Abstract
- To coordinate experiential learning
- To plan a credit-bearing internship programme as part of a new stream in socially engaged art practices.
The Fine Arts Department would tentatively plan to launch a new stream in socially engaged art practices in September 2019. In order to give this programme at least one of several hands-on components, we would like to explore the possibility of students’ placement in Hong Kong art-related organizations dealing with social engagement (Blue House, Rooftop Institute, Magic Carpet, etc.). This new stream, and this particular credit-bearing internship would develop along the lines of the Global Citizenship and Social Enterprisingness theme.
Brief write-up
Project objectives
The Fine Arts Department has created a credit-bearing internship programme for Fine Arts department students, it consists in a service-learning course specifically designed for visual arts students who want to be active in socially-engaged art.
The relationship between art and society has become more intimate than ever. More artists, designers, writers are reaching out to social workers, school teachers and individuals from different disciplines for collaborations and more vibrant possibilities.
Favouring a hands-on approach to education, socially-engaged art practices cannot be taught merely in the classroom. In order to allow students to progressively understand the multitude of possibilities offered by socially-engaged art, only an immersion programme could let them understand and adapt to these situations. Supervised by both a Fine Arts department teacher and persons working for these associations and artist-run spaces, such an internship is the most efficient way to educate students to take the initiative and engage more closely with communities.
Key deliverable expected
During this 8-month project, the Fine Arts department visited and interviewed 18 organizations in Hong Kong that explore the possibilities between the two realms, art and social engagement, with different approaches. Among these groups, 15 of them will provide internship placements for the undergraduate students of the Fine Arts department during the summer holiday. This internship will be offered to Fine Arts department students every summer.
Activities, process and outcomes, and deliverables and evaluation
After defining these associations and artist-run spaces’ expectations, as well as stipulating the duties expected from interns, 2 workshops were offered to Fine Arts department students to explain what will be expected of them during the internships. A PPT presentation about all these associations and artist-run spaces was created for these workshops and made available online to help students make their choice of internship places. From now on, these workshops will be held every year in the second semester. The first internship programme will begin in the summer of 2019 (July-August period) and 23 students have already enrolled.
Dissemination, diffusion, impact and sharing of good practices
The PPT presentation about these associations and artists-run spaces will be uploaded to the Fine Arts department website.
An article is being written for an academic journal (TBA) on the outcomes of this programme and a paper presented at a conference on social aesthetics organised by China Art Academy in their artist in residence complex in Fujian province (August 2019).
