The Norwegian Artistic Research School

Installation view from final exhibition by PhD candidate Soren Thilo Funder, 2023


Through the Norwegian Artistic Research School PhD students from all Norwegian higher education institutions in the Arts meet to share and discuss their ongoing research projects, across fields like fine art, music, film, theatre, dance, and architecture.

 

The objective of the Norwegian Artistic Research School is to give PhD students an introduction to methods, theory and research ethics, as well as training in disseminating the results of artistic research. The joint professional training is intended to support the research fellows’ artistic PhD project and contribute to professional depth and breadth. 

 
By offering an unparalleled space for professional training and sharing of knowledge, cutting across diverse artistic disciplines, the research school will enhance the research fellows’ own doctoral work and contribute to further development of ‘the Norwegian Model’ for artistic research. This model takes art and the artistic practice as its point of departure and is characterised by reflection and cross-disciplinary communication and cooperation. 
 
The research fellows will acquire knowledge of and skills and competence in artistic research in accordance with the Norwegian Qualifications Framework for Lifelong Learning (NKR).
 
The Norwegian Artistic Research School was established in 2018 and is a collaboration between The Directorate for Higher Education and Skills and accredited Norwegian educational institutions with study programs that lead to a PhD degree in Artistic Research.

Seminar at Vatnahalsen (photo: Linda Lien)

 

Learning outcomes

After completing the research school’s program, research fellows are expected to have achieved the following learning outcomes: 

Knowledge:

The candidate ...  

  • masters fundamental theory relating to artistic research 
  • can describe the diversity in theories and methods in artistic research, and reflect on and argue for choices of methods and processes in own artistic research  
  • can contribute to the discourse on artistic research 

Skills:

The candidate ...  

  • can formulate research questions and plan the artistic research, with the focus on artistic processes and results 
  • can work on complex questions, and challenge established discourses and practices in the field 
  • can deal with interdisciplinary questions in artistic research

Competence:

The candidate ... 

  • can discuss ethical principles and concerns in artistic research 
  • can identify ethical issues and can engage in artistic research with integrity  
  • can share artistic research in relevant national and international contexts  
  • can participate in debates in the field in international forums 

Seminar at Oslo National Academy of the Arts and Artistic Research Forum at Norwegian acadmy of music (photo: Linda Lien)

Working methods

Training is provided through seminars and Artistic Research Forums (ARF) and through contact with other research fellows and peers who work in the field of artistic research, nationally and internationally. Work and teaching methods include lectures, workshops, various forms of sharing artistic research, and discussions. The discussions are related to each research fellow's project and to artistic research in general, with the emphasis on the transfer value in relation to the research fellow’s own artistic research. The training can take place in both large and small groups.


The research fellows are expected to prepare and familiarise themselves with different material in advance, which is then shared and discussed at the seminars. At the forums (ARF), the research fellows meet national and international projects and professional environments in the field of artistic research. The research fellows present and discuss their own projects and take part in relevant discourses. By sharing their own artistic research project, the research fellows contribute to developing their respective artistic fields. The ARFs provide an opportunity for interdisciplinary exchanges and are an arena for a more general discourse on artistic research.


We recommend that the research fellows prepare for the seminars and forums in close dialogue with their supervisor(s), and also that supervisors attend the ARFs. The ARFs are free of charge and open to all, but the supervisors and others need to register (see Artistic Research Forums).

Seminar in Bergen, September 2024 (photo: Linda Lien)

 

Course requirement

Research fellows are expected to participate in five mandatory seminars (intake year 2023-2024 and earlier) or four modules (intake year 2024-2025) offered by the research school and to attend Artistic Research Forums. The forums are offered twice a year, and the fellows should present their projects in process at three of the forums.


The supervisors are recommended to participate in the national supervisors´ seminars, offered at least twice a year by the research school. 

 

Digital introduction seminar

PhD students in Artistic Research (from the Norwegian member institutions) will receive an invitation to an online one-day introduction seminar. The webinar is mandatory, and is is offered at least twice a year (see also: Information for PhD students with intake year 2024-2025).

ARF in Oslo, Stavanger, Lillehammer, and Trondheim (photo: Linda Lien)

The board 2024-2025


The board of the Norwegian Artistic Research School is responsible for the content and quality of the research school´s training.


The Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills, represented by the Norwegian Artistic Research Programme, has administrative responsibility for the research school.

 

Read more about the board and how you can influence the research school.

 

 

See also

Read more


You can read more about Artistic Research in Norway and globally on the page:

Artistic Research - projects and people

Last updated 13 November 2024