module specification

This module provides a practical and industry-orientated exploration of the competences needed to propose, produce and develop art commissions and public-facing projects across art disciplines. It draws on real-life knowledge and current practices in the professional sector and is designed to equip students with key skills to sustain a career in the industry.

In doing so, the module aims to:
- promote an insight into how art projects in public and institutional contexts are initiated and carried through;
- develop an understanding of the funding systems and commissioning programmes behind public art;
- draw on real-life case studies to foster a direct understanding of the subject;
- outline best professional practices and apply these to the students’ individual projects.

N/A

Each week, the module will be structured around key themes of professional practice and related skills for the industry.

These may include:
- articulating and promoting an artistic and /or curatorial vision;
- communicating a body of work, through a coherent statement of principles;
- writing an artist or curator statement;
- applying to public art calls and commissions;
- fundraising through public grants;
- fundraising through private sponsorship;
- touring an existing work or project.

Progressively, the module will focus on the student’s own work, providing links with other modules on the course. It is expected that the skills developed on this unit will be directly transferable to the student’s final project.

LO 1 - LO 5

Although taught in class, the module will emphasise a practical approach to the subject and will encourage students to study direct examples of artist projects, curatorial programmes, commissioning schemes and funding bodies.

Students are expected to supplement the knowledge covered in class with additional research, both through reading and field observations of actual case studies. Progressively, they will apply the knowledge gained directly to their own work, making the module increasingly tailored to each student’s case.

On completion of this module, students will have gained:

LO1 an understanding of professional best practices related to public art commissions;
LO2 an insight into the funding and commissioning programmes related to public and institutional art;
LO3 the ability to propose and develop a project and communicate this in line with institutional policies and regulations;
LO4 an understanding of fundraising in the public and private art sectors;
LO5 the ability to manage a project through structured phases of development and dissemination.

Assessments in this module are designed to directly reprise real industry situations. They will typically be based on the projects that the students will want to carry out through the course, thus preparing them to develop these further as a result of this programme.

The first is a pitch to a simulated commissioning panel, in which students will need to produce an informed and persuasive case for their project to be commissioned, utilising the research sources explored through the module.

The second is a funding proposal, based on a given application model, such as Grants for the Arts at the Arts Council. Students will need to demonstrate direct understanding and application of the knowledge developed through this module to this real-life scenario.

Please view reading list here: https://rl.talis.com/3/londonmet/lists/37CF3467-0340-B36D-251C-7D7A6D123F72.html?lang=en-GB&login=1