‘Feed-back, feed-forward: Approaches to artistic feedback in doctoral supervision’

Supervisory feedback on the artistic work itself is a crucial element in the supervision of artistic research doctorates. But it is also a delicate, complex and under-discussed topic. Significant questions arise: What are examples of artistic feedback formats? What is the role of art critique in artistic doctoral education? How can supervisors engage with the practice of their doctoral candidates? What tools are available to help implement effective feedback cultures in doctoral programs?

Feed-back, feed-forward: Approaches to artistic feedback in doctoral supervision took place from 25-26 November 2020 as an online event hosted by the Orpheus Institute, Ghent. Doctoral supervisors from all artistic research areas were invited to explore artistic feedback approaches and experience through online presentations, workshops and discussions led by experts in the field.

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The multiplier seminar shared the intellectual outputs of The Art of Feedback, work package in phase #03 Improving Practices of the Erasmus Plus Strategic Partnership Project Advancing Supervision for Artistic Research Doctorates.

Around 60 Supervisors were virtually welcomed by Jonathan Impett (Director of Research at Orpheus Institute) and Michaela Glanz (project coordinator, Academy of Fine Arts Vienna). Following the welcome word, Christina Stabourlos (social scientist at Orpheus Institute) shared the outcomes of the qualitative research project in the frame of work package The Art of Feedback.

Feed-back, feed-forward: Approaches to artistic feedback in doctoral supervision addressed the need for specific supervisory training in the area of artistic feedback. Three supervisors shared their approaches and insights of supervising doctoral candidates in different art fields, giving food for thought and discussion amongst the participants. These supervision conversations were initiated by Simon Waters (Queen’s University Belfast, UK), Christel Stalpaert (Ghent University, BE) and Janneke Wesseling (Leiden University, NL).

On the second day of the multiplier seminar, the supervisors were invited to share experiences and challenges in giving feedback on artistic work in supervision situations. Workshops led by Morten Riis (Aarhus University, DK), Heloisa Amaral (Royal Conservatory of The Hague, NL) and Vida Midgelow (Middlesex University, UK) highlighted different approaches to the process of artistic feedback in doctoral supervision.

A warm thanks to the Erasmus plus programme for co-funding the organisation of the multiplier seminar.