Self-Organisation in Contemporary Arts, 2026-2027

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?

The course will be a platform for participants to co-learn by debating and deliberating on such questions. Participants will explore self-organisational practices and skills by developing and testing a project proposal. The course is convened by Jason E. Bowman with Dr. Kerry Guinan. Guests will include Dr. Dave Beech, Dr. Julie Crawshaw, Dr. James Schofield and The Otolith Group (Dr. Kodwo Eshun and Anjalika Sagar), with more to be announced.

A call for expressions of interest will soon open for a related conference and exhibition on self-organisation (at Liverpool John Moores University, UK, 27-29 November 2026) co-organised by Dave Beech, Jason E. Bowman, Julie Crawshaw and James Schofield. Contact: J.P.Schofield@ljmu.ac.uk for info. Course participants can attend at their own cost.

This new course (2026) is offered at postgraduate level by HDK-Valand, is free for EU nationals, delivered in English, and carries 15 credits (ECTS). It is taught via Zoom, including online presentations, seminars, discussion forums, practical workshops, and supervision. The course runs from August 31, 2026 to the end March 2027, primarily on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4–7pm (Central European Time). For more go here.