“The ‘interdisciplinarity’ of experimental art-making cannot ignore the fact that artists are often ‘disciplined’ by previous training and, as a result, do not always share the same standards in craft, image-making, acting, or community organizing. … at the same time, it is often the case that these experimental artists find themselves treading on the expert territory of other art fields.”

Shannon Jackson, “Social Works”

CAMPUS GEGENWART is a center for networking in practice and reflection. The Centre is part of the State University of Music and Performing Arts Stuttgart, and functions in cooperation with the Academy of Fine Arts Stuttgart. CAMPUS GEGENWART focusses on integrating current topics and artistic practices into everyday university life, which is often characterized by a focus on specialization in each subject.

In the field of teaching, the CAMPUS GEGENWART team cooperate with colleagues from both universities to initiate the opening up of previously fixed boundaries between disciplines. This gives students the opportunity to study beyond the borders of their own subjects and to integrate influences from other fields of study into their own discipline. The planned Master’s Degree Program in Performance Studies combines artistic work and research, placed at the heart of experimental and transdisciplinary practice.

Within the framework of transdisciplinary cooperation, the research projects of the campus are concerned with a reflection of our present moment, from the multiple perspectives of current artistic and scientific practices.

Many CAMPUS GEGENWART events are free for members of the public to attend. Series of talks as well as one-off events such as artistic presentations, readings, discussions and conferences bring the topics, discourses and contributions of invited guests to the wider public. Winter Semester 2018/19’s Über Performance (“About Performance”) talk series was extremely well-attended. This series focused on the complexity and multiplicity of current performance, linking practices across music, theatre, dance, visual art, philosophy and activism.

CAMPUS GEGENWART is directed by two new professors, appointed to the HMDK in 2018. The CAMPUS is also supported by a 0.5 professorship for new vocal music, a scientific lecturer and a business office – along with the two new professors, these individuals comprise the CAMPUS GEGENWART management team.