The Royal Academy of Art, The Hague, launches its week-long graduation festival

From 1-7 July the graduates of the Royal Academy of Art, The Hague, will present their final projects in a festival comprising exhibitions, performances, film screenings, public tours and an awards show. Showcasing work from the ArtScience, Fine Arts, Graphic Design, Interactive/Media/Design, Interior Architecture and Furniture Design, Photography, Textile & Fashion and Masters programmes in Artistic Research, ArtScience, Interior Architecture and TypeMedia the week-long celebration, based at the Academy Building at Prinsessegracht 4, begins on Friday with the awards show.

The identity for the exhibition and catalogue was designed Graphic Design alumni Nina Couvert, Danicha Leliveld and Sepus Noordmans. The campaign uses a metaphor for expansion as its fundamental concept. “As an art academy student, you fill yourself with ideas and thoughts, you immerse yourself in the knowledge of your colleagues and like-minded souls, and experiment with techniques, equipment and machines. When the time comes to graduate, you’re almost ready to explode – but that’s when it all really starts,” explains institute director Marieke Schoenmakers. “This process of expansion is symbolic of a creative development that does not end in an explosion or implosion, but ongoing enrichment. One that, with individual projects, commissions and exhibitions, repeatedly assumes new forms. A process of learning with no clear start or end; one that may have begun at the academy and, in some cases, a long time beforehand, and that continues unhindered after graduation.”

The Art Academy has produced a teaser film to reveal what is in store for visitors (above) and a schedule of key events can be found below.

Awards Show – 1 July, 4pm

Alderman Joris Wijsmuller (Urban Development, Public Housing, Sustainability and Culture) will open the festival. Graphic designer and co-head of the Graphic Design department Roosje Klap will host an energetic award ceremony that officially marks the kick off of the Festival.. The academy award nominees and winners will be announced along with the winners of prizes sponsored by centre for Fine Arts and Architecture, Stroom, art gallery and consultancy Heden as well as the Jan Roëde Foundation. Stroom will also announce the four winners of the Stroom Invest programme that selects four young and talented artists and designers and offers an intensive mentorship programme helps the graduates kickstart their careers.

Fashion Show

On 18 June Textile and Fashion students presented their collections during a dazzling Fashion Show at the Electriciteitsfabriek in The Hague. During the festival they will once again show their work to the public.

Festival programme

The full festival programme with timetables of all tours, performances and film screenings can be found here.

Opening times and practical information
1 July 16:00 – 21:00
2 – 7 July 11:00 – 20.00
Free entry

Prinsessegracht 4, Den Haag (2 minute walk from Den Haag Central Station)