Introducing CIVIC

CIVIC is a social infrastructure, a discourse and exhibition space, at Basel Academy of Art and Design. CIVIC is an educational and experimental environment that provides opportunities for participation, contribution, and exchange for and with students, researchers, employees, and the public, to promote an understanding of the relevance of art and design to society. 

What is CIVIC? 
This question emerged when everything started in January 2022: The former foyer, a transit location in the high-rise building of the Basel Academy of Art and Design FHNW (HGK Basel) should become CIVIC.

A quiz kicked off CIVIC. People from and around the HGK Basel gathered to answer ten questions regarding this new place: What should take place in CIVIC in the future? What kind of infrastructure does CIVIC need? How should CIVIC work? In short: What is CIVIC and what could it become?

The quiz highlighted the importance of diverse contributions in creating dynamic places such as CIVIC: Through open participation, free encounters, and joint projects. Through different infrastructure, with ideas of the people around HGK Basel, as well as exhibitions, interventions, happenings, shows, hangouts, aperitifs, parties, etc. A space to meet, learn from each other, exhibit, and connect. In such a space, people can act independently, organize, participate, and exchange ideas. The quiz also led to the motto CIVIC is what you make it.

Among others, these emerged at CIVIC: one neon sign by Selma Ermatinger; one mobile bar by Dalibor Bajunovic, Helen Grüninger, David Luong and Rahel Mor; seven tables, four benches, nine stools and one scaffolding system by Samira Stolpe and Odin Steinhauser; three CIVIC Radio episodes with Radio X ; one DAY DANCE together with HEK (House of Electronic Arts) ; one scenography for Architecture Week Basel ; two exhibitions of International Workshop Week ; one happening during Art Basel: GROWING MAGIC MOMENTS; one accumulative documentation titled HARVEST; one exhibition named MEMORY SPACE ; one essay by Lilo Viehweg on CIVIC FURNITURE; one POSTERSLAM by Visual Communication and Digital Spaces students; one food gathering titled BITES & BANDAGES by FoodCultureLab; one photo-exhibition by Yevheniia Semenova, Arina Sirochenko and Alisa Probylova: ART UKRAINE; one CIVIC Market by Anita Muccoli, Jodok Wehrli and Katharina Kemmerling; one Live-Act by Doing Fashion: THE GRADUATES OF 23; three banners for WOMEN LIFE FREEDOM by Ava Azad, Jasmine Jetzer and many more; one drawing programme by Désirée Sebele and Leandra Fischer; one EXCHANGE IS THE MOST PRECIOUS THING WE HAVE! by Marina Klein-Hietpas and Lea Bongni ; two community introductions titled CIVIC PEOPLE; one drawing programme; one MUSEUM NIGHT; one quiz; two stickers by Luana and Max Umeh; two open house events; one open source design kit by Offshore; four flyers by Elena Palumbo ; 12 KLUTZ urban furniture modules by Charly Blödel; three PUSHY KIOSK evenings; six stairs and one doormat by Raffaela Boss; three infrastructures: one tiny exhibition house by Anita Mucolli, one Messy Kiosk by Constructlab, and one freeshop by HGK student assembly.

More information: whatiscivic.com / civic.hgk [​at​] fhnw.ch / @hgkbasel_civic