Culterim | Independent Class (fine arts)
OPEN CALL!
We are now accepting applications for winter semester 2026 (October-Feburary) and summer semester 2027 (April-August)
The Culterim | Independent Class is a class group with an accompanying curriculum. The focus is on the development, experimentation and expansion of the 12-15 participants' own artistic practice. For the duration of the class, each participant has their own workspace in our Culterim | Studios. In addition to their own work, exchange and reflection are focused on and practiced. The students' own change of perspective and courage are encouraged and challenged in group and individual discussions.
The curriculum includes an examination of theoretical aspects of art as well as a wide range of practical hard skills for working as a freelance artist. A special focus of the program is to convey and get to know the Berlin art scene. To this end, the class will come into contact and discuss with actors from the independent and commercial scene.
The selection of artists for the programme is based on interdisciplinarity, the quality of their artistic work and their personal circumstances. We strive to create a trusting, committed and fruitful environment for emerging artists!
As the highlight of the Culterim | Independent Class, the class plans, curates and produces its own exhibition under the guidance of the Head of Class.
Application process
Deadline: Rolling Deadline
Start of the winter term: 5 October 2026
Winter term group exhibition: February 2027
End of the winter term: 28 February 2027
Start of the summer term: 5 April 2027
Summer term group exhibition: July 2027
End of the summer term: 31 August 2027
The application process is as follows:
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Online-application (Apply over the Apply here! button)
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Answer with results from Culterim within 7 days
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2nd round of selection process: Online interview (20-30min.)
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Answer with results from Culterim within 7 days
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Acceptance, invitation letter and confirmation
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Start of the participation in the upcoming semesters of the Culterim | Independent Class
Tips:
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Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and will continue until the position is filled.
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Early submissions are given priority.
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If you require a visa to travel to Germany or plan to apply for external grants and scholarships, we strongly encourage you to apply early so you have sufficient time for processing.
Curriculum details
Workplace/ studio space
All participants receive a studio space in one of the three class studios in the Culterim | Studios | Waldstraße in Berlin-Reinickendorf. Everyone will be part of the Culterim | Studio community from day one. The studios in Waldstraße are in very good condition, the workstations are 15-20 square metres in size and equipped with chairs and work tables. The studio house is directly connected to public transport (6 minutes on foot from S+U Karl-Bonhoeffer Nervenklinik (S25, U8), 22 minutes to Friedrichstraße, 24 minutes to Kottbusser Tor). The studios are located directly above a DIY store. See photos for a first impression.
Class meetings
The weekly class meetings form the centrepiece of the class. These alternate between group and individual discussions with the head of class Fred Unruh in the studios and various exchange formats. In these formats, the participants regularly work with guest contributions and engage in dialogue with actors from the Berlin art scene.
Exchange formats
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Input formats
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Theoretical perspectives on art
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Hard skills for freelance artists
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Portfolio
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Planning, curating and producing exhibitions
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Self-presentation and self-marketing
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Open formats initiated by the participants
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Excursion formats:
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Class to Professional
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Talks with professionals in galleries, project spaces, artists
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Guest contributions
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Artists Talks
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Group exhibition
The Culterim | Independent Class plans, curates and produces its own class exhibition, accompanied by the head of class.
Culterim | Independent Class Sides
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You become part of a Culterim | Studio community
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You have access to the Studio Talks
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You get discounts on all Culterim | Spaces (exhibition spaces)
Head of class - Fred Unruh
Fred Unruh is a co-founder of the Berlin art collective Studio Huette and has been an integral part of Culterim since the beginning. In addition to various exhibitions of his own in Germany, Switzerland and France, he took over the artistic direction of the Culterim | Residency Programme at the Gutshof in Dahlewitz in 2023 and 2024 and was part of the three-member curatorial team of Culterim.
Fred Unruh graduated from the Kunsthochschule Berlin Weißensee with Professor Albrecht Schäfer. He completed a guest semester in the Feldmann painting class and at the L'école des Beaux-Arts de Marseille and was a scholarship holder of the Lucia Loeser Foundation. Before taking the step to establish himself in art, he completed a degree in sociology and psychology in Mannheim and Istanbul.
The cultivated change of perspective in group and individual discussions, both as artistic director in the Culterim | Residency Programme and from the perspective of a student at the various art universities, consolidated his ambition to bring the wide-ranging artistic exchange to life in a concrete teaching programme in the Culterim | Independent Class.
Language
German and English are spoken in the Culterim | Independent Class. We recommend very good knowledge of at least one of the two languages.
Participation fee
The participation fee for the Culterim | Independent Class for 5 months is 500EUR per month. The fee covers the entire curriculum including excursions, guest contributions and exhibition participation as well as a permanent studio space.
Example curriculum semester
Every Monday,
weekly alternating group and individual discussions and
other exchange formats
Month #1
Monday Class Meeting #1: Start of the Culterim | Independent Class (welcome day, introduction to the programme and allocation of studio spaces)
Monday Class Meeting #2: Group and individual discussions
Monday Class Meeting #3: Excursion format (exhibition with talk)
Month #2
Monday Class Meeting #4: Group and individual talks
Monday Class Meeting #5: Input format (guest contribution: writing workshop)
Monday Class Meeting #6: Group and individual discussions
Monday Class Meeting #7: Input format (guest contribution: self-presentation and marketing)
Month #3
Monday Class Meeting #8: Group and individual discussions
Monday Class Meeting #9: Excursion format (gallery)
Monday Class Meeting #10: Group and individual discussions
Monday Class Meeting #11: Input format (making an exhibition)
Month #4
Monday Class Meeting #12: Group and individual discussions
Monday Class Meeting #13: Artistic practice (preparation Group Show)
Monday Class Meeting #14: Culterim | Independent Class | Group Show
Month #5
Monday Class Meeting #15: Input-Format (Portfolio)
Monday Class Meeting #16: Individual discussion
Monday Class Meeting #17: Excursion (Gallery + Project space)
Monday Class Meeting #18: Feedback Session
Monday Class Meeting #19: Farewell and future collaborations
The fees are VAT-exempt by the Governing Mayor of Berlin – Senate Chancellery Higher Education and Research pursuant to Paragraph 4 No. (21) (a)(bb) UStG (German Value Added Tax Act).