We’re pleased to announce the open call for the 14th edition of the Alternative Education Programme, which will take place from September 2026 to February 2027.

Rupert’s Alternative Education Programme (AEP) is a transdisciplinary para-academic programme focused on individual mentorship for interdisciplinary creative practitioners. This year’s AEP curriculum emphasizes collaboration, critical thinking, and performative art practices while valuing decentralized knowledge and experimental learning. 

Each year, Rupert invites a diverse group of creative practitioners of all disciplines to join the six-month programme through an international open call. Participants develop their projects in close discussion with Rupert’s curatorial team and guest tutors. The programme consists of a series of individual mentorship sessions, peer criticism, creative workshops, topical lectures, and valuable exchange with the other programme participants.

During their stay in Vilnius, participants are introduced to the Lithuanian art landscape and are invited to engage with Rupert’s other activities and resident artists.

The deadline for applications is 24th May 2026, 23:59 (EEST).

Requirements
— Motivation letter (maximum 500 words), including:
a project proposal or research topic you wish to develop in the programme;
what kind of mentorship you seek at this stage of your artistic development.
— CV (maximum 2 pages)
— Portfolio (maximum 20 pages)

If you have any questions about the application process, contact us at [email protected].

Selection
Participants will be notified by the end of June if they have been shortlisted for an interview.
Interviews will take place late June-early July, and the selected participants will be notified in early July.

Participation
Orientation seminars and introductions will be held online in July 2026. The 2026-27 AEP Programme will take place in Vilnius between September 2026 and February 2027. The AEP Final Events in Vilnius will be held at Rupert in early 2027.

Participants are expected to attend, in person, the collective workshops, excursions, public events, and presentations held in Vilnius.

Between these on-site dates, participants are expected to conduct individual research and development for their projects for the final AEP event in early 2027. 

Throughout the programme, they will be guided by the AEP faculty, guest tutors, and the Rupert team. The language of the programme is English. The educational programme is free of charge. However, participants are responsible for their subsistence and other individual costs. Rupert is happy to provide letters of support to help accepted participants in funding applications.

Tutors and Faculty 2026-27
Viktorija Šiaulytė
Monika Lipšic
JL Murtaugh
Angeliki Tzortzakaki
Vaida Stepanovaitė
Post Brothers
George Finlay Ramsay

Additional tutors and mentors will be added later, responding to the needs of the AEP participants.

Rupert’s programmes are financed by the Lithuanian Council for Culture, Vilnius City Municipality, Lithuanian Culture Institute, and Creative Europe. Additional support is provided by Invalda.

Photo by Andrej Vasilenko