About the school

Moscow school of contemporary art

Moscow School of Contemporary Art is a faculty of the Universal University. It is a continuation and development of, more than 10 years of experience, in the field of fine art and international education at the British Higher School of Art and Design. Throughout this period the school has collaborated with many key art institutions in Russia, the UK and beyond.

British bachelor programmes

The school offers educational programmes in conjunction with the British Higher School of Art and Design, as well as new short-term and long-term programmes in various formats in the field of art management, art business and curating.

Universal University

Moscow School of Contemporary Art is a part of the university for the creative industries, Universal University. It is the only university in Russia that offers internationally recognized English-taught degree programs in the creative industries.

Universal University is home to ten schools: British Higher School of Art & Design, Moscow School of Contemporary Art, Scream School, Moscow Film School, MARCH Architecture School, Moscow Music School, School of Education, Business & Marketing School Ubusiness as well as the project for teenagers, Uteens.

Our mission is to unlock people’s creativity and help them make a leap to a new life. Over 6000 students attend the university each year.

Board of Trustees

The board of trustees is a consultative panel of international experts who advise the Moscow School of Contemporary Art. This group of highly respected artists, curators and art educators lend their experience and expertise to ensure that the school develops and delivers the highest level of educational practices.

Juan Cruz
Artist, Professor and Principal at Edinburgh College of Art
Professor Juan Cruz was the Dean of the Schools of Fine Art and Design at the Royal College of Art (RCA). Juan is a director of the IAAC (International Awards for Art Criticism) , and a trustee of the John Moores Liverpool Exhibition Trust, which governs the John Moores Painting Prizes in Liverpool and Shanghai, both projects established to develop greater cultural understanding and exchange. He has been a trustee of the Liverpool Biennale, a member of Tate Liverpool Council. Juan is a member of AICA and a fellow of the Royal College of Art.
Sofia Trotsenko
Founder of the Center for Contemporary Art WINZAVOD
Sofya Trotsenko is one of the leading Russian art producers, the founder of the WINZAVOD Center for Contemporary Art (Moscow), the president of the Winzavod Foundation for the Support of Contemporary Art, the director of the School of Design at the RANEPA , the chairman of the commission of the Public Chamber for Youth and Sports and the deputy chairman Commissions of the Public Chamber for Culture and Cultural-Historical Heritage.
Olga Sviblova
Soviet and Russian art critic, documentary filmmaker, doctor of art history, professor
The founder and director of the Moscow House of Photography (now — "Multimedia Art Museum"). Academician of the Russian Academy of Arts (2012). Honored Artist of the Russian Federation (2018). Member of the Union of Artists of Russia. In 2011, Olga Sviblova entered the international ranking of the 100 most influential people in the world of art according to Le journal des Arts.

Sepake Angiama
Artistic director of the Institute for International Visual Arts
Sepake Angiama is also a curator and educator interested in discursive practices, the social framework, and how we shape and form our experiences in understanding the world. Previously, Angiama was Head of Education for documenta 14, Kassel, 2017; Director of Education for Manifesta 10, Saint Petersburg, 2014; and Curator of Public Programmes at Turner Contemporary, Margate. She has created education programs for several institutions, including Tate Modern, London, and Hayward Gallery, London.
Susan Collins
British artist and academic
Susan Collins is currently Slade Professor and Director of the Slade School of Fine Art in London, England. She is one of the UK's leading artists working with digital media. For the past decade the collision between the real and the artificial or virtual has been a key area of investigation. Collins works across public, gallery and online spaces.
Andrew Stahl
Head of Undergraduate Painting at the Slade School of Fine Art
Andrew Stahl is an artist and a Professor of Fine. He has exhibited frequently in London and the UK and widely internationally across Europe, Asia and America. He has received many awards including the Abbey Rome Scholarship and the Wingate scholarship for travel in South East Asia. His works are in many private and public collections both in the UK and abroad including the, Arts Council England, the British Council, the Government Art Collection, the British Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Michael Armitage
British-Kenyan artist, participated in the Venice and Lyon Biennale
Michael Armitage has more than 15 personal exhibitions in leading museums around the world, including the MOMA in New York.
Timothy Hyman
Writer on art and a painter
He was elected a Royal Academician in 2011 and is an honorary research fellow at University College London. He has exhibited widely and his work is in many public collections, including the British Museum, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Deutsche Bank Collection. He was lead curator of Tate's major Stanley Spencer retrospective exhibition and has written a pioneering monograph on Bhupen Khakhar. His articles have appeared in the Times Literary Supplement and the London Magazine, and he is the author of Bonnard and Sienese Painting, both published by Thames & Hudson.

Academic board

The academic board is the fundamental unit of the school and it is responsible for ensuring academic quality and high standards in the field of teaching, learning, collaboration with international partners and the integration of graduates into the professional community.

Mikhail Levin

Head of MSCA, programme leader of CPD Contemporary art, artist. Graduate of Slade School of Fine Art, UCL (BA (Hons) Fine Art) and Royal Drawing School (Postgraduate Diploma). He curated a number of international exhibitions.

