A Forth Valley College lecturer has developed a ground-breaking Scotland wide art exhibition for talented new artists from the further education sector.
Art and Design lecturer Ewan John has created Future Artists Scotland, which will feature students’ work hand selected by lecturers from 10 colleges and represent the diverse and vibrant work currently being created across Scotland.
The first Future Artists Scotland exhibition will be launched on Saturday 26 November at Stirling University's iconic Pathfoot Building and will feature a range of work from more than 40 student artists. An open evening event will be held on Saturday 26 November marking the start of the exhibition, which then runs daily from 9am-5pm until Tuesday 20 December.
Artwork will be on display from students from Forth Valley College, Edinburgh College, Dundee & Angus, Dumfries & Galloway College, New College Lanarkshire, West College Scotland, Glasgow Clyde College, Fife College, City of Glasgow College and Ayrshire College
Ewan, said:
“This is the inaugural Future Artists Scotland Exhibition, an annual showcase of the important, challenging and contemporary artwork produced throughout Scotland's Further Education Colleges. We are delighted to be invited by the Art Collection of Stirling University to use their Crush Hall exhibition Space and their help in hosting this new event.
“It is felt that the artwork emerging from Scotland’s FE colleges is increasing in cultural significance and has earned a place in which to express itself and in return should be rewarded with the media attention and critical acclaim it deserves.
“The idea originated from a trip to the RSA’s New Contemporaries Exhibition – now in its eighth year and well established. For me it raised the question why is there no Further education equivalent? I thought this would be a great platform for them for all the hard work they put in over the year and to showcase their art.
“It is important that we not only work with students throughout their career at college, but give them something to work towards after they graduate. The reality of leaving the supportive and collaborative environment of college is daunting, especially so for students within FE whose pathway may not have been as straightforward. Cultural education shouldn’t just stop at the college door, it should permeate into society through events such as this.
“We have ten colleges supporting the initiative and lecturers select the students they feel best represent their college and the courses they offer. It will act as both a calling card to the art world and assist in potential progression to further studies, however, the attention is focused on the work being carried out at both HND and degree level.
“It is envisaged that this will become a major event on the art calendar, growing in stature as the quality of the artwork FE students produce is promoted, reviewed and discussed.
Dr Ken Thomson, Principal of FVC, said:
“We are very proud that one of our lecturers is the driving force behind this excellent Scotland wide initiative. Ewan has put in a tremendous amount of work into the innovative Future Artists Scotland exhibition and deserves great recognition for his own creativity, foresight and passion – as he helps to give young artists from FE colleges a platform in which to display their work.”
Candy Munro, Acting Chief Executive, College Development Network, said:
“It is wonderful to see college talent showcased in this way. Congratulations and good luck to all those involved in making this exciting exhibition happen. CDN looks forward to hearing of the future successes of these and other talented art and design students from the college sector.”
Jane Cameron, Curator University of Stirling Art Collection, said:
“The Art Collection has long had an ambition to host an exhibition of this kind in the modernist Pathfoot Building which already displays the University’s Contemporary Collection. The creative work coming from Further Education colleges is original and exciting. We’re looking forward supporting the Future Artist’s Scotland Exhibition in what we hope will become an annual event.”
For more information please visit http://www.futureartistsscotland.co.uk/