VISU3151: The Work of Art: Professional Skills and Work Placement in the Visual Arts

• Students should have taken at least one of the following modules: VISU 1031, VISU 2031, VISU 2011, if not taken as a co-requisite. This is a selective module, students must be successful at an interview prior to their registration being accepted.

• Either VISU 2011 or VISU 2031, if not already taken as a prerequisite, or VISU 3001.

• None

• To enhance students' transferable, intellectual, and practical skills
• To provide students with meaningful work experience in the cultural sector
• To enhance students' employability potential

• The module is in two parts. The first part involves a series of workshops with academic staff and museum and gallery professionals. The second part involves a 4-week work placement in a museum, gallery, educational institution, library or archive. The Module Convenor has developed close links with numerous institutions including the Oriental Museum, Ushaw Historic House, Chapels and Gardens, Allenheads Contemporary Arts, The Literary & Philosophical Society in Newcastle, Globe Gallery, Durham 6th Form Centre Art Department and BALTIC who have agreed to host students on this module. Students engage in a project-based work placement, where they can explore a possible career, while meeting professional practitioners and developing skills and acquiring experience. The Module Convenor guides students towards their placement and the project is agreed between the host institution, the student, and the module convenor. Projects may involve archival, curatorial, presentation, learning, educational work as well as arts administration experience. Considerable emphasis is placed on professional and practical skills.

Subject-specific Knowledge:

• Fluency in using subject specific terminology
• Understanding of the relationship between theory and practice
• Knowledge of the work of specific arts professionals
• Familiarity with the environment that shapes professional practice in the field
• Understanding the importance of insurance, security, conservation, advertising/publicity & public relations
• Detailed knowledge of Health and Safety issues in the field
• Awareness of how skills relate to job opportunities

Subject-specific Skills:

• Students should be able to:
• Undertake a practical project in the field
• Develop analytical and problem-solving responses
• Think critically about the culture of display
• Gain experience in the correct handling of art objects
• Support ideas with appropriate use of exposition and activity
• Negotiate and assess a variety of theoretical and practical approaches

Key Skills:

• Use relevant professional terminology
• Enhance written and verbal communication skills
• Develop practical museum/gallery skills
• Develop team-working skills
• Practise problem solving skills
• Develop a sense of personal responsibility
• Promote skills effectively to prospective employers

• The first part of the module is taught through a series of events and workshops in which practical and professional skills are developed. The Work Placement is managed by the Module Convenor and each student has a mentor on site, but students are expected to be pro-active and show initiative on placement.

i) Informal formative assessment is offered in the context of workshops/masterclasses. ii) One-to-one tutorials provide opportunities for informal assessment and feedback on progress as the placement evolves. Tutorial sessions provide opportunities for discussion of plans for the summative assessment. iii) Informal formative assessment is offered by staff at the host institution to both the student on placement and the module convenor.

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