The New AcademyThe New Academy

This year's contributors include (A)WAKE & Islam Shabana, Afrikaanderwijk Coöperatie, Buitenplaats Brienenoord, Convivium, Emer Beamer, Huis van de Toekomst, Independent School for the City, In-Depth-Space, Janilda Bartolomeu, Karin Christof, Loom, Niels Spaans & Bibliotheek Rotterdam, OMI Rotterdam, One Planet Port, Pauluskerk, Queer Gym, Sean Nelissen & Willemijn Lofvers, Sound Office, Stadspark West, Stine Jensen, Varia, Verhalenhuis Belvédère, Vers Beton x WARM Rotterdam, and WORKNOT! & COOPIA.

Together they explore the potential of a city-based Curriculum for Change. After Summer School comprises a series of classes, talks, workshops, and encounters that showcase and explore a multi-facetted, plural, inclusive and post-disciplinary approach to the city. Classes will take place in various locations across the city, including community centres, gardens, gyms, libraries, streets, public squares, bunkers and islands.

This edition of the After Summer School coincides with Peace Week, an annual nationwide event organised by PAX that promotes social inclusion, active community involvement and dialogue. As with previous editions, the focus is on the qualities that foster peaceful coexistence, such as empathy, curiosity, imagination, listening, resistance and resilience.

After Summer School is part of The New Academy, an initiative of the Nieuwe Instituut in collaboration with philosopher Rosi Braidotti that reimagines Rotterdam as a knowledge city. It aims to create a local platform for new ways of learning to address complex social, technological and ecological challenges together. It is centred around knowledge that is city-based, minoritarian, more-than-human, and embodied. As one of its activities, The New Academy develops a Curriculum for Change: a series of courses, talks, workshops and other activities that show and teach a plural, inclusive and interdisciplinary (design) approach to the city.