Open Arts

Master

Overview

The Salzburg Open Arts Programme is an experimental course in free art that explores the area of inter-, trans-, cross-, multi-, and undisciplinarity as an independent artistic and theoretical field. How we understand this space is inextricably linked with the way in which we encounter the diverse realities of the world. In a climate of respectful communication, constructive engagement and transfer - in artist studios, lectures and guest talks - the programme negotiates the space emerging between disciplines, between academia and the arts, and between the individual and society.

Department of Studies & Examinations
+43 676 88122 492
studienabteilung@moz.ac.at

Length of course
4 semesters / 120 ECTS-AP

Language of instruction
German

Application period
1.2.–28.3.2025

Entrance examinations
2.-6.6.2025
Overview of all dates

Downloads

Curriculum

At the heart of the master's programme is students' artistic practice, which is co-supervised and mentored by lecturers across the Mozarteum University. The master’s programme is therefore open to students from all academic fields and social backgrounds who strive to transcend disciplinary boundaries in their artistic practice, position their work in relation to the social ecological and technological challenges of our time, and seek forward-thinking, sustainable new pathways.

Dates for online course guidance

06.02. 14:00-15:00 Uhr
12.02. 11:00-12:00 Uhr
18:02. 17:00-18:00 Uhr
24.02. 10:00-11:00 Uhr
05.03. 08:00-09:00 Uhr
12.03. 20:00-21:00 Uhr
18.03. 12:00-13:00 Uhr
26.03. 15:00-16:00 Uhr

Click here to participate in the Meeting via Zoom
(Meeting-ID: 633 7485 0532 / Kenncode: 703120)

Contact: claudia.lehmann@moz.ac.at

Since the Salzburg Open Arts Programme is, by its very nature, an inter-, trans-, multi- or even undisciplinary course, it is open to students from all artistic and academic fields. We welcome applications from those who seek to transcend disciplinary boundaries in their artistic practice and look to the future as they open up sustainable new pathways.

The programme fosters the development of an individual artistic practice across disciplinary boundaries, strengthens students' ability for critical reflection and self-reflection and encourages the discovery and development of new fields and forms of expression in art.

The course is centred around the experimental and interdisciplinary field of art, academia and society. This qualifies students for the exploration of arts and areas that are newly emerging or are expected to develop in the course of the social, ecological and technological change.

Students can also use the master's programme as preparation for an artistic or academic doctorate.

The curriculum is competence-orientated. After completing the master's programme in Open Arts, students should:

be able to engage experimentally, but also reflectively, with concepts and methods from various artistic and academic disciplines, to apply them, and to bring them into current discourses and dialogues
have developed an understanding of disciplinary and *disciplinary+ practices and their contextualisation in contemporary art forms
be able to work with different media, materials and technologies to realise artistic projects/processes and develop them further.
be able to successfully organise, plan and implement *disciplinary+ (inter-, trans-, cross-, undisciplinary) projects in terms of processes and cooperation
have developed an understanding of theories and methods and be able to integrate them into their own practice and create appropriate forms to present, communicate and document them
have mastered artistic and academic working methods (in relation to their own practice) and be able to analyse, interpret, develop in writing and communicate artistic and academic content
be able to reflect on, communicate and further develop their own artistic practice, and position its relevance against the background of social, ecological and technological challenges
have developed a critical awareness of social, political and cultural contexts,
be aware of and fulfil their role as facilitators and translators between theory and practice, artistic and academic disciplines
be able to think and act ethically in the face of changing global conditions in order to help shape a sustainable, inclusive, diverse and democratic world
be able to formulate new perspectives, approaches and insights,
have taken advantage of the (free) electives to build a specialism, which may also be of interest for artistic and social development as a whole and at the same time develop their individual interests beyond their own field in the spirit of lifelong learning

The course of study extends over four semesters, during which students work continuously on their projects. These may already be components of the master's project. They receive individual supervision and support.

Artistic practice: The focus of the course is the (individual) artistic practice/project which should explore and cross disciplinary boundaries.
Focus: Students can take a targeted look at the content and methods of another specialised discipline that is relevant to their own project. The entire range of courses offered by the Mozarteum University is available to students. Individual practice is co-supervised by teachers from the Mozarteum's departments and institutes, depending on the courses offered and the available capacity.
Forum: This is where students (from all years), teachers, co-supervisors and external partners regularly exchange ideas and practices.
(Dis-)Positions: International guests and experts offer new perspectives and impulses in the first and third semesters in the lecture-series.
Reflections: These seminars take place in the first three semesters. They are about reflecting on artistic and social developments, and developments in the state of research, and their impact of this on one's own practice.
Methods: In this workshop format, methods and techniques, in particular unconventional experimental approaches, are tested and developed practically and collectively. Particular attention is given to those that are transformed in the course of social, ecological and technological change.
Excursions: Excursions are organised in the second and third semesters.
Optional/Free electives: Students can choose their electives and set their own focus.

The course is designed to be open, non-hierarchical and collective. Courses can be attended by external interested parties if capacity allows and are held in English and German.

The steps necessary for registration are detailed below. Applicants who have already studied at an Austrian university should start with step 3.

