Academy of Fine Arts Vienna

Rundgang 2016 © Lisa Rastl

The Academy of Fine Arts Vienna is a public university with more than 1500 students and a faculty of about 300 offering opportunities for study, artistic and scholarly research and artistic practice in the fields of fine arts, art teachers’ training (education in the arts), architecture, scenography, sconservation and restoration, art history and theory and the natural and technical sciences in the arts. Established in the 17th century, the Academy today focuses on providing up-to-date education in contemporary art. Studio practice is balanced with a large variety of course offerings on art theory and history. Our faculty consists of distinguished artists and scholars whose teaching is based on their artistic practice and research experience. In addition to being an educational institution the Academy houses two internationally renowned art collections, the Paintings Gallery and the Graphic Collection.

Faculties and programmes

Fine Arts | Conservation – Restoration | Education in the Arts | Architecture | Art Theory and Cultural Studies | Natural Sciences and Technology in the Art
Master in Critical Studies | PhD in Practice | Scenography | Doctoral programmes: Doctor of Philosophy/PhD, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Doctor of Science

Specials

PhD in Practice. A 4-year doctoral programme combining academic and artistic research taught entirely in English. The program provides participants with the opportunity to pursue their individual research projects in a collective environment with a developed in the context of feminist, queer, strongly transdisciplinary and international focus. It provides a concept of arts-based research built upon critical epistemologies, as postcolonial, ecological, post-Marxist and other political and emancipatory projects.

Research. Numerous research projects hosted at the Academy create a stimulating climate of artistic/intellectual debate. Especially the field of artistic research but also in the fields of art theory/art history, natural sciences (material analysis) and conservation/restoration projects deal with avant-garde questions and methods of research. In discursive events like public lectures, conferences and symposia research findings are discussed and disseminated.

Teaching and Learning. The Academy places great importance on providing students with a setting in which they can be both learners and artistic practitioners from the outset. We offer a range of teaching methods designed to foster an open and reflective learning environment.