Expanding my skillset and knowledge

In the last months, I have focused on expanding my skillset and knowledge based on my ongoing multidisciplinary artistic research.

For many, saying that I am an artist means that I make “artwork” for a gallery space or museum and my life is around being at a studio space. However, being a multidisciplinary research-based artist working in collaborations regularly, it is not like this only. My practice, normally, is connected to work with people in different worlds: different disciplines in academia, but also artistic (of many kinds), humanitarian, activist, non-profit/civil society organisations… in different countries (currently mostly in Germany, Poland, Ukraine and Spain, in the recent past in Colombia, Peru, Mexico, Mauritius, UK, Italy, etc.)

In this “in between time”, I attended to a number of different trainings and academic courses expanding my “multidisciplinary lenses” as I work in such permeable space where topics and methods are interconnected to other disciplines and cultures. This journey has been quite inspiring, I have acquired not only knowledge but new networks with whom I wish to collaborate further. In the times we are living, working in projects with complex challenges require of responsibility, being more prepared is essential, particularly in the context of ecosocial crisis, working with people, aiming to contribute to meaningful social change and innovative situated solutions in such societal uncertainties.

I love such challenges and I highly value all of them, thanks to the organisers and all the participants I managed to meet and learn from in the way.

Now, I am more skilled to face next stages of my career as full time freelance multidisciplinary artist-researcher where I will keep leading and co-creating projects being a trainer, mentor as well as facilitator in transdisciplinary/intercultural spaces, art director, project coordinator, curator and researcher as well as creator in commissions in (Eco)Socially Engaged-Art Art healing… as it is all intertwined in the skills I can offer to the world and I am very excited about it! If you would like to collaborate or have a look in detail what I can offer have a look here: 
​https://www.seilafernandezarconada.net/sharing-expertise.html

This is the of trainings, some concluded some will be concluded very soon!:

- Ongoing “Evaluation for Arts, Culture, and Heritage: Principles and Practice” by University of Leeds, UK (online)

- Ongoing short semester university studies in "Digital competences for Culture and Creation professionals" by the UNED, National University of Distance Education in Spain. 

- Ongoing "How to set up a citizens' laboratory and build collaborative networks" by Universitat Jaume I (online).

- Ongoing Academic Course "Introduction to ethnography practices across its encounters with food" Centro de Investigaciones Interdisciplinarias en Ciencias y Humanidades Universidad Nacional de Mexico from May to November 2024 (online, Mexico DF, Mexico).

- Ongoing Course "Humanitarian Diplomacy" by IECAH Institute of Studies on Conflicts and Humanitarian Action.

- Day Workshop "Facilitating Transdisciplinary Research Meetings" organised by IAC Berlin and Robert Bosch Stiftung (25th October 2024)

- KIU Ukrainian Interdisciplinary Studies at the European University Viadrina during 15-27th of September 2024 (Frankfurt Oder, Germany) with the focus on conflict management, cultural diplomacy, migration and other perspectives in Eastern Europe, particularly in Ukraine.

- Summer School "Common Water Bodies" in the frame of Tbilisi Architecture Biennial 2024. September 6–15th September 2024 (Anaklia, Georgia).

-  Summer school "Urban synergies: Co-creating thriving connections for humans with nature" organised by Ce3c Centre for Ecology, Evolution and environmental Change at the University of Lisbon and framed as part of the platform Shift COST Action: Social Sciences and Humanities for Transformation and Climate Resilience (SHiFT) COST Action CA21166. 15-19 July 2024 (Berlin, Germany)

- Course "Trauma-Informed Art Practices" organised by Art therapy Force and Kings College London in June 2024 (Kyiv, Ukraine)

- Course "Art and Politics, Decolonial Aesthetics and Social Movements" organised by Dirección General de Vinculación Cultural de la Secretaría de Cultura de México in May and June 2024 (Online, Mexico DF, Mexico)

Photos by: Mirella Frangella and Jeannette Brabenetz/Severyna Yakubych, EUV and Giorgi Kolbaia