Tim Simmons

Head of the British degree programmes at BHSAD. Graduate of Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College and University of the Arts (London). He was a tutor at East Berkshire College, Kensington and Chelsea College, University of Hertfordshire.

Sean Kaye

Programme leader of Foundation Art & Design, artist. He is a graduate of St Martins School of Art, BA (Hons) Fine Art (Painting) and the University of Central Lancashire, MA Teaching and Training Studies (Art Education). He was a visiting lecturer at Royal College of Art, University of Edinburgh, Glasgow School of Art, University of Leeds, Manchester Metropolitan University, Liverpool John Moores University and other universities in the UK. He was Course Leader of Foundation Art & Design at Leeds College of Art.

Carlos Veiga do Nascimento

Programme leader of BA (Hons) Photography, photographer. Graduate of Goldsmiths College, University of London and Colégio das Artes. Has a PhD in Contemporary Art at Universidade de Coimbra. Participant of various international exhibitions. His works were exhibited in Museum of contemporary art in Naples, at Art Festival in Athens and Filmens Hus/Cinemateket in Oslo. Co-Director of the curatorial programme blip blip blip.

Ian Charlesworth

Programme leader of BA (Hons) Fine Art. Graduate of De Montfort University and University of Ulster. Has a PhD on "Theory and Practice Study: Drawing and Lens Based" from the University of Ulster. His works are shown in the Czech Museum of Fine Art, Limerick City Art Gallery and Arts Council of Northern Ireland.

Anastasia Elayeva

Programme leader of CPD International Strategies in Art Business programme leader, Head of Creative partnerships at the communications agency Grayling, researcher on cooperation between business and culture. Received an MA from Ball State University though Fulbright programme.

The main aim of the school is to form a professional community and contribute to the comprehensive development of the contemporary art scene in Russia: through the education of artists, curators, as well as specialists in art management and the art business. Cooperating with key Russian and foreign art institutions, we strive to give students a global view of the profession, relevant knowledge and skills for further successful professional practice.

Mikhail Levin

Director of Moscow School of Contemporary Art

For over 10 years we have been implementing international programmes on contemporary art and photography within the British Higher School of Art and Design. But today we see that education in contemporary art should develop autonomously, as part of a separate faculty. While the BHSAD will continue to develop educational programmes in the field of design, the Moscow School of Contemporary Art will form a new field of opportunities for the contemporary art industry.

Katerina Cherkes-zade

Director of Universal University

Infrastructure for students

MSCA students get access to the services and resources of the Universal University, which allow them to work on projects to a high level, in a creative atmosphere and get the most out of their studies.

Workshops, art studios, lectures theatres and seminar rooms
The school has many specialized studios and spacious workshops for studying various types of activities. A wide range of unique equipment allows students to develop ambitious projects and to bring their creative ideas to life.
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Printmaking Workshop
In this workshop, students gain practical experience working with various types of printing that have a long history of application: linocut, silk-screen printing, monotype, collagraphy and etching techniques. Mastering these techniques helps to push the boundaries of creative experimentation and arouse student imagination.
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Clay and Ceramics Workshop
Working in this workshop enables students to work with new materials, pushing the boundaries of creative experimentation. Using the resources of the workshop, students gain practical experience working with clay, ceramics, plaster and learning a range of skills including casting and creating injection molds in order to develop their creative ideas.
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Photo / Video Workshop studio Nikon
A professionally equipped photo studio is a joint project of NIKON and the Universal University. The studio has four large-sized shooting spaces with high ceilings, which allows students to carry out almost all methods of filming (both video and still photography) and to undertake creative projects of any complexity.
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Information Resource Center
The center provides theoretical and textual support to all Universal University programmes. The aim of the center is to provide special library resources, subscription to periodicals and electronic publications, for students and teachers.
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Computer Workshops: Apple Macintosh and PC
In computer workshops, specialized master classes and seminars are regularly held. In addition, students have the opportunity to engage in independent work and to develop projects using industry standard specialized software.
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Darkroom and analogue photography laboratory
The School has two unique laboratories for developing and manually printing black-and-white and color photographs.In the era of digital media, such "dark rooms" are a real storehouse for those who understand the artistic value of analog processes and seek to immerse themselves as much as possible in the exciting world of photography.
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Loan store
In the school operates free loans of equipment for students and teachers. The equipment is used in the process of teaching various creative specialties and makes it possible to realize creative ideas of any complexity. The partner of the loan center is FujiFilm.
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"Peredvizhnik" art store
The shop has a wide stock including: graphic materials, paints, brushes, ink, paper, photo paper and films, — all the basic tools that a student may need in the creative process.
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U-cafe
The Universal University has two cafes under the brand name U-Cafe on the 5th floor of Building 2 and Building 3. The cafe menu includes salads, pastries, fruits, desserts, as well as delicious coffee, tea and other drinks.
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School Partners

Contacts
8 495 640 30 22
info@msca.ru

We are here:
10 Nizhnaya Syromyatnicheskaya St., building 3, Artplay Design Centre Moscow, Russia 105120