Being an Artist – Beyond the Role?
Navigating Between Artistic Identity and Inner Clarity


Unlike in many other professions, artistic work often cannot be clearly separated from one's own personality, attitude, and perception. This workshop invites participants to engage with their artistic identity, current uncertainties, and possible future perspectives.
At its center are self-reflection, gaining clarity on where you currently stand, and developing a conscious artistic positioning. Together, participants explore what they want to stand for as an artist and which forms of artistic work suit them as a person. The aim is to make individual strengths and possible fields of action visible, and to derive concrete first steps for the path ahead.
 

Objectives

  • Reflect on your own artistic identity
  • Recognize personal strengths and areas for development
  • Sharpen your artistic positioning
  • Make sense of uncertainties and challenges along your career path
  • Identify suitable forms of artistic work
  • Derive concrete next steps for your own artistic and professional development
     

An offer in cooperation with the Center for Further Education of the mdw.
 

Nicola Buckenmaier © privat

 

Course lecturer Nicola Buckenmaier

Dr. Nicola Buckenmaier studied at the mdw Vienna and is a musician, coach, and entrepreneur. At the center of her work are questions of artistic identity, inner clarity, and professional orientation, in the tension between artistic aspiration and professional reality. She combines her own experience in the music field with entrepreneurial practice outside the arts.
She completed her studies at the mdw Vienna with a Mag. art. degree and earned her doctorate (PhD) at the Department of Music Sociology (IMS). She is a trained instrumental music teacher for clarinet and piano, with artistic, academic, and music education experience.
Professionally, she works in cultural management, communication, and strategic project development, including in a leadership role at an international theatre staging productions across three genres. As an entrepreneur, she works on international innovation and technology projects at the intersection of strategy, communication, and organizational development.

Workshop

 


Date
MO, 09.11.2026
9.30 am–4.30 pm 
+ TU, 10.11.2026
9.30 am–12.30 pm

Location
spiel|mach|t|raum, S 02 25, mdw-Campus, Anton-von-Webern-Platz 1, 1030 Wien

ECTS
The workshop, including preparation and follow-up, counts as 12h of 60 minutes each for the Career Center elective

Registration
From 15.09.2025 at www.mdw.ac.at/zfw/kurse