Royal Academy of Art, The Hague

The Royal Academy of Art, The Hague (KABK) was founded in 1682 as the Haagsche Teeken-Academie (or ‘The Hague Drawing Academy’). Drawing classes were held for the public in the evenings and the society debated about art on Saturdays.

In our culturally diverse academy, the commitment, passion, and curiosity of our students and staff come together in a respectful and tolerant learning environment. Our intensive, structured and small-scale curriculum revolves around experimentation and personal guidance. We provide students with a significant degree of freedom to shape their interests and personal ambitions. We value skill and disciplinary expertise as well as interdisciplinary practice. We encourage innovation through collaboration and facilitate critical reflection on the ever-changing roles of artists and designers in our societies.

Research is an integral component of the learning culture at the Royal Academy of Art (KABK) The Hague. Research has gained increasing importance in artistic and design practices in recent decades. The 21st century artist or designer is what philosopher Donald Schön has called ‘The Reflective Practitioner’ in his seminal 1983 book with the same title.

The Royal Academy of Art, The Hague (KABK) educates students to become confident artists and designers, able to make a meaningful contribution to their discipline and to society by means of their passion, their deep expertise and their experimental approach.

We reach out to the professional field, immerse ourselves in societal trends, and seek confrontation with the audience. One of the ways that we do this is through joint projects with external partners from various disciplines, ranging from government institutions to the cultural sector and business world.