The Art & Design Team at Edinburgh’s Telford College are delighted to launch an innovative Artist in Residence programme with the announcement of our first participant, Stephanie Cairns.
The Artist in Residence programme (AIRetc…) is an innovative scheme which provides recently graduated / professional artist and designers with a dedicated studio space within the Art & Design dept as well as access to specialist resources and facilities.
Stephanie, a former student on the Art & Design Foundation and HND courses here at Telford, graduated in July from Edinburgh College of Arts Sculpture School with 1st Class Honours and will start her 12 week residency with us immediately. As well as giving Stephanie the opportunity to interact with learners in the studios she will also develop a new body of work for an up coming show at the National Gallery of Modern Art in January.
Talking about the opportunity Stephanie said “I am delighted to have been invited to be Telfords first ever Artist In Residence and I am looking forward to the opportunity to develop and share my work and practice in a creative and supportive environment.
The motivational and inspirational tutoring I received at Telford while studying instilled a strong work ethic, which allowed me to achieve my goals, and I hope that my time here will help do the same for others.”
Although such schemes already exist at primary, secondary and HE education levels this is the first of its kind in the Scottish FE sector and will allow learners and lecturers alike to observe and interact with current practioners.
Art & Design Curriculum Manager, Colette Woods, said: “This is a very exciting development for the team and our learners. It will provide an opportunity for learners to have direct access to and contact with professional contemporary practitioners who are developing new bodies of work as well as offering recent graduates the chance to gain valuable experience of working in a dynamic, professional learning and teaching environment.”
The AIRetc… programme is open to practicing Artists who have previously studied Art & Design at Edinburgh’s Telford College. The selection and support of the artists in residence will be undertaken by the AIRetc.. committee which is made up of a cross section of staff from the Art & Design team.
As part of the programme AIR participants will publish regular blog postings at www.airetc.wordpress.com.
