki, and Academy of Fine Arts alumni. No pre-registration is needed to attend the presentations, the lecture room can accommodate 20–30 people. The afternoon speeddates are intended for alumni of the Academy of Fine Arts and require registration. See the full programme and registration link below!
Program, Thursday 19 September
Presentations 10 am – noon
Location: Auditorium 2 KO-155, The Theatre Academy of Uniarts Helsinki, Haapaniemenkatu 6, Helsinki
Giulia Bellinetti, Future Materials Programme / Jan van Eyck Academie
Annelie Musters, residency manager / Rijksakademie vbk
Pieter Verweij, technical specialist, print & photography workshop / Rijksakademie vbk
Giulia Bellinetti is responsible for the Future Materials Programme at Jan van Eyck Academie. Future Materials promotes environmentally conscious art and design by researching and disseminating information about sustainable, non-toxic materials. The platform offers artists and designers sustainable alternatives and supports ecologically responsible material choices. It also organizes workshops and collaborative projects to research and develop sustainable materials.
Annelie Musters has worked at the Rijksakademie in various professional roles for decades, and today she is responsible for the academy’s residency and workshops. Pieter Verweij is a technical expert, specialising in photography and printing. Both experts have a long history with the organisation and Annelie has served on the Rijksakademie selection panel multiple times. After the presentations, questions can be directed to the experts.
Rijksakademie speeddates 1–4 pm
Location: The Sörnäinen campus of Uniarts Helsinki (the room will be specified in the confirmation email 16.9). Online meetings also available.
Annelie Musters, residency manager / Rijksakademie vbk
Pieter Verweij, technical specialist, print & photography workshop / Rijksakademie vbk
The speeddating sessions with Rijksakademie van beeldende kunsten representatives Annelie Musters and Pieter Verweij are aimed at alumni of the Academy of Fine Arts who are considering applying for the Rijksakademie residency program in the September application period or in the future. The speeddate sessions are 15-minute face-to-face meetings to discuss the artist’s work plan and goals, whether Rijksakademie is the right place for the artist and whether the timing is suitable for the residency. To prepare for the meeting, artists can compile a brief and concise introduction of themselves, verbally describing their professional history (education, exhibitions, awards, grants, residencies, etc.) and selecting a few works to present, either as a printed portfolio or digitally from their own computer.
The speeddates are free of charge and available to BFA, MFA and DFA graduates from the Academy of Fine Arts. Meeting slots will be distributed over as many alumni as possible, within the time frame and in order of enrollment. Speeddating sessions can also be arranged via Teams/Zoom, provided that the artist is equipped with a computer, relevant programs and a reliable network. Alumni may sign up for a meeting by filling out the form linked below by 15 September 2024.
About the residencies
Rijksakademie van beeldende kunsten and Jan van Eyck Academie are among Europe’s most significant international post-academic residency organizations, offering high-level support for artistic production and research, as well as a platform for critical discussion. Founded 1948 in Maastricht, Jan van Eyck Academie focuses on the research and production of art, design, and art theory. It is known for its diverse approach, combining different art forms and theoretical discourse. Located in Amsterdam, Rijksakademie van beeldende kunsten has been a central art institution for over 150 years. Today, Rijksakademie offers a two-year residency program where artists can deepen their practices and explore new areas, with individual studios and critical dialogue with advisors. A distinctive quality of the Rijksakademie is its extensive technical infrastructure with seven technical workshops where artists can experiment to master new disciplines and techniques.
The open call for the Rijksakademie van beeldende kunsten accepts applications from 1 September until 1 October 2024. Applications can only be submitted to Rijksakademie directly. If an alum of the Academy of Fine Arts of Uniarts Helsinki is selected to the program, Uniarts and Saastamoinen Foundation offer a grant to cover living and working expenses for the 1–2-year residency period.
The direct application for Jan van Eyck Academie opens in the fall and closes at the end of the year. Alumni of the Academy of Fine Arts can also apply for a supported residency period at Jan van Eyck through the Academy of Fine Arts and Saastamoinen Foundation partnership program. The next call to the 11-month stipend residency at Jan van Eyck Academie will open in early 2025 for the residency period starting in January 2026.
The Academy of Fine Arts of Uniarts Helsinki and the Saastamoinen Foundation’s joint program International Networks in Fine Arts has been cooperating with both post-academic residencies for almost ten years. The partnership aims to promote international opportunities for Academy of Fine Arts graduates based in Finland.