School of the Alternative is an experiment in education and community. We aim to provide a passion-driven model of education that encourages greater possibilities for thought, creation and collective action. Instead of a traditional classroom environment, our campus supports a collectively built, self-directed approach to learning, which gives opportunity for all participants to learn and teach.Our sessions are currently held on the original campus of Black Mountain College, and we hold two sessions each summer, each comprised of two weeks. We are inspired by the legacy that previous alternative schools have left before us, and we seek to create conditions necessary for a present-day community of pioneering artists and critical thinkers.