Interested in a spring study abroad course? This is a fantastic opportunity to explore the visual arts in Spain, guided by Professor Amy Friend. No prior art experience required. This is a full credit Spring Course open to all Brock Students.The deadline to apply is February 1, 2025.

DATES: May 8 – June 19, 2025 (Online classes before and after travel). Spain travel dates: May 29 – June 9, 2025. Cost $3400 (includes accommodations, in country transportation, entry to museums, tours, and some meals. Flight not included).

Email afriend@brocku.ca for more information.

VISA 3M05 – Art Studies Abroad in Spain

Exploration of unique cultural events and regional settings in Bilbao, Spain, and surrounding areas. Artist exhibitions, talks, participatory workshops/seminars, and activities with various institutions. Immersive experience develops knowledge of arts, cultural programming, tourism, media, and communications, with a focus on community interaction for social and economic benefit.

Restriction: student must have a minimum of 5.0 overall credits and a minimum 60 percent overall average or permission of the instructor.

Note: approximately 10 days of intensive study abroad with online pre-travel component. Students are expected to pay their own expenses. Students may need additional materials, which they must supply.

What to Expect

This spring, embark on a captivating study abroad experience in Spain’s culturally rich Basque Region with Visual Arts Professor Amy Friend. This area is celebrated for its vibrant traditions, unique cuisine and globally recognized institutions, and cultural festivals, all set against a stunning backdrop of diverse landscapes. Along the coast, you’ll encounter picturesque fishing villages, rugged cliffs, and sandy beaches, while inland you’ll explore the lush terrain of the UNESCO-designated Basque Coast Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve.

The course includes visits to the bustling city of Bilbao, where you’ll explore the iconic Guggenheim Museum and Ribera Market, with a home base in the medieval Casco Viejo district. Moving along the coast, we will visit San Juan Gaztelugatxe, a renowned pilgrimage site where a hermitage crowns a rugged hill connected to the mainland by a 241-step stone bridge. Recently, San Juan Gaztelugatxe gained international fame as the filming location for “Game of Thrones,” representing Dragonstone Island.

Further along the coast, we’ll visit the historic village of Getaria on the Bay of Biscay, home to the Balenciaga Museum. This modern structure overlooking the sea houses an extensive collection of Cristobal Balenciaga’s designs, celebrating his legacy in the world of fashion.

New to this year’s itinerary is a visit to San Sebastián (Donostia in Basque), where students will experience the city’s rich culture, renowned gastronomy, and natural beauty. A nearby visit to Pasaia’s “Sea Factory of the Basques” will offer fascinating insights into the region’s maritime heritage.

Inland, we will visit Guernica and its Peace Museum. Guernica is known for the devastating aerial bombardment in 1937 by German and Italian forces at Franco’s request during the Spanish Civil War.

The last stop brings us to the International Getxo Image Festival in Getxo, Spain. This annual festival, focused on photography and visual arts, showcases work from renowned and emerging artists worldwide in unique city settings. Students will engage with festival directors, curators, and artists to explore visual storytelling and cultural planning’s role in societal engagement and economic development.

Course Content

• International Experiential Learning: Discover the influence of art on society and the economy in the Basque region of Spain building connections to our home base in Canada.
• Community and Cultural Engagement: Explore key cultural institutions to understand how art shapes individual, community, and national identity.
• Hands-On Art Creation: Engage in choice driven creative projects across select media options include: drawing, painting, photography, sound,  video,  multi-media,  and mixed media—while learning how creative expression enhances connections to oneself and the broader world. No previous art experience is required.
• Reflective and Creative Research: Use reflective practice and creative research in project-based assignments to deepen your understanding of art’s role in culture and community.
• Collaborative Learning and Peer Interaction: Participate in group discussions, collaborative activities, and peer exchanges to experience art’s power as a tool for expression and social change and economic development.