Lecturer in Art and Technology

The Academy of Fine Arts of the University of the Arts Helsinki is recruiting

Lecturer in Art and Technology

for a fixed-term two-year full-time substitute position for the period between 1 January 2025 and 31 December 2026.

Job description

The Academy of Fine Arts of the University of the Arts Helsinki (Uniarts Helsinki) is an international fine arts academy that has trained visual artists since 1848. The Degree Programme in Fine Arts, which leads to Bachelor and Master of Fine Arts degrees, offers studies in five subject areas: painting, sculpture, printmaking, time and space arts and joint teaching. In addition, the Academy of Fine Arts has a Bachelor’s Degree Programme in Contemporary Art History and Theory and a Praxis Master’s Degree Programme in Exhibition Studies. Education leading to a Doctor of Fine Arts degree is provided in a doctoral programme. The Academy of Fine Arts has about 270 students.

Students’ personal artistic work and the academy’s support for this work are at the core of studies. The teaching at the Academy of Fine Arts combines theory and practice as part of the student's development. The teaching examines, for example, processes and methods related to work, the contexts of presentation or the relationship between the form and content of a work. Through theoretical teaching- and research-based working methods that focus on the central questions of contemporary art, students learn to understand the connections between art forms, their traditions and history.

The Academy of Fine Arts has a lively relationship with the Finnish and international field of visual arts.

A key task of the substitute lecturer in art and technology is to supervise and facilitate students' artistic work and studies. The job description of a substitute lecturer also includes teaching duties and teaching development tasks related to the university community. In addition, the lecturer is expected to engage in their own artistic work and to actively keep up with the current phenomena in contemporary art and to participate in societal interaction.

Art and technology as a teaching field

Art and technology is a field of teaching situated between the traditional subject areas of the Academy of Fine Arts, and it serves all subject areas and addresses current phenomena in our technologically evolving operating environment and society. Technology is perceived both as a medium and as a subject of art. The teaching has a content-oriented starting point that emphasises an experimental approach to technology and digitalisation. Central elements to the teaching of art and technology are interaction, openness and interdisciplinarity across the arts and sciences. The aim is to provide students with the skills to identify different technologies in art and their societal connections from a content-oriented perspective. The teaching at the Academy of Fine Arts emphasises creative problem-solving and artistic thinking independent of medium or technology.

Artists' interest in technology is wide-ranging and diverse. In the experimental application of technology, artists' attention has often been drawn to the dismantling of the ideological structures built into technology. The connection to different fields of art and science is also evident in critical thinking and conceptual work. The Art and Technology teaching content is built around the Art and Tech Laboratory (ATlab) and Digital Studio (DigiStudio) facilities of the Academy of Fine Arts and their activities. ATlab serves as a laboratory for electronics and digital fabrication. The purpose of the space is to support artistic work and the production of various prototypes. DigiStudio is a studio space specially designed for digital work, where it is possible to record data using various methods, including motion capture and 3D scanning of objects and space. These provide a broad view of the use of technology in art.

Competence requirements and application criteria

Applicants selected for a lecturer position at Uniarts Helsinki are required to have a master's degree or equivalent artistic merits, versatile teaching skills and experience in utilising artistic activities and/or research in teaching, as well as pedagogical studies or pedagogical experience demonstrated in some other way. In addition, a solid track record in activities in the field of art and/or research as well as experience in Finnish or international cooperation and societal influence are required.

The lecturer in art and technology is expected to have good interaction skills in diverse teaching situations, extensive familiarity within the field of teaching, the ability to think theoretically and a research-oriented attitude. Working in the position requires the ability to cooperate with many parties, expertise in the field of performance technology, and experience in Finnish and international exhibition activities. The position also requires experience in using open source.

The applicants' teaching skills are assessed both on the basis of the available documentation and, as regards the shortlisted applicants, in a separate teaching demonstration and interview. Teaching demonstrations and interviews will be held on 29 November and 2 December 2024 on Uniarts Helsinki's Sörnäinen campus.

Language skills

Uniarts Helsinki's language policy promotes happy multilingualism. The languages of instruction are Finnish, Swedish and English. The languages of instruction for the position of art and technology lecturer are Finnish and English. All applicants are expected to have good English language skills and the ability to communicate in Finnish. Language skills are assessed in relation to work tasks.

Pay and working hours

Working hours correspond to the total working time specified in the collective agreement, which is 1,612 hours per year. The salary of the position is based on levels 5–6 of the requirement chart for teaching and research personnel in the salary system of Finnish universities. In addition, a salary component based on personal performance is paid. The salary at the start of the employment relationship is approximately EUR 3,500–4,200.

The position requires working in Finland. The position therefore requires the lecturer to live in Finland for the duration of the employment relationship.

How to apply

Apply for the position no later than 4 November at 23.59 (UTC +2) through Uniarts Helsinki's electronic recruitment system. Attach the following to your application as PDF files:

1. Free-form motivation/application letter (max. one page)
2. CV
3. Artistic portfolio (present 2-3 artistic works of your choice that you find essential for the vacancy)
4. Teaching portfolio

Further information

For further information on the position please contact Vice Dean for Research Mika Elo firstname.lastname@uniarts.fi and for further information on the recruitment process, please contact HR Specialist Leena-Kaisa Paananen, firstname.lastname@uniarts.fi