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Free University of Bozen-Bolzano

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1st Level Master in

Future of Art Museums – FOAM

A postgraduate programme designed to train professionals in the field of museology and museography who creatively engage with the contemporary conditions of art museums and the challenges posed by their changing role in a continuously evolving society.

Course Description

The Master, conceived in close collaboration with Museion - Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art of Bozen-Bolzano, aims to train professionals in the field of museology and museography, equipping them with theoretical and practical tools to deal creatively with the contemporary conditions of art museums and the challenges posed by their changing role in a changing society. At the heart of the programme lies the conviction that today's art museums should be more than spaces dedicated to research, conservation and exhibition production; they should be significant actors in the social transformation necessary to respond to the multiple crises we face. For this reason, the master focuses on relevant issues for contemporary art museums such as sustainability, inclusion, accessibility and social engagement. 

The courses taught will cover the most pressing issues that characterise the main aspects of art museums – exhibitions, presentations, public programmes, workshops, events, research projects and collections – offering innovative perspectives on them. Particular attention will be paid to the idea of the museum as a place of informal learning and experience: a civic space of encounter and discussion strongly involved in the current debate on sustainability.  

The programme will be based on a series of courses taught by unibz professors, international practitioners, professionals of the Museion staff, and on collaborations with other European museums as part of a compulsory internship. 

The master is aimed at professionals in the field of cultural production and graduates in art, design, architecture, or similar disciplines – without excluding those who have already approached museology and museography during their studies (or in their profession) from a cultural perspective such as managers, curators, mediators, etc. 

The first edition, dedicated to the theme of social responsibility, will focus on innovative approaches to museology and exhibition-making in general that consider the social and political role of museums as an essential starting point for any practice and discourse. This edition will explore the idea of the museum as a critical agent of transformation, with the aim of redefining the relationship that museums have with people and their communities. 

To the application information

At a Glance

ECTS credits: 60
Duration of the course: 1 year
Courses will be taught in English
Places available:15
Campus: Bozen-Bolzano
Tuition fees: € 4.500,00 (+173 € provincial tax for the right to study) for information on the scholarships see under tuition fees below

Structure of the Course

In line with the vocation of the Faculty of Design and Art - which is oriented towards art, design and all possible contaminations between them - and with the constant engagement of Museion into the institutional and international contemporary discourse, the programme will focus not only on the theories and practices of museology, but also on the concrete realisation of a diverse list of museum-related activities. Its structure is therefore articulated around three different areas (The Museum; The Display; Contemporary Discourse), flanked by two practice-based studios, a study trip and an internship.The master offers 60 ECTS credits of in-presence teaching, organised in theoretical and practice-based courses: 

  • 25 ECTS credits (140 hours) of design studios; 
  • 21 ECTS credits (155 hours) of seminars; 
  • 14 ECTS credits(350 hours) of internship; 

Lectures 

The timetable is designed to meet the needs of working people, making it easier to combine study and work. Throughout the year, classes are held in six main blocks of between three days and two weeks. During these periods the students are required to be in Bozen/Bolzano to take part in the teaching activities, which will take place in the spaces of the Faculty of Design and Art - and inside Museion - Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art of Bozen-Bolzano. During the summer, the students will spend nine weeks in a European partner museum: if necessary, they will have to move temporarily to the city where the institution is located. The rest of the year will be devoted to individual study, which can be done from anywhere. 

The courses will be taught by professors and researchers from the Faculty of Design and Art, by Museion staff and by internationally renowned practitioners from the world of art museums. 

Study plan

Timetable

course offering

Course content

Lecturers

The courses will be taught by professors and researchers from the Faculty of Design and Art, by Museion staff and by internationally renowned practitioners from the world of art museums. 

Studio teachers: Sepake Angiama, Diogo Passarinho, 

Lecturers: Marcello Barison, Davide Tommaso Ferrando, Roberto Gigliotti, Sook-Kyung Lee, and Elena Bini, Frida Carazzato, Petra Guidi, Brita Köhler, Leonie Radine, Bart van der Heide and other professionals from the Museion staff.

Experiencing the Museum

Rossella Biscotti The future can only be for ghosts – Museion

Rossella Biscotti The future can only be for ghosts – Museion

LR Plot chapter III - Luca Guadagnini

LR Plot chapter III - Luca Guadagnini

Museion Basis Break the Silos – Rosario Multari

Museion Basis Break the Silos – Rosario Multari

Museion – Otis Mensah Samira Mosca

Museion – Otis Mensah Samira Mosca

Facilities and Study Environment

Our ateliers 

Design work is carried out in ateliers, where both individual and teamwork based on an effective combination of theory and practice is encouraged. Our lecturers' offices are very close to the ateliers so that students and lecturers can exchange ideas regularly and openly. 

Our workshops 

In the workshops at our faculty, you will find all the traditional and modern tools you need to turn your projects into reality. Skilled professionals manage our workshops and will help you by sharing their experience with you. 

People

Study Course director: Prof. Roberto Gigliotti (photo)

Study Course Council: Prof. Roberto Gigliotti, Dr. Bart van der Heide, Prof. Eva Leitolf, Dr. Frida Carazzato, Dr. Davide Tommaso Ferrando

Application and Admission

You can find all you need to know in order to apply and gain admission to this study programme by browsing through the information below.

Application: 29/07/2024 - 31/10/2024 (by 12 noon)   
Admission interview (online):18/11/2024 from 2 pm local time 
Publication of the ranking lists: 22/11/2024 
Enrollment deadline: 04/12/2024 (12 noon)   
Start of lectures: 05/03/2025 

The Advisory Service provides support regarding your choice of study. In many cases a simple call or a short request is enough to get the relevant information (Tel. +39 0471 012100).

Study Course Page - Common Links - Design and Art

Scholarships

Stiftung Südtiroler Sparkasse - Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio is funding 15 scholarships of €1,000 each through a special call for applications - deadline 31/10/2024 (by 12 noon). The award of these scholarships is subject to the approval of the Foundation's Board of Directors. For more information and to apply, follow this link.

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