AD 6110 Professional Practice Studio Sessions Week commencing

AD 6110 Professional Practice Studio Sessions Week commencing 17/10/16

Portfolio Blog A key part of the assessment of professional practice is your creation and maintenance of a portfolio blog. This online environment will contain examples of your work from all parts of your course this year but could usefully start with what you did for work based learning or experiential learning, and also summer activity either in response to summer projects or voluntary / paid activity as appropriate. The specification for the portfolio blog is that it should contain: 1) Your reflection / reporting on the lecture content and inherent agendas and how this informs your understanding of the professional world. Irrespective of the background of the invited speakers they will all have something to offer all students. First and foremost, consider your position and your future trajectory in relation to what speakers are discussing.

2) A critique or review of at least four cultural products / events such as, for example, an exhibition, book, film, theatre production, design, architectural space or object. Look at how other bloggers review similar cultural events or products. What do they have to say and what register do they use, i. e. how do they say what they have to say? Think about how you discuss your own practice and whether this is different from how others might discuss it in your absence.

3) Research into professional practice in your preferred discipline and related practices Consider the subject area/s of your current programme and reflect on what these offer you as you move towards graduation. Think about the lecture content and how this aligns not only to your own experience but importantly how you begin to formulate a plan about what you want to do next and where you want to go. Begin to define the territory you are interested in post graduation and evidence your thinking as regards how you might get there.

4) A live creative project that has been commissioned by a client outside the degree programme This activity may come in many forms. You might for example be working to a design brief with a restaurant, or undertaking a photo shoot that has been arranged through someone you know. You might be exhibiting your work in a group exhibition or working on a voluntary basis in a gallery. Think about some of the activities that you are already involved with and consider whether these might constitute or extend to a live project. Are you already working in a school with a view to PGCE for example? If in doubt, discuss with staff about what might be a valid live project.

5) Your reflection and development of all of your work during the year This element of the blog has the potential to make links between all of the modules you are registered for at level 6. It is important that you build an overview of your progress through the programme, where your strengths and weaknesses lay, how you might capitalise on those strengths and improve upon any perceived weakness. Looking and reflecting upon all your work will allow you to do this, defining such a position will afford an opportunity not only to meet the portfolio interview element of this module but also make inroads into your future ambitions.

6) Research into the task areas for the degree show development Having defined the area of activity you are interested in as regards degree show preparation, you will obviously begin to make reference to how others have performed the same tasks. What might other degree shows look like; what did last year’s degree show look like? You will have, and continue to develop a view regarding your degree show alongside all other students and should document, research into and reflect on such progress.

7) Your promotional material, CV and press release text for the degree show and catalogue This material may well develop through a number of drafts before you feel it is fit for purpose and it may well be the first point of contact for a potential employer or buyer. Consider how such material will appear to someone who has never met you or seen your work. Once again, thinking about such material and how it is presented may also underpin some of your preparation for the professional interview.

Portfolio Blog (60% of assessment) The assessment of the Portfolio Blog will be based on the submitted blog and a 2400 word summary, which will highlight from your perspective key developments in your understanding of professional practice in your discipline. There are three main elements to consider when constructing the Blog overview: 1) General overview of the Blog content and how the process has contributed to your professional development. 2) Your reflection on how you have developed your professional abilities during the year. 3) Your self-promotional material, CV and statement text (400 words) for the degree show.

Professional Interview (40% of assessment) These are timetabled and assessed Portfolio Interviews that are worth 40% of the overall grade for this module. Portfolio Interviews will be conducted according to the student’s subject area; for combined students in Art & Design you may prepare an interview portfolio for one subject area or the other Portfolio interviews will be conducted with a minimum of one member of academic staff and one industry or subject area professional The interview format may vary slightly between disciplines to accommodate the different needs and expectations that surround such disciplines as they operate in the wider world Subject staff will discuss details of these sessions in greater detail nearer the time Portfolio Interviews will be 15 minutes in length. You will preface the interview with a 5 minute overview of your portfolio and work, followed by 10 minutes of discussion.

Workshop Degree Show Planning

DEGREE SHOW PLANNING Task Groups: • Communication • Public Relations • Promotion • Fund Raising • Design • Curation • Logistics

Communication Devising the show concept / title Communications strategy Design Brief Copy for press releases etc Channel management e. g. Web Site, Flickr Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr And importantly, responsible for communication between all degree show task groups and academic staff

Public Relations Audience development, Getting free publicity Liaising with business, institutions, schools, arts and community organisations Informing the local Kingsway community

Promotion of students and their work at local, regional and national level Generating student stories for local Chester press and media but also local to the student, where applicable, in their home town or region Finding web sites and other outlets to promote the show Finding regional and national promotion opportunities

Fund Raising / Hospitality Setting up fundraising events Identifying fund raising opportunities Funds are usually spent on hospitality on the opening night External venue?

Curation In collaboration with staff coordinating space allocation Collating initial exhibition plans from students Planning the space in relation to location of work and resources Planning installation, invigilation and de-installation

Design This is one of the most challenging areas in relation to timing and the amount of work involved The design team will produce the invitation, poster and show catalogue. They will set the style for all the degree show material from press adverts, labels and statements to invites and catalogue The team needs expertise in print layout typography, using In. Design, photography skills, Photoshop skills, good interpersonal skills and time management

Degree Show catalogue 2016 https: //issuu. com/artanddesignatchester/docs/uoc_catalogue 16

Logistics Organisation of content catalogue content, including images of individual student work and catalogue statements To support the work of the design team Identifying resources needed Documenting and recording show preparation and opening event Preparation for opening and dismantling of show

Degree Show Groups Organisation Initially students to choose one group to work in, based on interests, skills and experience From each degree show task group two representatives to be chosen Two representatives to liaise with representatives from other groups and department members of staff and feedback as necessary to their group