Prepare well

Would you like to start a programme at the ArtEZ Academy of Art & Design Zwolle?

Visit one of our open days to experience the atmosphere at the academy for yourself. You can speak with lecturers and students, have your portfolio reviewed, attend information sessions, ask questions at the Student Information Point (STIP), and explore the classrooms and student work.

Get inspired

To prepare well, it helps to start exploring art and design. Visit exhibitions and browse platforms such as MetropolisM, Kunstbeeld, Frame, DAMn and Dezeen.

Each year you can also visit the academy’s ArtEZ finals exhibition. This usually takes place in June or July and presents the work that fourth-year students created for their graduation.

Portfolio

For your portfolio, we ask you to bring examples of your own work. This should be a selection of work you have created during secondary school or a preparatory course, assignments you made for others, and work you created independently.

Take time to develop work in different media. If you want to know what is expected, or whether your portfolio is strong enough, you can bring it to the open day. Students will be happy to look at it with you and give you tips.

Tips for your portfolio

• Show a range of work: drawings, animations, storyboards, films or sketchbooks.
• Include work you created on your own initiative. This often gives the clearest impression of who you are as a maker.
• Show the process behind your work. How did you arrive at your idea? What worked well and what did not?
• Make sure your presentation is clear. Your portfolio can be a PDF, an MP4 (for film), or a website (for example via WIX).
• Demonstrate storytelling ability through images, text or animation.