Reflecting gives the confidence to, later on, put it into practice

Once you have graduated, the next step is to find your place in practice. But how do you know where and how you want to be in order to tell your story? Learning to reflect gives you the confidence to adopt a professional attitude and relate to that practice. Artemis helps you prepare for this. Tony Sacharias is a study career coach at the academy as well as a dancer/artist. He endorses the importance of the guidance programme: “By realistically and actively preparing students for practice, they become more aware of their own role in it and develop more quickly and convincingly in their work.”

Learning to relate to practice

Students learn early on in the study programme to adopt a professional attitude and to relate to practice. At Artemis, they develop this with teachers from that field, who have a link with the business community, which ensures realistic development and makes a positive contribution to the pace. The study career programme does this from a place of reflection and awareness, in an equal interaction: there is plenty of opportunity to ask questions to lecturers so that the student can get closer to the core. In my opinion, this is essential, as it ensures faster formation. Being able to reflect appropriately gives you the confidence to do the same.

Who are you and why are you here?

Within the study programme, we approach this reflection process from the point of view of autonomy, which starts right away in the first lesson Zomergasten (Summer Guests), based on the TV programme with the same name. We ask students to bring fragments from the past and their own development to gain insight into who they are, what has shaped them and why they are here. This immediately creates more confidence, also in their peers, because we do this in a group. In the lessons, we remove any barriers and offer space to be vulnerable. That gives a sense of safety, respect, recognition and inspires. As a result, the student gradually dares to make better decisions and to set boundaries. This is especially important in the creative profession, where the pressure is often high.

I encourage students to dare to be themselves, because that is diverse and inclusive

The development towards self-confidence and awareness logically also includes the themes of diversity and inclusiveness. Knowing your position requires awareness of your role and work in a space, be it this institution, the classroom, a company or society. That is why we consider the effect of your behaviour on others and your work within it. By delving into this through research and actively making contact with your target group, you discover where your responsibility lies and you know better what story you want to tell; to yourself and to others. And no, that doesn't have to be perfect; we let that aspiration crumble in the first year, also to reduce fear of failure. The core of the study career programme is that we want to convey that in the end we are all human; space for experimentation and discovery ensures more fun and therefore a faster and more beautiful development.

Tony Sacharias [42] is a study career coach, worked as a designer at Calvin Klein, among other places, and incorporates the foundation of his own work from his background as a dancer/artist in his position at Artemis [website] studiotenofour.com [instagram] @studio10.04

Read here the interview with Tony about his mission to create a stage with his work in which everyone is invited to speak out in order to break a collective silence.