We are looking for participants that are interested to join our new project as Collective Critics. Send us your motivation letter by May 7.

Collective Criticism brings together rotating groups of artists, cultural practitioners, thinkers, and audiences to experience exhibitions collectively. Participants will walk through exhibitions together across the Netherlands, describing what they see and experience, testing language in real time, and listening to each other’s interpretations.

These conversations will be recorded in the exhibition space and later developed into audio episodes, transcripts, and visual documentation. All materials will be published and openly accessible.

Who we are looking for
We are inviting participants who are curious to engage with art in a collective setting. You do not need to be a professional critic and we welcome:

* artists and cultural practitioners
* writers, students, and researchers
* people working outside the arts
* anyone interested in how to look at and talk about art

We are especially interested in perspectives beyond the traditional art field, as these may bring insights that shift how artworks are understood. Participants will be selected based on their perspective, curiosity, and lived experience.

What participation involves
* Attending a meeting with invited critics as preparation
* Attending one or more collective sessions in museums across the Netherlands (taking place in June 2026)
* Taking part in a guided group conversation inside the exhibition
* Contributing to a recorded discussion (audio + transcript)
Each session lasts approximately 1-2 hours.

What we offer
* A collaborative and experimental environment
* Exposure to different approaches to art criticism
* Participation in a published project (audio, text, image)
* A participant fee in line with cultural sector guidelines

This project treats criticism not as commentary towards art, but as a collective practice in itself. By joining, you contribute to building new, more inclusive forms of discourse around art in the Netherlands. We will cover your transport to and from the exhibition.

What to expect
By May 7,  kindly email assistantshimmer@gmail.com with a short motivation also stating how many exhibitions you can visit (1-4) and your contact details. We will invite a short list of candidates for a brief interview and announce the final group later in the month.

This project is supported by Mondriaan Fonds.