The Doctoral School of the Vilnius Academy of Arts (VDA) hosts a vibrant community of 32 practice-based researchers in the arts (fine art, design, and architecture) and 32 researchers in art history & theory. Established in 2010, the doctoral program in the arts aims to facilitate artistic research for artists, designers, architects, curators, art writers, and other practitioners. All of the doctoral candidates have a strong artistic focus in their respective fields and actively [re]shape their individual investigations through participating and organising exhibitions, symposia, conferences, workshops and other events. The recent events organised by the present and graduated candidates of the Doctoral School include “Walking is still honest*: about being and moving together” and Research Symposium “Not Quite King, Not Quite Fish” as well as a new journal for artistic research “Landing”.
Admission Deadlines
Application documents must be submitted between 3rd to 6th of September 2024 in one pdf file by e-mail (doktorantura@vda.lt). Shortlisted candidates are invited for onsite or online interviews between September 17-23rd 2024. There are 3 funded places in Fine Arts, 2 in Design and 2 in Architecture. Each of them has separate entrance procedures. More details about each of separate study direction and their dates read in the Admission section.
Profile and benefits of the programme
Among candidates we have both mid-career artists and curators (participating in international shows like Venice biennale or publishing their final projects as books in international publishing houses like Mousse publishing) and emerging artists interested in epistemic endeavors and having recorded professional practice outside academia. Selected candidates develop their own art project which includes both creative and written work. Epistemic curiosity, experimental writing, and the search for individual methodologies is encouraged. You can find present candidates profiles as well as defended art projects on our website.
The head of the doctoral programme prof. dr. Vytautas Michelkevičius together with internationally renowned artists and researchers facilitates post-disciplinary research and study environment, where artists, designers, architects, curators, art writers exchange their methodologies and practices. Next to the obligatory programme, there are opportunities to participate in Nida Doctoral School in the summer and Nida Art Writing School in the spring as well as take part in many events organised by partners from KUNO, CIRRUS, ERASMUS+ and other funding structures. Doctoral School also has its own publication series as well as opportunities to publish in international VDA peer reviewed journal Acta Academiae Artium Vilnensis (AAAV).
Vilnius Academy of Arts hosts on of the biggest doctoral candidates’ community in the Northern-Eastern Europe and is involved in many international networks like SAR, EARN, able journal, etc. So, the selected candidates would be able to use both local infrastructure (library, various interdisciplinary art and design workshops) and international networks to successfully complete their research projects. In the later years there are also opportunities for teaching and supervising BA and MA students.
Key facts about the studies in Doctoral programme in the arts
The requirement for the written component is 30.000-40.000 words. This can be written in English or Lithuanian and other languages are accepted upon agreement with the committee of the Doctoral Programme. The presentation format of the creative component is determined by the candidate in relation to the form and content of the research. At the end of the studies the candidate is awarded with Doctorate in the Arts (DA) degree which equivalency to PhD is dependent on each country’s system. In Lithuanian and in some other countries you are eligible to continue your research as a post-doc fellow (Lithuanian Research Council funding).
Studies and classes are held in Lithuanian and English. Curricula is not yet mirrored in each language, however, learning objectives can be met in both languages and credit requirements fulfilled.
The program is based in Vilnius, however, a few students are based in other cities. Residency in Vilnius is not mandatory but highly recommended at least in the first year. Onsite obligatory seminars and courses are confirmed annually and scheduled 4-5 weeks a year (minimum 70% of attendance is requested).
The tuition is for free for selected candidates regardless of nationality. Candidates receive a grant for the duration of the 4 years of the programme (for 2024/2025 year from 12 540 EUR (1st year) to 14 520 EUR (all further years) per year).
Documents for admission are accepted by e-mail between September 5-6th, and shortlisted candidates are invited for onsite or online interviews between September 17-23rd. Studies begin 1st of October 2024 with a kick-off autumn intro seminar on the October 23-26th.
After the admission, the student selects two supervisors to support them in their creative and research work. One supervisor is responsible for creative work and another for the research and one supervisor must be from VDA.
More information about present candidates and their supervisors, as well as defended theses (art projects) and admission dates can be found on the Doctoral School website.
Image credits: Participatory performance by Paul Cegys Nida Doctoral School Naked on the Beach. On the Exposition of Artistic Research, 2018. Photo by Andrej Vasilenko
