Gerrit Rietveld Academie: Amsterdam's School of Art and Radical Thinking

The Gerrit Rietveld Academie is named after Gerrit Rietveld, the Dutch furniture designer and architect whose Red and Blue Chair (1917) and Schroder House (1924) are among the defining works of the De Stijl movement and of twentieth-century design. The school's name is not merely honorific: it reflects a genuine intellectual inheritance from the De Stijl tradition, with its commitment to reducing visual elements to their essentials, questioning received assumptions about form and function, and treating art and design as inseparable disciplines. This inheritance shapes the academy's approach to education in ways that are still visible in the work its students produce.

Founded in 1924 in Amsterdam, the Rietveld Academie has developed into one of the most respected art and design schools in Europe, attracting students from the Netherlands and internationally who are drawn to its strongly conceptual approach, its emphasis on critical thinking alongside studio practice, and its location in one of the world's great art cities. The academy's building, designed by Gerrit Rietveld himself and completed in 1967, is a significant work of architecture in its own right, with a modular, flexible structure that reflects the De Stijl principles of clarity, functionality, and the integration of art and architecture.

The Educational Approach

The Rietveld Academie's approach to art and design education is distinctive in its emphasis on conceptual development alongside technical skill. The academy does not train students to produce work in a particular style or medium; instead, it creates conditions for students to develop their own artistic voice through a process of sustained questioning, experimentation, and critical reflection. Students are expected to be able to articulate why they make the choices they make, not just how to execute them technically.

The Basicyear is the first year of the four-year BA program, and it is shared by all students regardless of their intended specialization. The Basicyear provides a common grounding in the fundamental questions of art and design practice, exposing students to a range of media and approaches and helping them identify the direction they want to pursue in the upper years. This shared foundation creates a community of students who have been through a common experience and who can engage with each other's work across disciplinary boundaries.

After the Basicyear, students choose a department and begin the more specialized work that defines the remaining three years of the BA. The departments include Fine Arts, Painting, Sculpture, Photography, Graphic Design, Jewellery, Ceramics, Textile, UrbanArt, ArtScience, Interior Architecture and Furniture Design, and Animation. Each department has its own character and approach, shaped by the faculty who teach in it, and students develop their practice within the context of their chosen department while remaining connected to the broader academy community.

Amsterdam as an Art Education

Amsterdam is one of the great art cities of the world, and the Rietveld Academie's location in the city is an essential part of the education. The Rijksmuseum, which holds one of the finest collections of Dutch Golden Age painting in the world, including Rembrandt's Night Watch and Vermeer's Milkmaid, is accessible by public transport. The Stedelijk Museum, one of the most important museums of modern and contemporary art in Europe, is nearby. The Van Gogh Museum and the EYE Film Institute are also within easy reach.

Amsterdam's contemporary art scene is active and internationally connected, with galleries, artist-run spaces, and cultural institutions that provide a stimulating context for student work. The city's tradition of tolerance and openness to unconventional ideas creates an environment that is genuinely supportive of experimental and challenging practice, and the Rietveld Academie's culture reflects this broader civic character.

The city's international character is also significant. Amsterdam is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in Europe, with a large international population and a culture that is comfortable with multiple languages and perspectives. The Rietveld Academie reflects this cosmopolitanism: approximately half of its students come from outside the Netherlands, and the academy's programs are conducted in both Dutch and English, making it genuinely accessible to international students.

Notable Alumni

The Rietveld Academie's alumni include some of the most significant figures in contemporary Dutch and international art. Rineke Dijkstra, whose large-format photographs of adolescents and other subjects are among the most important works of contemporary photography, studied at the Rietveld Academie. Marlene Dumas, the South African-born painter whose work engages with sexuality, identity, and mortality, also studied there. Atelier Van Lieshout, the collective led by Joep van Lieshout whose work spans sculpture, architecture, and social commentary, emerged from the Rietveld community.

These alumni reflect the academy's commitment to producing artists who engage seriously with both formal and conceptual questions, and whose work contributes to the broader discourse of contemporary art rather than simply occupying a market niche.

The MA Program

The MA in Fine Arts and Design is a two-year program that provides advanced studio practice for graduates who want to develop their work at a higher level. The program is small and selective, accepting students from the Netherlands and internationally who have a clear sense of the direction they want to pursue and the intellectual and creative resources to develop it. The MA is conducted primarily in English, making it accessible to international students who may not speak Dutch.

The MA program benefits from the Rietveld Academie's connections to the Amsterdam art world and to the broader European contemporary art scene. Students have access to the academy's facilities, faculty, and networks, and the program's location in Amsterdam provides opportunities for exhibitions, residencies, and professional development that are difficult to find elsewhere.

Tuition and Accessibility

One of the Rietveld Academie's most significant practical advantages is its tuition structure. EU students pay approximately 2,530 euros per year, which is a fraction of what comparable schools in the United Kingdom or the United States charge. Non-EU students pay approximately 9,800 euros per year, which is still significantly less than comparable programs in English-speaking countries. This relatively low tuition, combined with Amsterdam's reasonable cost of living by Western European standards, makes the Rietveld Academie one of the most accessible serious art schools in the world for European students.

The Dutch government's student loan and grant system provides financial support to eligible students, and the academy's financial aid office can provide guidance on available funding sources for both Dutch and international students.

The Bottom Line

The Gerrit Rietveld Academie is one of Europe's most respected art and design schools, with a strongly conceptual approach, a beautiful building designed by its namesake, and a location in one of the world's great art cities. Its relatively low tuition for EU students, its international community, and its tradition of producing artists who engage seriously with both formal and conceptual questions make it a compelling choice for students who want a rigorous European art education. For artists drawn to the Dutch tradition of clarity, experimentation, and the integration of art and design, the Rietveld Academie offers an educational experience that is genuinely distinctive.