Master of Contemporary Art

Installation view of "Wet Hearts of Everyday Thoughts", collaborative project with EKA Curatorial Studies, curated by Brigit Arop, installation by Heli Haav. Photo: Joosep Kivimäe.
MACA – Master of Contemporary Art
MACA is a two-year international program for emerging contemporary artists of different backgrounds intended to guide them during the development of their artistic position. The main focus is on the individual studio practice, which is supported by collaborative moments in the curriculum as well as masterclasses and courses introducing a range of artistic methods and platforms for research and critical reflection. In addition to intensive work in the studios, exhibiting in Estonia and abroad, and working in close collaboration with peers and tutors, students are encouraged to make use of the different facilities at EKA: professional photography and sound studios, workshops for wood- and metalworking, 3D modelling, textile, glass, ceramics, printmaking and many more.
The MACA program is meant for artists and practitioners who already have an active career and – while diving deeper into their fields of interest – wish to engage in collaboration, critical exchange and local context. Tallinn has a vibrant contemporary art scene with a number of art institutions and artist-run initiatives, including Vent Space that the students co-run with peers from EKA’s other programs and Uus Rada, an artist-run space initiated by the MACA students at the Raja street studio building. These spaces offer an opportunity to connect with the local art scene, providing an audience and supporting collaboration between colleagues and disciplines.
What does the MACA program offer?
- Opportunity to assemble your curriculum within a diverse programme that offers theoretical tools and practical training
- Individual tutoring for contemporary artists by contemporary artists
- Access to professional studios of sound art, lens-based art, installation and sculpture and graphic art
- Collaboration with local and international artists, curators, theorists
- A programme of off-site events, study trips, exhibitions, and collaboration with different art institutions
- Student exchange (KUNO, DAMA, ERASMUS)
- Access to and experience of running the student-run Vent Space for all possible forms of art presentation and development
- A critical discursive environment for discussions about making, displaying and thinking about contemporary art and contemporary society
Visit us on Facebook and Instagram to get to know our students!
Find out more about the Estonian art scene in this article by Kate Brown, and this interview with Margit Säde, head of the Master of Contemporary Art programme at EKA 2017–2020. 2020–2022 the curriculum was led by Mark Dunhill and Kristaps Ancāns. From 2022, the head of the programme is Anu Vahtra.
Do not hesitate to apply for the Master of Contemporary Art programme if…
… you value the development of your individual artistic practice. If the processes in society matter to you and you are passionate about your surroundings. If you like to think, imagine, create and dream. If you are motivated and ambitious, dedicated and enthusiastic, have creative confidence and critical thinking.