Rupert’s Alternative Education Programme (AEP) is a transdisciplinary para-academic programme focused on individual mentorship for interdisciplinary creative practitioners. This year’s AEP curriculum emphasizes collaboration, critical thinking, and performative art practices while valuing decentralized knowledge and experimental learning.

Each year, Rupert invites a diverse group of creative practitioners of all disciplines to join the six-month programme through an international open call. Participants develop their projects in close discussion with Rupert’s curatorial team and guest tutors. The programme consists of a series of individual mentorship sessions, peer criticism, creative workshops, topical lectures, and valuable exchange with the other programme participants.

The curriculum is part-time, free of charge, and compatible with other commitments. During their stay in Vilnius, participants are introduced to the local art scene, invited to take part in Rupert’s other activities and engage with the residents of the institution. The programme culminates with a final public event.
Participants are encouraged to propose additional activities and self-organise learning opportunities, for which Rupert can provide curatorial and material support.

The AEP can be considered a post-graduate programme, but a prior degree is not a strict prerequisite. The programme endeavours to help develop early-career artists, curators, researchers, philosophers, and other cultural workers while also asking what an alternative education can be.

Transdisciplinarity. The programme is open to everyone who seeks the opportunity to challenge themselves—regardless of their creative practice, whether within or outside the contemporary art field. Rupert aspires to provide space and curatorial support where a wide spectrum of diverse fields can meet.

Decentralisation. Each edition of the programme employs different tools to gradually embrace decentralised knowledge-sharing and organisation. Rupert is constantly negotiating, along with the participants, the conversation between offering an institutionally-led educational programme and our commitment to breaking with the hierarchy that those circumstances imply.

Labour. Art, research, care work, artistic management, and other cultural activities are labour, with their associated rights and struggles. The programme aims to help participants recognise this and have confidence in requesting fair treatment. We also ask participants to be aware that this principle applies equally to the people and the institution running the programme. Rupert is built on limited team and monetary resources. While the programme is provided free to participants, Rupert’s cost exceeds 10000 EUR per person in each edition.

Rupert often maintains relationships with former participants after each edition, inviting them to take part in our other programmes and activities.

Photo credits Andrej Vasilenko.