International Master Artist Educator
Arnhem, Netherlands
Master degree
DURATION
2 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
TUITION FEES
EUR 13,030
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
Key Summary
Why the International Master Artist Educator?
You want to use your artistic talents to make a lasting difference in the world around you. You are passionate about working directly with communities, both in the Netherlands and abroad, and you care deeply about socially and culturally marginalised groups. Perhaps you already have an artistic or teaching practice, or you work as an arts educator. If this sounds like you, the international Master Artist Educator (iMAE) could be the perfect next step for you.
This master’s programme is for anyone who believes art can make a real difference.
- Art with impact: You will learn to connect your art to social issues and create impact for others.
- Learn together, create together: In a close, international community, you will work on projects with teachers, fellow students and social partners.
- Research in action: You will investigate and innovate your practice using methods such as participatory action research and issues-based art education.
- Pushing boundaries: You will work with organisations both locally and internationally, from community initiatives to global NGOs.
- Learning by doing: Site-specific colleges take you beyond the academy to engage directly with communities in real-world contexts.
At iMAE, you will grow into a socially engaged artist-researcher who connects art, education and society.
What you'll learn
At iMAE, you will develop as an artist-educator who uses art to create social impact. You will redefine your role as both artist and educator, bringing them together as a unified practice. The focus is always on how your practice can create change and build connections across different social and cultural contexts.
You will work in both studio and field settings, where theory and practice are interwoven. You will research, create and reflect in direct collaboration with communities and organisations. Along the way, you will learn about existing research methods and develop your own approach that fits your artistic language and skills.
Personal growth is central to the programme. A teacher will support your professional and intellectual development, encourage collaboration and help you use feedback effectively in a safe and critical learning environment.
During the programme, you will:
- strengthen your identity as an artist-educator;
- connect research and artistic practice;
- work in real-world social contexts;
- use art as a driver for social change.
Step by step, you will grow into an artist-educator who combines art, education and society into a meaningful, sustainable practice.
The core of this programme is socially engaged art as research and issues-based art education, exploring how art can be used to drive social change. Learning takes place not only in the Netherlands, but also through projects with international impact. The programme is part of a broader national initiative that explores how art education can make a lasting, meaningful contribution to socio-political change.
Throughout the master’s programme, you will work in local, national and international contexts. We encourage you to develop projects that transcend sectors – including healthcare, criminal justice and public administration – opening the door to innovative art-education practices that break down barriers between art, politics and society.
Programme structure
Throughout the year, you will explore established research methods while developing your own approaches that suit your artistic practice and interests. Theory and practice are closely connected: studio work and active engagement in society form one learning process. You will carry out research in site-specific contexts, for example, within communities facing social challenges.
Key components of the programme:
- Identity & vision: from day one, you will critically examine your practice as both artist and educator. Who are you in each role? This process can be demanding, but it forms the basis for growth.
- Guidance & feedback: you will be supported by a personal coach who coaches you professionally, artistically and intellectually. Together with lecturers and fellow students, you will work on projects, receive feedback and stay true to your values.
- Methods & ethics: you will conduct research using participatory action research, issues-based art education, narrative research, trauma-sensitive approaches and non-violent communication. You will learn to handle the stories, challenges and tensions of socially engaged art education with ethical awareness and responsibility.
- Portfolio & presentation: you will develop a professional portfolio in multiple formats – including text, image, sound and video – that showcases your artistic practice. Presentations and reflection are an integral part of your creative process.
Scholarships, grants and other financial support
There are different ways to get financial support during your studies in the Netherlands. For Dutch and EU/EEA students, this may include student finance from DUO or the lifelong learning credit. If you are an international student from outside the EU/EEA, DUO schemes usually do not apply, but you may qualify for scholarships, grants, or financial arrangements through ArtEZ and other organizations.
During iMAE, you will build a professional portfolio with experiences and contexts that are relevant to the field – and useful when applying for project funding. By the end of the programme, you will be ready to navigate the complex reality of working as an artist-educator in society.
The field of socially engaged art and education is growing; to develop a professional practice in this evolving sector, you need an entrepreneurial mindset and a dynamic vision that addresses pressing issues such as climate change, social inequality and migration.
iMAE is an accredited master’s programme. Graduates do not automatically receive a formal teaching qualification in the Netherlands, but many alumni pursue roles in education where a teaching certification is not required (for example, at international schools or universities). Others work in galleries, museums and cultural institutions, or build independent practices based on project work and grants.