2024/25 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

ARTF3020 Professional Practice Level 3

20 creditsClass Size: 55

Module manager: Dr Anna Frances Douglas
Email: a.f.douglas@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2024/25

Pre-requisite qualifications

ARTF1019, ARTF2040

Pre-requisites

ARTF1019	Professional Practice (Introductory)
ARTF2040	Studio Work

Co-requisites

ARTF3205

Studio Work

This module is not approved as a discovery module

Module summary

This professional practice module will provide insights into the creative practices of a wide range of roles, including practising artists, curators, arts educators, creative producers, and arts related workers. Through the module you will be supported to recognise and value your existing skills, aptitudes, and behaviours, as well as developing new ones that will enable you to devise, initiate, organise and implement initiatives in the arts and creative industries, applying your creative and critical thinking to a breadth of working contexts.You will be introduced to a range of practices, creative methods, and working environments, familiarising yourself with a wide range of possible career pathways.

Objectives

This professional practice module responds to changing working practices and opportunities for trained artist professionals. It familiarises Level 3 students with approaches, strategies and methods for developing a life-long ‘portfolio practice’, that might include an art exhibiting career, and/or arts related, creative industry or creative business practices and/or services. Even if you decide not to be an artist, this module wll

You will be introduced to current concepts, strategies and methods in the organisation of artistic practices, and consider the expanded field of curating and producing. Additionally, we will develop awareness of current social and cultural policy and strategy issues effecting artists, as well how policy is providing work opportunities for creative social engagement in the non arts-fields that is lead by artist professionals.

In our module, we will explore a range of artist initiatives, curatorial projects, and look at the work of a number of creative producers, and artist researchers through taught classes and ‘hands-on’ workshops led by visiting tutors and through student -focussed field work.

You will be engaged in methods of creative analysis, self-reflective and experiential learning in order to highlight and develop skills and aptitudes applicable to achieving your future career ambitions, and that could be applied to projects of creative social engagement. Collectively we will reflect on our role as art audiences for the future irrespective of our future career ambitions.

Learning outcomes
On completion of the module students should be able to demonstrate evidence of the following:
1. Effective and appropriate communication skills, including time management.
2. Writing of statements, proposals and applications related to the broader arts field.
3. A familiarity with both the local and national art scene, galleries, and artist initiatives.
4. Analytical skills in relation to presentation and display.
5. An understanding of different audiences for exhibitions, art writing etc.

Skills outcomes
Arts funding (i.e. project summaries, self-communication, project management skills, audience development); Arts education, interpretation, public participation (i.e. working with people from a range of experiences and aptitudes), Creative and responsive thinking (innovative responses to problems and contexts).

Syllabus

You will take part in workshops, presentations, discussions, and field trips that prepare you for a range of employment and professional practice opportunities after graduation, particular in an age of ‘portfolio practice’.

Exploring the work of practising artists, curators, arts educators, creative producers, and arts related workers, the emphasis will be on supporting you in recognising and valuing your existing skills, aptitudes, and behaviours, as well as developing new ones that enable you to devise, initiate, organise and implement initiatives in the arts and creative industries, and to apply your creative and critical thinking to a range of non-art working contexts also.

Visiting workshop leaders, with regional, national and international experience, will introduce you to a range of practices, creative methods, and working environments, so you will become familiar with a wide-range of career pathways open after graduation. Self-directed visits to artist studios and relevant artistic spaces will also form part of the syllabus.

You will develop awareness of support structures and processes, forms of audiencing your art work, and a variety of exhibiting opportunities in the art world after your studies are completed.

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Fieldwork	1	4.00	4.00
Group learning	1	4.00	4.00
Lecture	1	2.00	2.00
Seminar	10	2.00	20.00
Private study hours			170.00
Total Contact hours			30.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			200.00

Private study

Students will work independently and in small groups to develop different aspects of professional practice around:

• an arts funding proposal, which they will research, develop and author in a procedure modelled on a national funding application (50% assessment)
• working in small teams they will visit an artist studio group and produce a joint presentation to fellow artist colleagues in the manner of a professional symposium.
• Author a weekly self-reflection workbook/journal, 50 % assessment.
• Engage in current research and policy findings regarding issues of inequality in the artworld, galleries and museums, and undertake further personal research.
• Consider the current funding climate for contemporary art and artists in the UK

Students are expected alongside their scheduled field trips to independently visit art galleries and other arts events in Leeds and further afield. Independent reading based on course reading lists will be expected to feature as part of their professional development within the module.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Student progress is monitored continuously through regular interaction in seminars. Students will be assessed at key points in the module through the in-class presentation. Verbal feedback will be given immediately after student presentations, as well as written feedback returned to students.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Reflective log	Weekly entries, to include text based reflection and subject to the student other visual forms of communication, i.e. illustration. 300-500 words per week.	50.00
Assignment	Mock funding application (750-1000 words)	50.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading list

There is no reading list for this module

Last updated: 29/04/2024 16:10:27

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