Research and Development

The DKV is the most research-oriented and -diverse department at ZHdK and includes broad-based art education research as well as research on cultural analysis in the arts, aesthetics and transdisciplinarity. The discourses and developments from the current research projects feed into the teaching formats, which in turn provide new ideas for research. Together with the University of Zurich, the DKV is responsible for the Centre for Arts and Culture Theory and the joint professorship of Digital Cultures and Arts. At the same time, the department is involved in the Collegium Helveticum, the joint Institute for Advanced Studies of ETH Zurich, the University of Zurich and Zurich University of the Arts. The Archive of Swiss Independent Periodical Publishing ASIPP has been based at the DKV since 2023 and is open to research and teaching.

Art Education

Art Education Research develops the discipline at the intersection of current educational and cultural theories, artistic processes and subject-specific teaching theory. Current sub-projects are dedicated to the topics of "Art Education Knowledge", "Practices of Art Teaching", "Right to Cultural Participation" and "Collaboration and Digitality in Art Education". The embedding in the study programmes of art education and the connection to teaching are of crucial importance.

Aesthetics 

The Research Focus Aesthetics is concerned with basic research in the field of aesthetics in classical and recent aesthetic theorising. This includes the philosophy of the arts as well as the question of aesthetic forms of knowledge, the analysis of historical and current artistic forms of action and theories of the effectiveness, anchoring, functionality and alterity of the arts in and to society.

Cultural Analysis in the Arts

The Research Focus Cultural Analysis in the Arts functions as an internationally networked, transdisciplinary center for cultural analysis, cultural theory and cultural history in the arts related to all subject areas of the Zurich University of the Arts. The transdisciplinary self-conception of the research questions the presuppositions of disciplinary knowledge production and thematizes related inclusions and exclusions as powerful cultural constructions.

Transdisciplinarity

The Research Focus Transdisciplinarity offers space for artistic and academic production and reflection. It is a place where research is conducted and where different attitudes, practices and methods from the arts and sciences meet on an equal footing.