WELCOME to DAI 2023-2025
Dear incoming students 2023-2025; welcome Alkmini, welcome Alva, welcome Anna, welcome Annette, welcome Bel, welcome Christelle, welcome Clara, welcome Davide, welcome Echo, welcome Edwin, welcome Eszter, welcome Foad, welcome Gráinne, welcome Helena, welcome Iva, welcome Liam, welcome Lisa, welcome Maria, welcome Mia, welcome Nada, welcome Öykü, welcome Qiaoling, welcome Sam, welcome Sara, welcome Simone, welcome Tereza, welcome Tuba, and welcome Vlio.
In these turbulent and often dark times it lightens the heart to know that you all exist scattered over Europe and far beyond, that you've found us / that we have found you ~ so that we are now all preparing to come together during thirteen or fourteen CONFLUENCES between end of November 2023 and beginning of September 2025 to carefully and critically engage with each others praxes, propositions, dreams and struggles.
We, from the part of the crew are thrilled to welcome you on board of our ever evolving, fluid and soft space-ship: this peculiar thing called DAI. I know that you must have been eagerly anticipating our "official" word of welcome and I personally apologize if you have felt a bit neglected, but please rest assured, we are frantically working towards warmly receiving you all (including your second year peers, theory-tutors, COOP-tutors and Kitchen guests) in St. Erme for our intensive first Confluence at PAF. Here you will be initiated in all things pertaining to "How to Live & Study Together at DAI".
In the course of the upcoming days and weeks you will be contacted at your personal addresses* by members of our crew, our rocks when it comes to the logistics of travel, accommodation and catering and the BB&S FUND: Jacq van der Spek and Kaste Šeškevičiūtė.
*Please note that ArtEZ, the overriding University has created an ArtEZ e-mail for each of you. Make sure to regularly check those e-mails as well. DAI will however stick to your existing mail-addresses unless you desire otherwise.
If you have questions that relate to any adminstrative formalities, you are welcome to contact Rik (most of you have already been in touch with him after your acceptance into our program). Rik is "100% DAI" while liaising between our program and those ArtEZ administrative services that deal with (incoming) student affairs and more.
In case of further questions in regard to accessibility you can also contact either Jacq (practical) or Rik (structural support, rights).
Everything in relation to the content and formats of "study" will be addressed during the actual Confluence at PAF.
For those of you living in, or moving to the Netherlands: our incredible DAI Friends & Alumni network is organising a fundraiser evening in Rotterdam ~ you have not been invited to contribute with a performance but you are for sure welcome to attend this touching initiative.
I will keep this mail very short: important practicalities in relation to your first Confluence will be explained, as said, by Jacq and Kaste, but I do want to stress that it is important to regularly return to our website, with particular attention to the
CALENDAR (it is updated with every logistical confirmation)
But it is also wise to carefully read:
DAI's Quick Arrival Guide For International Students Written By Our Students (updated in 2023).
For now, I wish you all few more relaxing weeks in good spirits and health, ahead of our first in-depth meeting in November to which I myself, as well as all of our crew are excitedly looking forward.
With warmth,
Gabriëlle Schleijpen
she/her
artistic director / head of programme