The a-n Degree Shows Guide 2018 has just been published alongside a new digital resource. The annual guide captures the buzz and excitement around degrees season with a wide range of content, listings and adverts for shows across the UK.
New for this year, a-n.co.uk/degree-shows will cover the shows as they open and includes an interactive map to help you find a show near you, alongside news, views, longer reads and as the season progresses new graduate resources.
The 44-page guide includes an interview with conceptual artist Ryan Gander who talks candidly about his time studying at Manchester Metropolitan University.
“My strongest memory of my degree show is the smell of emulsion, which I always equated with enthusiasm,” he says. “Even now when I go into someone’s flat and they’ve had it decorated, that smell is one of excitement and optimism, and an unjaded view of reality, which maybe when you get to 40 you tend to lose.”
Gander shares his views on art education today and what students should aim to get out of their degree show, while in ‘Class of 2018’, current final-year students give an honest assessment of their experiences, working processes and hopes for their degree shows.
Newcastle University BA Fine Art student Michaela Hall is keen to have fun with her show: “My work has certainly taken a direction I didn’t expect it to. I think a degree show is important in giving other people a glimpse of what is to come and the elements of your practice you are most interested in taking forward.”
Heidi Chan, who is studying at Nottingham Trent University, sees the show as an opportunity to collaborate: “The degree show is not just about exhibiting my own work, but also about how to curate and cooperate with others.”
New site resource
The magazine-style guide is hosted on a brand new digital resource at www.a-n.co.uk/degree-shows with additional features including:
- An interactive map and expanded listings to help you find a show near you
- Longer reads including an interview with Goldsmiths graduate Rehana Zaman in which she discusses the importance of people from less privileged communities having access to art education
- Further degree shows insights from this year’s graduating students
- All the latest news and views from the degree shows as they happen including highlights of a-n Instagram takeover coverage
- New graduate resources. These will be added as degree season progresses and our focus shifts to supporting graduating students to sustain practice and explore options after study.
a-n Degree Shows Guide 2018 is available on a-n.co.uk/degree-shows alongside more news, views and pictures from this year’s shows.
You can view on Issuu here or join the conversation on social media using the hashtag #andegrees18.
Be part of a-n’s Degree Shows 2018 coverage
We’re offering a-n members around the UK a chance to take over the a-n Instagram to promote this summer’s degree shows.
See jobs and opps for full details. Deadline for applications: midday 11 May 2018.
Not yet a member? Sign up at www.a-n.co.uk to take part. And you can catch up with our 2017 Degree Shows takeovers here.
Images:
1. a-n Degree Shows Guide 2018, cover featuring image by Angus P Forbes, Untitled (detail), installation and video projection, 2018. BA (hons) Fine Art, University of Lincoln
2. Sue Kim, BA Fine Art 2017 Degree Shows at Goldsmiths, University of London. Photo: Fiona Grady (from her a-n Instagram degree shows takeover in June 2017)
