In 2009 two remarkable schools, with a course in Graphic Design, Werkplaats Typografie (ArtEZ), Arnhem, The Netherlands and ISIA Urbino, Italy, joined together to set up an international Summer School. Over the past 8 years we have organized the summer school with great enthusiasm, and due to its success and the positive responses from all the students who took part in it, we continue to organize the summer school again for this summer. Therefore we’d like to draw your attention, and invite you and your colleagues and friends to apply for this years summer school.

The two-week Summer School takes place in the beautiful Renaissance town of Urbino in Italy. Urbino is a walled city and a World Heritage Site in a hilly area in the province Marche. It hosts the University of Urbino founded in 1506. Its main attraction though, is the Palazzo Ducale, which started to be built in the second half of the 15th century. It houses the Galleria Nazionale delle Marche, one of the most important collections of Renaissance paintings in the world (Raffaello, Piero della Fracesca, Paolo Uccello).

ISIA Urbino is located in a former convent in the centre of the town, and on a 5 minute walking distance from Palazzo Ducale. It’s one of the best universities for Graphic Design in Italy, solely devoted to the design practice. It has all the facilities you might expect from a good school, workshops for printing, photography, a library, etc., and as a participant of the Summer School you are allowed to use these facilities during the course.

Since it’s a Summer School (and not a real school, with credit points, a diploma, etc.), it should be an exceptional experience, something that adds up to what you know, or have experienced. We want you to learn something new, but also want you to have a good time.

First of all, at this school you can never fail. Secondly, you will always learn and gain many valuable things from it. You ‘re invited to make a work based on your interests. We will challenge you to let this become your best work ever. We’re there to discuss your ideas, to help you improving it, and present its outcome at the end of the seconds week. Whatever your output is, not necessarily a poster or a book, the best part is definitely what you learned from it along the way. How you develop an idea, how to do your research and investigate in your formal approach. You will get personal feedback on your work. Each day you have a chance to speak individually with one or more of the critics. You will meet new fellow makers, who all come from different parts of the world, but who all share similar interests. You will share this once in a lifetime experience with them. You connect yourself to a new and international group of fellow makers, who will become future friends and an invaluable increased new network.

We’re looking for (young) professionals and/or students in the field of (graphic) design (writing, photography, illustration, publishing), art, architecture and theory. It doesn’t matter where you’re from, what you’ve done, what your interests are, how much experience or education you had. The Summer School offers an opportunity for anyone who has lots of talents, who is an inspiring and non-conventional thinker and maker. Who can bring something strong and beautiful and unique to the summer school.
If you’re the candidate we’re looking for, with an authentic, open and critical mindset, who is interested to learn, to explore and re-think your own work in a unique context and setting, who doesn’t mind working over summer, instead of going to the beach, please apply. The course we offer is in English, the food is Italian.

During the two weeks that the Summer School takes place you will be guided by tutors who have connections to both institutions. At the Summer School 2017 you will be guided by Armand Mevis, Maureen Mooren, Johannes Schwartz and Leonardo Sonnoli. All four have an outstanding international reputation with their independent design and art practices, and all four are experienced educators. They will encourage you during the two weeks that the summer school takes place. They will share there experiences and practices with you, and are able to answer your questions and help you further. Each of them will deliver a lecture about their work, to give you a better understanding of their practice.

We will ask each student of the summer school to respond to a theme. The theme is loosely derived from the (Architectural) setting and location of Urbino, its typical (Italian) culture (food, art, design, people), and its (ancient, or young) history and what this could all embody, and be of inspiration to you. Since it’s really about your work and your work only, we won’t restrict you by telling you what to do, or in which medium you have to express yourself. You are free to explore the theme in your own way, in your own language, within the medium of your interest. During the Summer School we will offer you a critical voice, with the aim to help you to formulate and sharpen your ideas and how to explore and formalize them. It’s the perfect place to try new things, explore new territories, to do the things you haven’t done before. There are plenty of workspaces, either inside the building, or in the outside courtyard. You can explore Urbino and its surroundings, visit historic sites, use the library at ISIA, ask us and fellow students tons of questions, and get going.