Writing and Publishing in Contemporary Art

HDK-Valand invites applications for the international course Writing and Publishing in Contemporary Art. The course is taught entirely at distance via zoom and the language of instruction is English. Free to EU nationals, the course bears 30 ECTS and operates at 50 percent of full time studies. Classes are typically conducted every two weeks from 3–6pm CET. 

Writing and Publishing in Contemporary Art is an exciting distance learning experience aimed at those wanting to develop an artistic practice through writing and publishing, as well as those looking to foster a writing and publishing practice about contemporary art. The 2025–26 iteration of the course is a collaboration with L’Internationale Online. L’Internationale Online is a research and publishing platform, hosted by HDK-Valand, for L'Internationale - the European confederation of museums, arts organizations and universities. This means that the course content will be constructed in dialogue with the platform’s current content assemblies and publishing series. These include focus areas on Climate, Past in the Present and Situated Organizations as part of the four year programme Museum of the Commons.

Operating through four interconnected modules over the course of an academic year, the course offers an extensive and deep engagement with this field of study. In module one, students contextualise and analyse the field using global theoretical, political, social perspectives. In module two, students investigate and apply methods and methodologies of contemporary writing and publishing practices. In module three, differing professional roles and positions in the field are introduced and engaged with and in module four, students design and produce a professional portfolio of writing and publishing. By the end of the course, students will have a thorough and expansive body of writing and publishing as well as an in-depth contextual knowledge of this field that they can utilize when they enter professional contexts.

Writing and Publishing in Contemporary Art is led by Dr. Cathryn Klasto (Senior Lecturer HDK-Valand and member of the editorial board, L'Internationale Online) with Dr. Nick Aikens (Managing Editor / Responsible for Research, L'Internationale Online and Researcher, HDK-Valand) alongside a wide range of practitioners from various artistic subject positions at HDK-Valand, members of the L’Internationale Online Editorial Board and invited international guests.

The course expects that applicants have an existing writing and publishing practice that they wish to develop, interrogate and situate through contemporary art. Admission is based on a letter of intent of 1500 characters and a 500 word response to a contribution published on the L’Internationale Online platform, both written in English. 

Application here (for international applicants) and here (for Swedish applicants).