What will I learn?

This Alternative M.A. pursues the reconceptualisation of the world through food, reframing a food-scape reality where to develop an artistic practice. This programme is built on a desire to explore, learn and relate to food as a valid discipline in the arts, academia and other educational contexts. The M.A. departs from an understanding of food as foundational, the essential part of any world-building exercise. Through it, we aim to establish food and cooking as inherent signifiers of human culture. Seeing-through-food is crucial because food and its systems build the current ecological terraforming.

Methodology

Through a series of lectures, residencies, practical exercises and projects, we will pursue interdisciplinary modes of knowledge sharing and exchange, while fostering opportunities for sustained growth and collective thinking. We aim to create an atmosphere of trust and safety, in order to help form a tight knit community of critically engaged, curious and rooted thinkers and makers. Joining this M.A. means to enter into a cosmos of continued support, generosity and care, well beyond the end of the learning year.

Structure

The majority of this programme is held online, in the form of lectures, guest speaker presentations, conversations and 1-to-1 or group tutorials. References and reading materials are made available in advance, which participants are encouraged to read/engage with.

Once per term, participants are invited to join us on an in-person residency: 10 days of practice-based learning and project development through workshops and creative exercises, held at three different institutions, collectives or platforms in Europe. The residencies are fundamental in order to strengthen bonds between participants and tutors, and offer a chance for experimentation and development of the participants’ projects.

Upon applying, participants are requested to share an in-progress project or plan for a project which relates to the themes explored in the M.A. Throughout the year, participants have the opportunity to further develop this project, through the in-person residencies but also with online support from tutors (1-to-1 tutorials) and peers. At the end of the academic year, we will work towards an exhibition together. This is a chance to showcase the participants’ research and projects and share it with the public. The exhibition can take the form of a dinner, a show of physical artworks, a publication, a film etc. The shape and form of it will be built collectively during the year, following the progress of the participants.

Practical Information

The cost of the Alternative M.A. is 2000€ per participant. For participants with less availability, there is the option to join solely for the online content, without access to the residencies or project development. Online access has a cost of 620€. Instalment payments are available depending on the country where the bank card is issued.

The online course happens every Monday from October 2023 to May 2024 at 6pm GMT, on Zoom. Each session lasts 90mins. The programme breaks in Winter (15 December 2023 - 15 January 2022) and in Spring (31 March - 14 April).

Three residencies will be facilitated throughout the programme, one during the Winter term, another during the Spring term and finally one during Summer term, hosted by three different European organisations. These residencies are optional, however they are highly recommended. For those enrolled in the full programme, all travel and accommodation costs are to be covered by participants, but The Gramounce will make sure to make affordable options available.

Applications

The Gramounce will launch an open call for applications in February 2023, for participants wishing to join the programme starting in October 2023.

Prospective participants are asked to fill out a form on The Gramounce website, sharing their contact details, a short paragraph on why they are applying for the Alternative M.A., some examples of previous work and a short description of a project in-progress or idea for a work they’d like to develop as part of the M.A.

Applications close in end of March 2023, with participants notified by mid-April 2023. Places for the full M.A. are limited to 25 participants.

In order to facilitate access to participants from less favourable economic backgrounds and POC, The Gramounce offers a limited amount of bursaries and scholarships in exchange for work. Please note they have all already been allocated.