School of Commons (SoC), a global learning community, is looking for individual and collective projects to form the SoC learning environment from April 2026 - December 2026\. 

  
**What is School of Commons?**

School of Commons (SoC) is a community-based initiative dedicated to peer learning, and the study and development of self-organized knowledge production, located at the Zürich University of the Arts (ZHdK).

To date, we have supported 157 projects since our foundation in 2017, with the content and position of SoC being defined by our community. Over the 8-months of the SoC program, research is conducted as peer-based collaborative endeavours with annually changing members. Each cohort brings together a wide range of participants, guests, and contributors who share their curiosity, skills, and visions - producing a broad, integrative understanding of knowledge. We offer personal support, financial resources, and an active community of peers and experts engaged in a wide range of topics.

SoC’s program is developed bottom-up rather than top-down. Instead of providing a fixed curriculum, we encourage participants to actively shape our program, either by organizing and hosting events themselves, introducing new lines of study, or by inviting guest speakers and tutors who are relevant to their research. SoC is there to support and help organize the educational program our participants would like to have.

  
**In short, SoC:**

* Is a global community-learning environment dedicated to the study and development of self-organized knowledge through commons-based methods and practices
* Is located at the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK), but mostly hybrid in format, taking place online, with some select offline events at the ZHdK, and selected venues across Zürich
* Brings together practitioners, researchers, facilitators, and activists from **all disciplines** for its 8-month peer-led learning program.
* Has a structure which is shaped based on the needs, requirements, and wishes of the participants
* Works with a broad network of partners who help to explore, shape, and share the future of Peer Education as an important strategy and method of lifelong learning.

For 2026 we will be selecting **15 Funded Projects:** **7** ZHdK projects from currently enrolled or employed students and staff of ZHdK \[Zürich University of the Arts\], and **8** independent projects from proposals outside of ZHdK, including ZHdK alumni. The **8 i**ndependent projects can be from anywhere in the world, and do not have to be associated with an educational institution of any kind or have any specific level of education.

  
For all **15** **project** places we strongly encourage **duos and collectives** to apply, although we will be accepting projects submitted from individuals, duos, and collectives respectively.

  
Each of the **15** **projects** will receive a total budget of **1,500CHF** towards production and travel expenses, alongside access to publishing opportunities, accommodation in Zürich during the mid-year gathering, mentors/speakers, workshops on alternative ways and workings, peer learning, collaborations, and more.

  
**What else does School of Commons offer to participants who are selected?**

* A supportive learning environment
* Opportunity for collaboration and exchange, as well as peer-group and public presentation platforms
* Online and offline spaces to experiment with ideas, concepts, and practices
* Support with presentation structures such as the planning of exhibitions, events, and workshops
* Access to publishing opportunities, including our annual end-of-year publication: ISSUES
* Access to ZHdK’s infrastructure during on-site events. Specifically: tech material, room-booking access, access to faculty members of ZHdK
* Participation in our ongoing research project into ‘Accessibility and Inclusion in Digital and Hybrid Learning Environments’
* Introduction to a growing SoC alumni network for mutual support and exchange
* Workshops introducing methodologies for peer learning and co-creation

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