Alternative art education has a history as long as art education itself. Especially during the 20th century, different small formats questioning the didactics and pedagogies of art institutions appeared worldwide.
Most of these alternative practices only existed in their experimental forms for a short time or later joined in the institutional canon of established institutions.
The non-formal master programs at ICA Yerevan and at CCA Tbilisi have been established relatively recently. Though different in their focus on theory and practice they share their approach to and struggle with horizontal hierarchies, critical knowledge exchange and their position in financially unstable post-Soviet societies.
During the 1. Tbilisi Triennial on art, education and research ‘Offside Effect’ organized by CCA Tbilisi in fall 2012, ICA Yerevan was one of the invited alternative art education platforms to exhibit and discuss the schools’ methodologies.
In our dialogue, we would like to continue the conversation as to address specific temptations and challenges in our daily educational practices as well as our long-term visions for our programs. We would like to discuss how to function in both local and global context and which strategies could be used for responsible art education apart from institutionalization.
