Art as a Social Transformation

Art as Social Transformation is a one year part-time distance course at S:t Sigfrids Folkhögskola. The course is aimed at those who want to use artistic strategies to critically examine and reshape the dynamics between ecology, the rural and the urban and the human and the non-human. The course combines practical methods, theoretical grounding and artistic experimentation to explore how art can challenge and influence society – from grassroots initiatives to global movements – in a collective learning environment.

Rooted in the tradition of Swedish folk education, the course creates a space for rethinking both academic and lived knowledge, disciplines, and contexts—ultimately working toward new ways of understanding and transforming our present.

Participants may already be engaged in artistic and cultural projects or considering starting one. We welcome a wide range of professional and creative practices—whether you are a nurse, architect, astrologer, youth worker, filmmaker, physicist, chef, philosopher, dancer, or works as a middle manager.

Throughout the course, we will visit and engage with various initiatives, projects, and sites. Each session is structured around a theme, where we explore different modes of doing—for instance, ceramics, wood carving, vegetable fermentation or screen printing. These hands-on processes foster community, spark dialogue and generate materials that will be used throughout the course. We will move between micro and macro perspectives, engaging with experimental ways of living and embodied knowledge to understand how such practices can contribute to radical social and ecological transformation.

Structure

Art as Social Transformation runs at 50% study pace from August 2025 to June 2026 and includes:

• Five or six in-person gatherings (Thursday–Sunday), spread across the year, with some sessions held in Helsinki, Växjö, and the Umeå region.
• Weekly online sessions featuring collective workshops and discussions with national and international researchers, activists, artists, and designers. These meetings will engage with theoretical texts as well as participants’ own practices and project ideas.

Guest Lecturers

Our network of potential guess teachers includes: Yvonne Billmore (SOLU), Binna Choi (Casco Projects), Filippa de Vos (Development Coordinator for Visual Art and Design at Region Kronoberg), Signe Johannessen (Artistic Director at Art Lab Gnesta), Maya Hey (CSSM), Sergio Montero Bravo (KF-huset), mirko nikolic (artist/activist), Maximiliaan Royakkers, Helena Selder (BAC), Gregory Sholette (Social Practice at CUNY), Mick Wilson (Director of Doctoral Studies at HDK-Valand), among others.

Art as Social Transformation is led by Oona Linke and Jens Strandberg, both with backgrounds in the arts.

Oona Linke has a background in art and craft. Teaching is a central part of her practice, and in 2024–25 she was the head teacher at Kronoberg’s Art School at S:t Sigfrid’s Folk High School. She is deeply committed to the importance of creative expression, of making and sharing experiences as a way to foster connection and belonging in society. Linke’s work often engages with questions of housing politics, resource consumption, and climate engagement. Through a material-based approach, she explores contexts, economic values, and the cultural and social significance of materials—particularly in light of our ongoing depletion of resources. Materials carry stories that can be processed, combined, and manipulated to express what is often hard to put into words.

Jens Strandberg’s artistic and curatorial projects are characterized by collaboration, self-organization and a commitment to developing long-term artistic inquiries. His work sits at the intersection between artistic, pedagogical and curatorial experiments. Strandberg has worked both nationally and internationally, curated numerous exhibitions and publications and contributed as a writer to several leading art journals. Previous projects include: “Bomassan” (2017–2019) — a public art-pedagogical experiment that investigated Stockholm’s housing politics through the creation of a self-organized housing fair, “Home Works” at Konsthall C (2015–2018) — an exhibition program that explored the politics of the home from a Marxist feminist perspective. He currently leads “Nya nya Norrland”, an artistic research project examining the ongoing resource extraction in northern Sweden and “Keep Turning”, which uses fermentation and bacterial culture as both an artistic and socio-economic model rooted in collectivity, a sharing economy, experimentation and learning. His publication includes: Starter’s (2024), Landing (Lumbung Press, 2023), Home Works – A Cooking Book (Onomatopee Books, 2020), Gubbängsutredningen fortsätter (Dokument Press, 2019), Always, Already, Haunting, ”Disss-co Haunt” (Whitney Museum, 2019), among others. Strandberg has also served as artistic- and managing director at Transmission Gallery (Glasgow, 2008–2010), Konsthall C (2015–2018), Konstfrämjandet Västmanland (2020–2021) and most recently Bie Biennial (2024).

Gathering examples

• Kick-off in Växjö: Our first gathering focuses on getting to know each other. We will visit Tyrolen – a “folkpark” in Blädinge – to explore the history of folk parks and popular movements in Kronoberg and Sweden. We then move to S:t Sigfrids folkhögskola for workshops in ceramics and woodwork, and discussions on self-organization and the legacy of popular movements. We’ll also meet Filippa de Vos, who runs Region Kronoberg’s residency program Hult – a cross-disciplinary initiative that connects urgent issues like the climate crisis and social transformation with rural contexts, innovative methods, and collaborative approaches.
• Helsinki: In Helsinki, we explore bacterial culture as an artistic and social model. We visit the Bioart Society (SOLU) to discuss connections between art, science, and society. Together with the Centre for the Social Study of Microbes (CSSM), we delve into bacterial politics from both micro and macro perspectives and take part in a workshop with researchers on microbes, gender, and science. The visit concludes with a public event focused on bacterial cultures and the role of art in building community.
• Umeå: At KF-huset in Nordmaling, we participate in a building workshop, discussing architecture and design for rural environments and non-human life. We create and reflect on the role of art in shaping systems of self-sufficiency, as well as Northern Sweden’s role in the so-called green transition. During the visit, we will produce an installation at KF-huset.

The course is free of charge, but participants must cover their own travel and accommodation for physical gatherings, as well as a material fee of 1400 SEK (approximately €130). The course is eligible for Swedish student financial aid (CSN) at the folk high school level.

For any inquiries, please contact us at socialkonst@sigfrideducation.org

About S:t Sigfrids Folkhögskola

S:t Sigfrids Folkhögskola offers courses and programs open to all, regardless of belief, political conviction, social or ethnic background, functional ability, gender, or sexual orientation. We believe in lifelong learning as a fundamental right and emphasize learning together, from and with one another. We are committed to equality and the values of a democratic society.

APPLICATION

Applicants must be 18 years or older. The application deadline is June 2, 2025 for the course starting in autumn 2025. Interviews will be held in mid-June.

HOW TO APPLY

1. Register on Schoolsoft via the link ”Apply here” (above). If you already have a Schoolsoft login, you can use it. Otherwise you will be asked to create one.
2. Fill out this application form. HERE

ADMISSION

Admission and selection are based on your application and an interview with the course instructors.

REQUIREMENTS

Upper secondary school diploma or equivalent. Applicants must be att least 18 years old. To be admitted to a new term, you must not have any outstanding debts to the school from previous semesters. If you ar accepted, you confirm your place by, within the stated deadline, sending a confirmation notice (by letter or email). By doing so, you also agree to follow the rules and regulations of S.t Sigfrid’s Folk High School, including those concerning alcohol and drugs.