1. Create a basic account in MOZonline
2. Once in the MOZonline account: fill in the mandatory statistics UHstat1 (pre-registration for studies) and make a note of the application number that is sent by email upon submission of this information.
3. Create an application account in Muvac
4. Fill out your own profile in Muvac (minimum requirements: personal data, information on expertise matching the desired degree programme, in the CV: current employment and information on previous training)

During the application period:

5. Select your desired degree programme in Muvac (Browse -> Studies)
6. Fill out the application form in Muvac ("Apply now"), being sure to enter your application number (see step 2) or Austrian matriculation number in the appropriate field

Detailed instructions with screenshots can be found here.
Please take a look at the FAQs about registration in Muvac if you get stuck at any of the steps.

Communication during the application process takes place via Muvac or email, depending on the degree programme. Please ensure that you can be contacted at the email address entered in your profile throughout the entire application process and regularly check whether you have received any new messages in Muvac. You can set your own profile to inform you of any new messages in Muvac by email (Account settings -> Notifications).

If your contact details change, please update your profile yourself.

The application process for the MA Open Arts is structured as follows:

Online application and submission of the portfolio from 1^st February 2025 to 28^th March 2025 (see above for instructions!)
First round (if portfolio positively assessed): Online interview (approx. 10-15 minutes) on 29^th or 30^th April 2025
Second round (if successful in the online interview): workshop and interview on site in Salzburg between 2^nd and 6^th June 2025. Invitations will be sent approximately 2 weeks before the exam date.

The following documents must be uploaded as part of the online application:

Bachelor's degree certificate (or degree certificate of an equivalent study programme). If the applicant has not yet completed their bachelor's degree, a confirmation of enrolment or an official confirmation of the planned date of graduation must be uploaded.
Complete overview of subjects and grades (Transcript of Records) of the bachelor's degree. Applicants whose documents are not available in either German or English must include an official translation.
German language certificate (at the time of admission: A2).
Curriculum vitae in tabular form
In the case of non-artistic previous studies, proof of artistic activity or professional experience must also be provided. This could be a recommendation from an employer or curator, documentation of artistic work (such as programme booklets, flyers, image material, press articles).

Applicants must also upload a portfolio (as a PDF document) containing the following:

a concept for an inter-, trans-, cross-, multi- or undisciplinary project, which could be further developed, adapted or realised during the course of studies. This should include a critical reflection on it that demonstrates a positioning towards challenges of our time (social, ecological, technological). The concept should be 1-2 pages long.
a suggestion of two other departments/institutes at the Mozarteum with which a hypothetical collaboration would be possible
a portfolio of selected artistic works, documented in a form appropriate to the work/artistic practice (links only with short descriptions)
a declaration with the following wording: “I confirm that I have produced and conceptualised the works presented in the application documents myself.”

Letter of motivation (approx. one page)

The work/documents must be digitised (scans, photo, etc.) and uploaded as a single PDF document with a cover sheet (photo, name, date of birth, address, telephone number, school-leaving qualification, email and details of previous vocational training, date and signature). Only one upload will be accepted (PDFs should be merged to create a single document). The maximum file size is 25 MB.

Online interview, workshop and on-site interview

Part 1: Online interview

Those whose portfolio has been positively assessed will be invited to an online interview with the examination panel, in which the applicant will present themselves and their project.

If the candidate passes the online interview, an invitation to the entrance exam in Salzburg will be issued.

Part 2: Workshop and on-site interview

Candidates will be given tasks to be completed both individually and together with other candidates.

Candidates will be required to contextualise their projects/their practice under new aspects of Open Arts (approx. 15 minutes). They will also meet the examination panel for a short interview (approx. 10 minutes) on motivation, background, previous studies, expectations and career prospects.

Examination requirements: The on-site entrance examination consists of several practical parts (e.g. in the areas of originality, impulse generation and reflection). In addition, conceptual skills, an awareness of the artistic positioning of projects and the ability to contextualise in relation to social, artistic and academic fields of action will be assessed in an interview with the examination panel.

Accessibility and widening participation

Please note that the Mozarteum University Salzburg offers various support options at the time of your audition and during your studies if you have a disability or a chronic illness.

If this applies to you and you would like to take advantage of counselling, please contact Claudia Haitzmann: claudia.haitzmann@moz.ac.at or +43 676 88122 337.

News

16.12.2024

Change of perspective

Paul Feigelfeld has been a university professor for digitality and cultural mediation at the Institute for Open Arts at the Mozarteum University since October. He researches transcultural approaches to the history of media and knowledge, critical perspectives on technologies and their interfaces with art and design.

Interview
11.10.2024

Expanded realities, expanded possibilities

With the approval of research funding totalling 2.5 million euros from the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG), the foundation has been laid for the development of a state-of-the-art X-Reality Lab - the digital centrepiece of the new Mozarteum University site at Kurgarten.

News
31.8.2023

Christopher Lindinger takes up professorship for art & digitality

Christopher Lindinger is an innovation researcher, computer scientist and cultural manager. He was co-founder of the Futurelab at Ars Electronica in Linz and co-director of the Ars Electronica Media Lab until he was appointed Vice Rector at JKU Linz in 2019. On October 1, 2023, he will take up a professorship for Art & Digitality at the Mozarteum University.

News
6.3.2023

Tower of Babel

The new Institute for Open Arts at the Mozarteum University, currently under construction, offers an inter-, trans- and nondisciplinary workspace. A conversation with Claudia Lehmann, who has headed the institute since March 1st.

News