The Europeans x Photography Education

Introduction Between 2020 and 2030, we, photographer Rob Hornstra and writer Arnold van Bruggen, are working on The Europeans: a large-scale investigation into the contemporary European at a time when Europe is struggling. We intend to document twenty regions in Europe. Each work period in a region ends with an exhibition and the launch of a publication at the location where the work was created. Four regions have been fully completed, including exhibition and publication; three are in progress.

Relationship between The Europeans and Education In our work, we regularly collaborate with students and educational institutions. We envision mutual enrichment in these collaborations. We offer students practical experience, provide insight into our working methods and financing models, mutually leverage each other’s networks, and inspire through lessons and talks. In our professional practice, we have gained extensive teaching experience through workshops, guest lectures, and teaching at academies, as well as supervising interns. Rob was co-head of the Photography department at the Royal Academy of Art (KABK) from 2015 to 2021. Through an Erasmus+ grant, we now aim to make our previously spontaneous collaborations with education more structured and give them a place within The Europeans.

Plan Parallel to the working methods of Hornstra and Van Bruggen, students create during one semester (or shorter) work within the framework of The Europeans. The assignment can be supervised internally by your own teachers within the curriculum. Or extra-curricular by an educational staff member of The Europeans. The description and scope of the assignment for students are determined in consultation with you (the educational institute). At the start of the semester, Hornstra and Van Bruggen will provide a substantive presentation on The Europeans. Subsequently, in the following weeks and parallel to Hornstra and van Bruggen, students will create a new chapter for The Europeans in the region of the partnering school. At the end of the semester, a presentation will be held at a pop-up location, featuring work of all participating students in conjunction with The Europeans. During this presentation, the latest publication of The Europeans including students work will be launched.

Timeline The initiative for the Erasmus+ grant application lies with The Europeans. We have hired an experienced fundraising agency for this (thanks to our donors). We are currently seeking educational partners to involve in the application, which we aim to submit before 2025 to Erasmus+. Upon a positive outcome, we plan to start collaborating with four schools between September 2025 and July 2027 (one school per semester).

Funding Financing of the creation of work, guidance, and presentations at educational locations, and the basic provisions of a joint presentation of the project will be funded by Erasmus+. No “extra budget” is requested from the collaborating educational institutions. The request is to include the collaboration with The Europeans through a student assignment within one of the existing courses, including supervision from own teachers, or to offer it extra-curricular, if desired, including guidance from The Europeans.

© Rob Hornstra & Arnold van Bruggen / The Europeans