Invitation to Participate
CROSS CONVERSATIONS: What are art schools for?
The Cross Art Projects
Exhibition Ends: Saturday 14 October 2006 at 6pm
Information: Jo Holder 9357 2058 or 0406 537933
In association with the exhibition WHAT ARE ART SCHOOLS FOR? BY JUSTIN TRENDALL
WHAT ARE ART SCHOOLS FOR? is an exhibition about the relationship between artists and institutions. The theme for this Saturdays conversation is the challenge faced by art schools in Australias current social and economic climate. Although many challenges are not new, what is new is the 10-year reign of a party whose political philosophy is hostile to the arts.The conversation will focus on the common experience of art schools facing cuts and downgrading. We aim to make a small contribution to the ongoing debate about the value and position of art in our society by considering the problems from the perspective of teaching art. The conversation might be able to cover ground not easily covered by the more abstract mission statements of major organisations. You are invited to participate in a talk about your firsthand view of art and education and the current state of the affairs of art institutions in Sydney this Saturday at 4pm until 5pm. Followed by closing drinks.
Cross Conversation participants include artists: Justin Trendall, Andrew Hurle, Christopher Dean, Maria Cruz, Sue Pedley, Save UWS Art School
The Cross Art Projects
A space for independent art & curatorial studies
Director: Jo Holder
33 Roslyn Street Kings Cross Sydney 2011
T: + 61 (02) 9357-2058
E: joholder@aic.net.au
W: www.crossart.com.au
CROSS CONVERSATIONS: What are art schools for?
The Cross Art Projects
33 Roslyn Street, Kings Cross, Sydney (opposite St Lukes Hospital gates)
Saturday 14 October 2006, 4 to 5pmExhibition Ends: Saturday 14 October 2006 at 6pm
Information: Jo Holder 9357 2058 or 0406 537933
In association with the exhibition WHAT ARE ART SCHOOLS FOR? BY JUSTIN TRENDALL
WHAT ARE ART SCHOOLS FOR? is an exhibition about the relationship between artists and institutions. The theme for this Saturdays conversation is the challenge faced by art schools in Australias current social and economic climate. Although many challenges are not new, what is new is the 10-year reign of a party whose political philosophy is hostile to the arts.The conversation will focus on the common experience of art schools facing cuts and downgrading. We aim to make a small contribution to the ongoing debate about the value and position of art in our society by considering the problems from the perspective of teaching art. The conversation might be able to cover ground not easily covered by the more abstract mission statements of major organisations. You are invited to participate in a talk about your firsthand view of art and education and the current state of the affairs of art institutions in Sydney this Saturday at 4pm until 5pm. Followed by closing drinks.
Cross Conversation participants include artists: Justin Trendall, Andrew Hurle, Christopher Dean, Maria Cruz, Sue Pedley, Save UWS Art School
The Cross Art Projects
A space for independent art & curatorial studies
Director: Jo Holder
33 Roslyn Street Kings Cross Sydney 2011
T: + 61 (02) 9357-2058
E: joholder@aic.net.au
W: www.crossart.com.au
posted by UWS Arts at 1:41 PM
2 Comments:
Art schools may sometimes be regarded primarily as a place that employs artists, and allows them to pursue their Art practice. The art school may be regarded by those who work there as a source of equipment and the financial security which enables them to lead a life most people in the community expect: The ability to support a family, have a superannuation plan, pay off a house, travel overseas, and so on. Art schools also provide a forum where artists who teach can also engage in dialogue with others about topics closest to their hearts, and to share the knowledge and experience in Art making towhich teir lives are dedicated.
Unfortunately, this may not always coincide with the aims of an educational institution.
art schools might more successfully attract students, for which the governmet apparently provides funding, if the aspirations, needs, comfort, health and expectations of people who study in Art schools are the primary FOCUS of the way courses and facilities are organised.
Consider: What does each individal student leave the school with? What have we given them, after three years? I don't think its good enough to take the view that a person teaching in a tertiary institution is only teaching Art. It might also be worthwhile to condsider the position of people employed with what are after all relatively good salaries, as educators of the whole person. One might even consider some staff development to improve the effect of teaching in the Art schools.
In a worst case scenario, one cannot ignore the impression that some art schools can be so dysfunctional as to give the impression that they function as Societies for the Prevention of Art, whilst crying crocodile tears for more and more money.
Would you want your child to spend time in this place?
This might be the basis on which one might redesign courses, and their linkage with employment skills, such as negotiation skills, small business training, communication skills and presentation of a portfolio or project management, which might equip students with Art training for work in fields other than art. This might give them more options than the hope of a job in an Art school to support their work.
Belle z bub - thanks for the interesting perspective on your educational philosophy.I dont agree with you. Its a distracted vision in my opinion, as if suddenly reinvention is called for when its not.Basic support is whats needed from any university to support the staff in helping to educate people in what it takes to be a contemporary artist - this type of educational practice is nothing new, art schools have been around for a long time.
You do sound like a good curriculum designer for business studies.
There is nothing wrong with the pedagogy of these degrees. In many instances art education in Australia is world class in terms of innovative teaching practice.
At the instituition I work at we envy UWS's ability to get their students out in the world doing things.
Maybe you need to get out a bit more.
Anyway, all, if not most of those things you talk about are covered in the professional practices aspects of any number of subjects taught in Art schools.
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