Poster Design Summer School, 3 ECTS
14.–19.6.2026, Lithuania (NIDA Art Colony & Vilnius Academy of Arts), hosted by partnering universities.

This Nordplus Higher Education intensive course is exploring the theme ‘Designing Hope’.

Course is organised by the visual communication / graphic design departments of LAB University of Applied Sciences, Institute of Design and Fine Arts, Vilnius Academy of Arts (VDA), EKA Estonian Academy of Arts.

Learning goals:
The student is able to
– understand poster design history and current contexts
– visualize societal issues in poster format
– design an impactful poster.

Schedule
Enrolment period: 4.5.–18.5.2026
Send motivation letter by 18.5.2026
One online meeting before the intensive week
Intensive week in Lithuania: NIDA Art Colony 14.–18.6.2026 (workshop) https://nidacolony.lt/
VDA campus, Vilnius: 19.6.2026 (exhibition preparation)
Exhibitions in Lithuania and Finland

Study places available: max 5 students from CIRRUS schools outside LAB University of Applied Sciences, Institute of Design and Fine Arts, Vilnius Academy of Arts (VDA), EKA Estonian Academy of Arts, who will participate anyway.

The course is funded by Cirrus (Nordplus). Students will receive a 580€ travel grant. Other expenses are not covered by the organisers (apart from exhibition costs). Accommodation costs at the residence are moderate. The credits from this course should be included in your study plan.

How to participate:
Send a motivation letter to marion.robinson@lab.fi by 18.5.2026.
– Title the email: Poster Design Summer School 2026
– The letter should be visualised, showcasing your own work and/or your thoughts on the theme ‘Designing Hope’ and poster design in general.
– Explain how this course would support your studies.

Course leaders and contact person: Marion Robinson (LAB), Senior Lecturer in Graphic Design and President of the Lahti International Poster Triennial; and Marius Žalneravičius (VDA). Marion Robinson is the contact person for this application.

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THE POSTER DESIGN SUMMER SCHOOL

Posters are an instant media but notoriously challenging to design. You will learn theoretical and practical methodologies (gestalt theory, image making and image research theories, and practical graphic design methods through design work). Poster professionals will mentor the course.

The course is suitable for both BA and MA levels.

The course is organized in collaboration with the Lahti International Poster Triennial and partnering design universities.

The theme in this year’s summer school is ‘Designing Hope’. Where do you see hopeful glimmers? Or would you rather investigate the threshold of hope/hopelessness?

Summer school provides a platform for investigating how poster design can visualise societal issues and future possibilities—through composition, visual storytelling, and visual influence.

The final posters will be exhibited at the end of the course in both Lithuania and Finland. One exhibition will take place immediately after the workshop in Vilnius, and another will be organised in Lahti, in early October.