At the end of each season, the “Season Highlights” mark the conclusion of the Apprentice/Master program: a look back at the remarkable growth the Apprentices have experienced throughout the program. And as the icing on the cake: two groups get another chance to exhibit in the Kunstpodium T art space—this time without their Master.
Which groups are they? You can read about it here. Or maybe you’ve already guessed from the header image.
But first, we’d like to invite you to this closing party!
Opening Season Highlights: 15 October 19.00h
Be sure to mark this date on your calendar! The opening will also feature the presentation of the coveted Jan Naaijkens Prize.
The Season Highlights opening is known as a well-attended press event and is an opportunity to further expand your network and discover new opportunities—for our artists, partners, and art lovers alike. Be there!
The Jan Naaijkens Prize
For this edition, Kunstpodium T is inviting two groups of Apprentices to develop a new exhibition. These groups were carefully selected by program coordinator Kiki Petratou and Klaartje Esch of Kunstpodium T, who have closely followed all the exhibitions and group processes throughout the season. An independent jury of three experts from the art world will attend the opening. They will provide valuable feedback and then award one of the two groups the Jan Naaijkens Prize, which has been associated with our Apprentice/Master program since 2014.
The prize consists of:
1. a development voucher for the group of artists
2. and the opportunity to present an exhibition at a partner location that is still a secret!
Together, these elements form a meaningful next step beyond the walls of Kunstpodium T and support the further development of the artists’ professional practice.
Transition edition
As you may have noticed, this year we are nominating two groups instead of four. This allows for more space and better guidance, leading to more meaningful growth for the groups.
The Apprentice/Master program continues to evolve. Our goal is to further develop the program in a way that aligns both with the times we live in and with our core values: community, experiment, and exchange. In addition, we always want to listen to feedback from our former and current participants.
This year serves as a transitional edition leading up to a new concept for Season Highlights, which we’ll introduce next year. Here’s a sneak peek: we’re gradually moving away from a “standard nomination” process and the competition format. This way, we’ll ensure that every Apprentice has an equal opportunity to participate, regardless of the group or Master they worked with during the program. In addition, starting next year, the community itself will have a greater say in deciding who gets to exhibit.
Selection criteria
Klaartje & Kiki: “When making the selection, we considered individual growth, the group’s collective development, the exhibition concept, and each group’s involvement throughout the entire program, including participation in lectures, exhibition openings, Kick-off Week, and Community Day. Essentially, all eight Apprentice/Master groups are, of course, Season Highlights. We are incredibly proud to highlight these two groups!”
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Kiki Petratou
Yearmaster '25-'26
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