Social Design_Arts as Urban Innovation/University of Applied Arts Vienna

Practical Courage and Theoretical Risks. Artistic Labour at the Social Design Studio

Our projects might not easily be described as works of art, this is why we often opt to speak of artistic labour facing societal conditions by joint actions and mutual planning. The methodology of our work is characterized by open structures, interdisciplinary innovations, collective struggles, practical courage as well as theoretical risks and last but not least a lot of patience with and in the process. Our cultural and social backgrounds are productively diverse, the contents of knowledge differing and complementing and therefore they are promoting real project conditions in the safe framework of a university programme.

The title of the programme perhaps suggests that social comes before societal, that social designers are helpers just waiting to step in. Individual commitment, empathic thinking and a willingness to help without hesitation are doubtless personal requirements for students wishing to enrol in this programme. In the Social Design Studio, however, solidarity is regarded as a socio-political category requiring out-of-the box responses. The goal is to provoke rethinking and the generating of new ideas that can lead to societal change.

All projects and collaborations show a declared interest in exercising an active and critical influence on society. In short and always: We refuse to forego the future!