Orta Okul (“Middle School” in English) is a multilingual, inclusive, and nomadic learning platform designed to foster collaboration and participation at all stages of artistic and crafts-based production. At its core is a nomadic school—a flexible, mobile, and adaptable structure that facilitates discussion, practice, and creation, envisioned as a pilot project for advancing social justice in art education.

 

The nomadic structure enables an expansive approach: in each seminar, the school collaborates with different associations, art spaces, and actors to activate existing spaces and resources within the community. Beyond its expanding structure, the nomadic nature also symbolizes precarious narratives, such as migration, displacement, and the voices of marginalized communities. By activating (semi-)public spaces and venues not typically associated with arts and cultural production, the project fosters unexpected encounters.

 

Orta Okul is grounded in three core principles: “Art with community, not art for community,” “Participants before curriculum,” and “Maintenance over development.” These principles prioritize collaboration with diverse individuals and communities as co-makers, particularly those excluded from institutionalized art education due to barriers like class, social status, or age. By addressing intersectional obstacles to educational justice, the project aims to develop empowering, culturally relevant methods and curricula that nurture a positive sense of identity and belonging.