Creative Practice:
the pursuit of fertile space in which to generate art.
STUDIO FOR CREATIVE PRACTICE
“I am no longer afraid to trust my ideas— [Studio] has been revolutionary to the way I see myself and my art.”
STUDIO
Designed for artists of all disciplines, Studio for Creative Practice is a laboratory for the making of original, transdisciplinary work. Built on the belief that research underpins all aspects of the creative act, Studio fuels inquiry in composition, collaboration, and critique. In Studio, students develop their own creative processes at the intersection of the arts, humanities and sciences.
Studio offers time and space for students to experiment with ideas, approaches, and artistic forms. Students have ample opportunity to follow their interests and take creative risks, learning to see and understand the impacts of their artistic choices. Through weekly iteration of draft works, students gain stamina for creative investigation required for making new work.
Studio cultivates innovative and engaged artist citizens. It equips them with the skills and confidence needed to dialogue within and across disciplines, facilitating entry into a variety of cultural conversations to create work that resonates with a wide array of audiences.
“All the artists… artworks and content that we were exposed to made us think about the arts and craft and making… knowing you’re in a space with artists who were having these thoughts was inspiring”
STUDIO STORIES
Transdisciplinary:
a holistic approach to
art making where new forms and
methods emerge from the intersection
of multiple disciplines.
“… I have felt the most prepared to graduate and go out into the ‘real world.’ (The Studio) allows us to open up questions of what the next phase of art in this country will be and how we will carve out space “there.”
Faculty and students collaborate to create a program tailored each year to the specific cohort of students. Merging academic and artistic pursuit, the students take agency in their own work; the faculty supports the students’ interests and discoveries with individualized guidance. This learning partnership builds the skills and maturity necessary for self-directed, life-long making.
“The environment and the structure of studio was concerned with having each individual artist have everything that they need to follow their own instincts and impulses; by that i mean the tools, the spaces and the people to support them in their own individual work. At the same time, put those individuals in a space where other people are doing the same thing, so that every creation subject to change…That’s where all the magic happens in studio: where the individual instincts and projects overlap.”
The Studio creates space for transdisciplinary curricular innovation and diverse approaches to creative process, adding another dynamic facet to learning at UNCSA. It serves both students and faculty to: nurture creative voice, make art the matters to them, and consider the impact of art on society—and of society on art. The Studio directly develops the students’ capacity to critique their own work and the work of others and to tell their story with clarity and confidence.
Students and faculty are able to work across disciplines and collaborate over extended time. The Studio develops curricula with self-directed and interconnected learning at the fore. The growth of the Studio can positively impact recruitment, as it is a unique program when compared to every school in North Carolina and most other American conservatories.
