Common Ground Studio

Common Ground Studio

Since 2020, Common Ground runs the Common Ground Studio (CGS), offering access to UdK Berlin’s Institute of Fine Arts for disadvantaged individuals. The CGS appropriates the condition of the Fachklasse system, whereby students are grouped with a professional artist in a studio for the duration of their studies. However, the CGS is student-led and aided by previous generations of participants, who are all themselves in different Fachklassen. Selected participants join specialist artistic classes for an academic year (October to July) as guest auditors. They engage in class meetings, studio projects, and receive guidance from professors. The year in the Studio is spent developing each participant’s art practice, encountering students, lecturers, professors, with the members of Common Ground acting as leaders, mentors, and organizers. After the academic year, participants can remain involved with the CGS, whether or not they are enrolled in formal studies. This includes opportunities to participate in exhibitions, projects, and workshops.

The CGS brings diverse perspectives to the university by supporting talented individuals who face structural inequalities - intervening against mechanisms of exclusivity and institutional temporality and normativity. Since 2020, 52 people have been embedded into UdK through the Common Ground Studio. Over the 5 years, a total number of 21 people were accepted to study at German art schools: 12 Fine Arts, 1 HZT dance, 1 Graduiertenschule, 7 Lehramt, 2 IFKIK, 1 Weisensee Art School, 1 Dusseldorf Art Academy, 1 Darmstadt Media Art School. 

first round: December 2020 to mid-July 2021

7 people — 0 dropouts, but online most of the time because of COVID

Klasse ter Heijne x 2

Klasse Schutter x 3

Klasse Robert x 1

Klasse Steyerl x 1

Accepted: 4 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CGXAnpTF1o9

second round: October 2021 to mid-July 2022

9 people — multiple dropouts

Klasse ter Heijne x 2

Klasse Schutter x 1

Klasse Konrad x 1

Klasse Steyerl x 1

Klasse Hussain-Naprushkina x 2

Klasse Fischer x 2

Accepted: 2 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CSOuUNDIzxV

third round: October 2022 to mid-July 2023

11 people — 3 dropouts 

Klasse ter Heijne x 3

Klasse Schutter x 1

Klasse Steyerl x 1

Klasse Hussain-Naprushkina x 4

Klasse Fischer x 2 

Accepted: 6 

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cg_vm8XMh96

fourth round: October 2023 to mid-July 2024

14 people — 0 dropouts 

Klasse ter Heijne x 1

Klasse Schutter x 1

Klasse Streuli x 1

Klasse Weber x 1

Klasse Pryde x 1

Klasse Hussain-Naprushkina x 5

IFKIK x 4

Accepted: 9 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CwSiLT0MVnZ

fifth round: October 2024 to mid-July 2025

11 people — 8 people applied the other 3 decided to apply next year. 

Klasse Schutter x 1

Klasse Steyerl x 3

Klasse Amadyar x 2

Klasse Neugebauer x 1

IFKIK x 2

Free member x 1 

Accepted: 6

https://www.instagram.com/p/C-7z8fZsvBW 

sixth round: October 2025 to mid-July 2026

https://www.instagram.com/p/DNQVfePMNZA 

seventh round: OPEN CALL till 7.09.2026!

https://www.instagram.com/commonground.udk/p/DcJINm4DOfj 

Our group exhibitions:

Hello, Hallo — Group exhibition

Dec 22 2022 - Hardenbergstr. 33. 10623 Berlin

https://www.instagram.com/p/CmWLWQDIO-T/?hl=de

BE -L-O-N-G- ING — Group exhibition

Dec 7 2023 - Hardenbergstr. 33. 10623 Berlin

https://www.instagram.com/p/C0TWSTBMA4K/?hl=de

The Common Ground Studio residency in the UdK. 

May 15 - May 28 2023 in the Eingangshalle of Hardenbergstr. 33.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CpdIlxfI_5E/?hl=de&img_index=5

https://www.instagram.com/p/CsRG7gHszcu/?hl=de

https://www.instagram.com/p/CsiZrWGsM8L/?hl=de

Elusive Now — Group exhibition with the Herodotus Program & students of the Beaux-Arts de Paris:

May 23 2024  - Hardenbergstr. 33. 10623 Berlin

https://www.instagram.com/p/C7OfIJXMzpI/?img_index=1 

Re Cordis — Group exhibition

December 4 2024 - Hardenbergstr. 33. 10623 Berlin

https://www.instagram.com/p/DC339UUsokK/ 

Against the Clock — Group exhibition

May 28 2025 - Hardenbergstr. 33. 10623 Berlin

https://www.instagram.com/p/DKAZWVpsgtq/

Who lives in the house — Group exhibition

December 17-18 2025 - Hardenbergstr. 33. 10623 Berlin

https://www.instagram.com/commonground.udk/p/DSFUAnYDEkA 

Verwandlungen — Group exhibition

April 24 2026 -  DER KANAL / Weisestraße 59, 12049 Berlin

https://www.instagram.com/p/DXgpse0jMm5 

Everything is Fine (?) — Pop-up group exhibition

29-30 April 2026 - Hardenbergstr. 33. 10623 Berlin

https://www.instagram.com/p/DYsSWM1Mtss