FEINART enables a fluid and flexible working relationship between the Beneficiaries as centres of critical research in the areas of art and political philosophy, curatorial studies/arts administration and art theory/cultural theory, and the POs as centres of excellence in the development of socially engaged practice (providing a wide range of practical and practical-theoretical training).
ESR PhD PROJECTS

ESR Project 1 (art and political philosophy)
Changing social identity and economic role of the artist
This PhD project aims to understand the changing economic function of art, and the changing social role of the artist and curator.
Director of Studies: Prof John Roberts
Early-Stage Researcher: Gabor Erlich
Faculty of Arts, Business and Social Sciences
University of Wolverhampton, UK
Secondments:
ESR Project 2 (art theory and practice)
The shift of the art studio as a site of production of objects to the studio as research hub or social forum
This PhD project aims to increase awareness of the changing skill set of the artist from ‘maker’ to ‘thinker-as-maker’.
Director of Studies: Prof John Roberts
Early-Stage Researcher: Hiu-Wai Chan
Faculty of Arts, Business and Social Sciences
University of Wolverhampton, UK
Secondments:
ESR Project 3 (art theory and practice)
Impact of post-display and participatory art on the future of public art institutions in Europe
This PhD project aims to develop understanding of new modes of reception of art not based on conventional forms of production and display.
Director of Studies: Prof John Roberts
Early-Stage Researcher: Maria Mkrtycheva
Faculty of Arts, Business and Social Sciences
University of Wolverhampton, UK
Secondments:

ESR Project 4 (art theory/cultural theory)
Participatory, community and activist art and the future of democracy
This PhD project aims to find the role of participatory and communal artistic practice in a wide of range regional and cultural contexts.
Director of Studies: Prof Jón Ólafsson
Early-Stage Researcher: Jenny Fadranski
School of Humanities
University of Iceland, Iceland
Secondments:
ESR Project 5 (art and political philosophy)
Changing notions of value and judgement in relation to participatory, community-based and activist art
This PhD project aims to assess the philosophical implications of the cognitive and affective shift of the spectator from ‘audience’ to ‘participant’.
Director of Studies: Prof. Björn Þorsteinsson
Early-Stage Researcher: Claude Nassar
School of Humanities
University of Iceland, Iceland
Secondments:
ESR Project 6 (art theory/cultural theory)
Art and social practice in decentered national contexts: the case of Iceland
This PhD project aims to survey and assess the socially engaged art programmes and resources of independent art spaces (Art Labs. Hubs, etc) in Iceland.
Director of Studies: Prof. Benedikt Hjartarson
Early-Stage Researcher: Bilge Hasdemir
School of Humanities
University of Iceland, Iceland
Secondments:

ESR Project 7 (curatorial studies/arts administration)
European funding policy and employment for socially engaged art
This PhD project aims to produce a financial analysis and social overview of institutional support and employment data for socially engaged art in the EU.
Director of Studies: Prof Dr Franz Schultheis
Early-Stage Researcher: Noa Mamrud
Faculty of Communication & Culture
Zeppelin Universität gGmbH, Germany
Secondments:
ESR Project 8 (curatorial studies/arts administration)
Art and social engaged practice in major national contexts: the case of Germany
This PhD project aims to survey and assess the socially engaged art programmes and resources of independent art spaces (Art Labs/Hubs) in Germany, with particular emphasis on the role of the new curator.
Director of Studies: Prof Dr Karen van den Berg
Early-Stage Researcher: Marteinn Sindri Jónsson
Faculty of Communication & Culture
Zeppelin Universität gGmbH, Germany
Secondments:
ESR Project 9 (art theory and practice)
New forms of artistic labour and socially engaged art
This PhD project aims to study and theorize the changing function and role of artistic skills in relation to the collaborative and participatory character of socially engaged practice.
Director of Studies: Prof Dr Karen van den Berg
Early-Stage Researcher: Sophie Mak-Schram
Faculty of Communication & Culture
Zeppelin Universität gGmbH, Germany
Secondments:
ESR Project 10 (art theory and practice)
Socially engaged art and digital network culture
This PhD project aims to study assess the impact of the digitalization on artistic labour, audience participation and the transmission of knowledge in socially engaged art.
Director of Studies: Prof Dr Karen van den Berg
Early-Stage Researcher: Anna Fech
Faculty of Communication & Culture
Zeppelin Universität gGmbH, Germany
Secondments:

ESR Project 11 (curatorial studies and arts administration)
Gender and sexual division of labour in the curating and production of socially-engaged art
This PhD project aims to assess and theorize the impact of women’s labour on the development of socially engaged art and the independent art space.
Director of Studies: Dr Angela Dimitrakaki
Early-Stage Researcher: Fabiola Fiocco
Edinburgh College of Art
University of Edinburgh, UK