This short course explores how independent arts initiatives acquire and deploy the skills to survive during challenging economic, political and social circumstances.

The course will be led by the directors of the Bethlehem-based Dar Jacir Centre for Art & Research: a grass-roots, artist–run initiative founded in 2014. Dar Jacir is a multi-faceted project devoted to educational, cultural, and agricultural activities. It is a place in which the history and contemporary conditions of Bethlehem meet, and an experimental learning hub for the Bethlehem community and beyond.

The course is composed of three online seminars, held over the course of three weeks, followed by a later student-led session in which participants will present collaborative research arising from the experience of the seminars.

Postgraduate students; arts professionals: artists, curators and arts administrators.

This workshop/seminar series offers an opportunity to collectively learn from Dar Jacir for Art and Research’s experience as an artist-led hub in Bethlehem, Palestine.

The sessions will involve discussion and investigation of:

• practices of care, hospitality, intimacy and generosity; alternative models of sustainability, community, maintaining a home.
• how location/locality/street informs the ‘space-practice’ developed by Dar Jacir,
•  forms of community engagement, partnerships, relationships.

Together participants will look into artist-led models, structures and approaches to governance — and come up with ideas on how to run independent and sustainable artist led-spaces.

The course will also reflect on artist-led spaces as pedagogical practices and situations of alternative educational activity. Discussions will address why they are so important in today’s world, offering types of experience, learning and innovation that may not be in available in academic contexts.

The module content is designed to:

• Support the work of artists and arts professionals seeking to build sustainable and resilient independent practices.
• Develop and deepen understanding of how creative practices are situated in social and cultural contexts.

Pre-Requisites: Participants should have qualifications appropriate for undertaking Level 9 study at NCAD.

Assessment: Students will take part in collaborative research that will be presented following the series of online seminars.

Timetable: The seminars will take place online on three Monday afternoons, beginning Monday 21^st February. Precise times to be confirmed. Each seminar will have a duration of two hours.

• Applicants must have completed an honours degree (achieving at least a 2:2) in a relevant and cognate discipline, or have an appropriate level of professional practice in the subject field.
• Applicants must submit a 200 word statement setting out their reason for applying and interest in the course.
• Applicants will be assessed on their suitability and their written statement.

Application deadline extended to: 14.00pm on 18 February, 2022

Successful applicants will be notified by email no later than Friday 18 February, 2022