Iceland Academy of the Arts school schedule 2025

Kristín Eysteinsdóttir, Rector of LHÍ, welcomed new students today and encouraged them to approach their studies with an open mind.

  "You are embarking on an incredible journey and I want to encourage you to be open to everything that comes your way in the coming days and weeks. Allow yourself to experience and enjoy."

Kristín emphasized the importance of learning from mistakes. “Embrace experimentation and embrace mistakes, because that’s where you will grow.” Kristín further encouraged students to see obstacles as opportunities, cultivate flexibility, perseverance, and empathy. “Seek inspiration and encouragement everywhere, in conversations – with peers, mentors, and the world around you.”

Kristína Eysteinsdóttir's address to freshmen can be read in its entirety below.

Þóra Einarsdóttir, Vice Rector for Academic Affairs and Teaching, introduced the students to the department heads, deans, and the program for new student week, and Haukur Björnsson reviewed housing, accessibility, and other issues.

As usual, the school opening ceremony ended with a speech from the student, who this time was Gréta Salóme Stefánsdóttir, a musician and newly appointed associate professor at the Faculty of Music at the University of Iceland.

In her speech, Gréta Salóme inspired the students and talked about being a Holistic Artist. She emphasized that it is a privilege to spend years studying and dedicating oneself to art, and that it is important to use this time to learn new things and find your own ways of creating art.

Address by Kristín Eysteinsdóttir, Rector of the Icelandic Institute of History

Dear guests, dear new students!

It is a great pleasure to be with you here today at this milestone that marks the beginning of your studies at the Academy of the Arts.

To all of you who crossed the threshold this morning, full of dreams and perhaps a little anxiety, I would first like to say – welcome!

You are embarking on an incredible journey and I encourage you to be open to whatever comes your way in the coming days and weeks. Allow yourself to experience and enjoy.

The Academy of the Arts is a community where you are given space and time to cultivate your talents and uniqueness under the guidance of outstanding professionals, a place where you can challenge yourself, experiment, ask questions, seek, find and develop.

Our goal here revolves around you, dear students: to activate and train your skills, ingenuity, and knowledge with an emphasis on innovation, independence, progress, and professionalism.

I encourage you to enjoy this journey that lies ahead. Allow yourself to search, for the search itself is one of the most important aspects of creation. Search for untold stories, unexpected perspectives, turn over rocks and shed light on the unexpected. Search for humanity, beauty, cruelty and kindness. Be curious about everything in human existence.

Embrace experimentation and embrace failure, because that's where you will grow. Be open to criticism and conversation, be humble. Embrace discipline and flow at the same time. Take your studies seriously but at the same time be open to the art.

In its purest form, art can be the space and the magical moment where we witness each other and the essence of art is revealed. In art, we find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.

Art allows us to express what has not been said and see what has not been seen. It creates new thinking and new perspectives. It is not only a mirror of society, it is also a hammer to shape it.

In your studies, I encourage you to step into your courage. Dare to pursue what truly interests you. Be courageous in your subjects, approaches, and methodologies. It is precisely the role of this school to activate the special in you.

Cultivate and form connections, make an effort to connect with others and also with yourself, look to each other, look to us, share your experiences, listen and lift each other up when times are tough.

The winter ahead is full of opportunities for collaboration, innovation, and growth. Take advantage of everything this school has to offer – workshops, lectures, exhibitions, and events. Don’t be afraid to take risks, mistakes are an essential part of the creative process and can lead to rebirth and profound breakthroughs. Remember, every artist has faced challenges and doubts, but what matters is how you respond to them.

So approach obstacles as opportunities – be flexible in your thinking and cultivate resilience and compassion for yourself and others. Seek inspiration and encouragement everywhere, in conversations – with peers, mentors, and the world around you.

Dear students,

Enjoy being a student at the Iceland Academy of the Arts. May your journey here be transformative, inspiring, and full of possibilities.

I'm looking forward to the trip with you and I say goodbye to school.