Public Art and Performance Practices

Entry requirements

You will be required to have:

• a minimum of a 2.2 honours degree (or equivalent) in any subject discipline

A full university application form will need to be submitted, which includes a detailed statement to support your application to the course. You should also submit an up-to-date CV and copies of award certificates.

You will be invited for an interview, for which you need to prepare either a portfolio of work or a detailed example of a subject-related project. Should you want to, you can also choose to have a portfolio/project review session prior to the interview stage.To find out more please contact Dr Scarso.

Months of entry

September

Course content

Why study this course?

Our Public Art and Performative Practices MA prepares artists and art professionals for the increasing demand in the sector to develop publicly interactive, performative and immersive work.

This MA degree course (formerly called Public Art and Performance MA) encourages a practical and industry-minded approach to exploring how contemporary art experiences engage with the public.

It runs collaborations with national and international art organisations, which so far have included: City of London Corporation, London Festival of Architecture, Tate Modern, Artichoke, the ICA, Ca' Pesaro in Venice, RMIT in Melbourne, Fontys University in Tillburg, Public Space Academy, Fondazione Marta Czok (Rome/Venice), Museo Spazio Pubblico in Bologna, The Line (London's first dedicated Public Art Walk), Tower Bridge and The Monument to the Great Fire of London.

This MA programme is one of the founding members of the International Masters Network for Art in Public Space, developing links with leading masters in this area, across the world. The course also enjoys a unique connection with CREATURE (London Met's own research centre for Creative Arts, Cultures and Engagement): through this, our MA graduates are invited to continue to be part of our thriving research community.

The course is designed to develop career paths for artists, curators and facilitators interested in any creative medium (visual art, performance, video, installation, sculpture and digital art), with a specific focus on developing public-facing projects.

With funding bodies such as Arts Council England demanding that inclusivity and audience engagement are championed, the course also delves into the question of arts funding and how to gain commissions and promote yourself as an art professional.

All tutors are internationally recognised industry professionals, approaching this subject from different angles and areas of expertise. The course leader is also offering anyone interested in this MA degree course a complimentary portfolio/project review session to ensure you're ready to showcase the best of your work at the interview stage.

Read more about this course

During this course, you’ll take a detailed look at the performative relationship between artworks and their viewers/participants, whilst developing new interdisciplinary projects in this respect.

With public engagement at the core of current programming by art institutions worldwide, museums and galleries are increasingly experimenting with innovative ways to make the public directly involved in their experiences. Funding bodies like Arts Council England demand that their supported artists and institutions champion inclusivity and audience engagement. Joining this master’s programme is your chance to be at the forefront of this movement.

This course places a strong emphasis on the idea that all public art can be seen as performative, regardless of the disciplines an artwork entails. The ideas of public work and performativity will therefore represent interdisciplinary stimuli for a variety of tasks and topics.

In the autumn and spring terms you’ll follow the module Public Art: Creating and Curating, which will provide an overall artistic and conceptual path for your learning. With regular visits to London art galleries, you’ll have the chance to explore the artistic and cultural potential of developing public art works, as well as making professional contacts in the process. Practical projects and workshops in studio will complement these, enabling you to creatively test the ideas you have explored.

The Research for Practice module will support you through this creative journey, helping you develop your research awareness and providing you with a greater understanding of the implications of developing methodologies and academic inquiries. In turn, this will inform your artistic perspectives with theoretical and methodological rigour.

The above modules are complemented by two Professional Focus units. In the autumn term, Professional Focus 1: Public Art Funding and Commissions will give you inside knowledge into aspects of public art such as fundraising, searching for commissions and promoting yourself as an artist / art professional.

The spring term will see you delve into the logistic implications of public art experiences as you undertake Professional Focus 2: Project Managing Public Art. Here you'll explore best practice in project management and learn technical skills, including risk assessing, public liability, access and inclusivity.

All four modules will inform your final project during the summer term. At this point you will conceive and produce a work of public art to professional standards and exhibit this in our MA show and/or in a chose public location.