Course structure,
a typical week and studio access

Week Overview

Metàfora offers a flexible Studio Arts Program that consists of a series of practical art workshops, supplemented by tutorials, theory, exhibitions and other activities.

The core activities are:

  • Classes of different traditional echniques
  • “Thinking and Making”: Art History and Critical Theory
  • Experimental formats like Installation, Performance, etc
  •  Individual studio work, supervised in weekly tutorials

During each semester there are several student exhibitions (in- and off-campus) and activities  such as debates, meals and movie-nights.

Each semester can be taken individually as a short term stay.

The academic year is divided into 3 semesters:

Autumn (12 weeks), Winter (6 weeks) and  Spring (12 weeks)

The autumn and spring semesters consists of 12  weeks of class, where the first 10 are dedicated to classes, like the typical week below.

The last two weeks are spent on days of intense and inspiring work presentations, where all students show the individual work they have been working on throughout the semester.

In the case of the shorter winter semester, there are 5 weeks of class and one week of presentation.

Have a look here to see the scheduled classes of the coming academic year, and here to see all course dates.

A typical week on the Studio Arts Program

MONDAYTUESDAYWEDNESDAYTHURSDAY
10:00 – 15:00
INDIVIDUAL & GROUP TUTORIALS
TOOLS & MATERIALS
TOOLS & MATERIALS
TOOLS & MATERIALS
TOOLS & MATERIALS
14:00 – 15:30
ATELIER
ART HISTOR(ies)
THINKING & MAKING
VISITING ARTISTS
16:00 – 17:00
ATELIER
SCULPTURE LAB

Recurring Activities for all students

Metàfora’s Studio Arts Program program offers different Tools and Techniques classes every day.  These optional classes lasts for the whole semester, and students choose the classes they are interested in.

In addition to the classes, students are expected to develop individual studio work throughout the semester.
The weekly class “Atelier” is designed to equip all students with skills to work in the studio and develop a personal studio practice.

Weekly group tutorials or individual tutorials

Students meet in small groups of up to 8 students to deiscuss ideas, techniques and/or artistic interests, supervised by one of Metàfora’s professional artists.
The program has the privilege to count with a set of extremely skilled teachers and talented tutors, all cutting edge of Barcelona’s art scene.

End of Semester Presentations

At the end of every semester, all students on the course present their artwork to the rest of the group of students and tutors.

These weeks are among the most intense and inspiring moments of the program, bringing the group together in all senses through debate and celebration of creativity. The idea behind the presentations or the “Crit” is that students work on preparing a piece of finished artwork and show it in an “exhibition like” format.

Evaluation Interviews

At the end of each semester, once the presentations are over, students attend an evaluation meeting with their tutor. In this meeting they look back on the block together, and discuss work and progress and the proposed grade for the presentation.

Studios and access hours

At Metàfora we encourage each student to customize the studio space.
On a walk though the studio-buildings, visitors can see some spaces full of  materials and artworks, some bring plants, some even set up libraries. Other studios are clean and organized, reflecting the personality of each inhabitant.

Each individual studio space is between 6-8 square meters, sperated by walls, and will most often have a desk and a chair, shelves, easels and whatever the student may need.

The studio spaces at Metàfora are open between 9:00-23:00, seven days a week except on a few public holidays. Students can enter their studios via the back alley entrance out of office hours.

During studio time, students are encourgaed to work quietly, without disturbing other. There is time for breaks to discuss projects and ask each other’s opinion on a new artwork. The studio spaces are located between the three school patios, perfect for coffee breaks and chats in the sun.

On video: The spaces around Metàfora

  visit Metàfora’s YouTube channel