Academy of the Impossible – Recap and Assessment

Academy of the Impossible
Copyright: Nick Mangafas

Press Release
18 August 2008

The aim of the Academy of the Impossible has been to help individuals develop their artistic skills and personal capabilities, and to support their efforts to transcend their limitations. The first series of offerings was held July 14 to August 17, 2008—thus, in the summer prior to the Capital of Culture year. Now, Linz09 presents an initial wrap-up of the Academy of the Impossible’s successful first season.

This project is comprised of a diversified array of courses that are very reasonably priced and open to all. There are also workshops designed for specific target audiences such as teachers, students and incarcerated individuals.

The 30 workshops offered in Summer 2008 were divided into two categories: the “do it all” group at which participants could gain insights and acquire skills progressively over a series of sessions, and the “mix and match” courses that could be booked by the hour or day.

Most of the Academy’s enrollment came from Linz and vicinity, though there were many attendees from throughout Austria and abroad as well. The project’s programmatic concept—uniting profession and hobby in the courses—could be implemented quite well with laymen and theater people alike.

In addition to the Academy’s courses, some very successful workshops were held at Asten Penitentiary near Linz. These sessions enabled many inmates to change the way they perceive their own (artistic) identity as well as the social and cultural environment in which they’re living. This series of Academy of the Impossible workshops will be expanded during the Capital of Culture year.

The 2009 curriculum will be based in part on the most successful courses held this past summer; there will also be some new offerings developed with several different artists.

Details about coming workshops and information about locations and how to register in 2009 will be posted online at www.linz09.at/impossible and published in the Linz09 newsletter in a timely manner.