MORE ALUMNI STATEMENTS

Hester Draycott
BA VS graduate 2010

 

 

Hello All,

That's terrible, it will be such a shame if the course is deleted, the course was the only reason I decided to go to NUCA. When I was applying I also looked at the Fine Art course but it was like every other Fine Art course that is offered around the country. Visual Studies, however seemed to have more freedom to explore, experiment and progress; with it's interdisciplinary approach I was able to uncover my own practice as a performance artists which I know would not have been possible on a FA course.

In our academic year, visual studies produced the most amount of independently organised exhibitions, performances and events in NUCA history. This meant that the course supported and assisted us in working as artists even before we had left the course. These skills gained were crucial for me, now I am living abroad and working as a freelance artist and university assistant. It was because of the design of the course that I produced so many performances and events which led to me being invited to international festivals, and I am organising a performance collective in Chile. Without the skills I developed whilst studying on Visual Studies there is no way I would be in the position I am in today.

Anyone can be an artists but if you don't know how to get your art seen and communicate your ideas with others it is little more than a personal hobby. Visual Studies artists know how to create art and not just Fine Arts, but test the boundaries between disciplines and create new and innovative work. We successfully communicate ides and themes and most importantly are proactive in getting the work out there, which is where the importance of art comes in to play as a crucial tool in our culture.

In todays economic climate it is even more important that students are not only prepared to face the world of work after University but who before they even leave are already working so that the transition is seamless. This is what happened to me, I was so prepared that I just continued what I was already doing. This was thanks to the way that the Visual Studies course was designed and of course the amazing tutors who believe in the course.

Hope my opinion helps,

Take care,

Hester

Cristina Nisbet
VS student

I just want to express the importance of BA (Hons) Visual Studies for other courses.

I've come from Foundation Degree Arts & Well-Being at Nowrich City College which is a fairly new course that was set up with the aim of students progressing onto the third year of NUCA's BA (Hons) Visual Studies or BA (Hons) Professional Studies (UEA/Gt. Yarmouth). As the only creative option for progression from this course, I think it is essential that BA (Hons) Visual Studies is kept as a seperate course and is not incorporated into BA (Hons) Fine Art.

Unlike BA (Hons) Visual Studies, the structure and marking criteria of BA (Hons) Fine Art does not allow students to work within the community/schools/hospitals etc. if they wish to do so. Due to the differnce in structure, Fine Art also does not allow the exploration of Art Therapy and other topics related to art and well-being in the studio work and research report.

If BA (Hons) Visual Studies is incorporated into Fine Art, I am afraid that it will result in there being no creaive top up for FdA Arts & Well-Being. Peter Martin (BA Visual Studies Tutor) worked alongside Brenda Unwin (FdA Arts & Well-Being Tutor) and Jo Pretty (Head of Creative Arts at Norwich CIty College) to ensure that the focus of art & well-being could be maintained and expanded on throughout the third year of BA (Hons) Visual Studies. BA (Hons) Fine Art has not had this communication with City College.