BA (Hons) Fine Art

Welcome to the Studio Practice module, where we're all about nurturing your expertise in contemporary art. Our goal is to help you find your unique path in this ever-evolving field, allowing your practice to flourish.

To achieve this, we're going to boost your ability and confidence, equipping you with the right research methods and technical know-how. You won't be alone on this journey – you'll become part of a seminar group that focuses on various areas within contemporary art.

These seminars, workshops, and group tutorials are where expertise is gained. They'll provide you with the knowledge, skills, and hands-on experience you need to grow in your chosen field. Through engaging discussions and experimentation, we'll encourage you to build upon what you explored so far, ultimately establishing your own independent practice. This is your chance to find your place in the vibrant world of contemporary art, both in theory and in practice.

Welcome to a module that's all about taking your contemporary art practice to the next level. We're here to help you consolidate your intellectual knowledge and practical experience in your chosen field.

Now, it's time to expand and enhance the conceptual strategies you began exploring in Practice 3. The goal is to create a well-rounded body of contemporary artwork that truly reflects your vision. As you progress through this module, you'll gain a deeper understanding of the latest developments in your field and learn essential research methodologies. These skills will empower you to produce artworks that align with your unique interests.

At the end of the module, you'll have the chance to showcase your completed work in a public exhibition. This experience is invaluable and teaches you the art of successful installation. By the time you finish this semester, you'll have a growing sense of your independent art practice and how it fits into the broader critical framework.

In this intermediate module, you will embark on an in-depth exploration of contemporary art practice from an interdisciplinary perspective. By examining the intersections of critical theory, art, and various fields such as science, technology, psychotherapy, law, and architecture, you will gain insight into the expanded possibilities and innovative potential of interdisciplinary artistic collaborations. Through the study of critical theory relevant to your subject, you will enhance your understanding of core theoretical frameworks.

On successful completion of this module, the interdisciplinary approach will enable you to bridge the gaps between various fields and contribute to the advancement of accessibility in the arts. Overall, by delving into the connections between diverse disciplines, you will broaden your artistic perspective, enhance your critical thinking, and contribute to the pursuit of accessibility and inclusivity within the arts.

Embark on a theoretical exploration of various artistic practices, uncovering the inherent connections between theory and practice. This module offers an in-depth analysis of contemporary art and culture, focusing on the central issues prevalent in today's art world. By delving into diverse critical environments, this module provides a broader understanding of how your own artistic work can be contextualised within the realms of art, society, and culture.

By the end of this module, you will gain an enriched understanding of contemporary art, its cultural significance, and its interplay with critical contexts. By honing your research and critical analysis skills, you will equip yourself for academic pursuits and professional endeavours in the art world. This module will expand your artistic horizons, enabling you to situate your own work within the broader art, society, and cultural landscape.

This is your second step in our progressive series of professional modules. Here, we bridge the gap between academia and industry in a way that mirrors real-life practices for artists and creative professionals.

This module empowers you to take the reins of your creative journey. You'll choose and participate in projects that align with your unique career aspirations. This module will take your skills to the next level. You'll attend advanced professional workshops designed to equip you with valuable skills for your creative career.

You’ll be encouraged to step into the spotlight with greater independence in your creative projects. It's time to gain a deeper understanding of your own career aspirations and how to turn them into reality.

You'll have the chance to dive into the Arts and Creative industries by securing a professional or industrial Placement. You’ll bridge the gap between academic knowledge and real-world experience. You'll get the chance to immerse yourself in the professional world and, more importantly, reflect deeply on your journey.

This module is all about connecting theory with practical professional practices. You'll gain a deep understanding of what it's like to work within a professional framework. This includes tackling key issues related to organising public exhibitions or collaborating with professional artists.

The best part? You have a wide range of options for your Placement, from galleries and theatres to community-based organisations. You can even work alongside seasoned professionals in the arts, such as practising artists or curators.

This module provides you with an opportunity to develop and undertake a collaborative or individual project, which extends your interests and concerns as developed and articulated in one of the previous practice or theory based modules. You will produce a proposal to work on a topic of your own choice that is then agreed with a supervising tutor. The work for the module, although assessed separately, may be presented alongside the Fine Art Major Project as part of your graduate exhibition.

The aim of this module is to develop your professional profile and professional confidence of through experiential learning opportunities and engagement with external organisations by undergoing work placements, internships and industry experiences. It aims to enable you to manage their own learning and self-direction through identifying opportunities that align to their disciplinary ambitions, situating your practice in a professional context. It offers a range of options including an Enterprise Residency where you can operate as a freelancer and develop ideas for a start-up business with the full support of Brookes Enterprise Support.

In this module, you'll be given the space to explore your own interests and concerns, with the goal of establishing and defining your subject matter or field of inquiry.​

During this module, you'll conduct theoretical and contextual research to better understand how your practice fits into contemporary issues within your field. The research itself can take various forms, tailored to your individual practice. We'll blend traditional academic research methods with hands-on experiments to create independent practical work.

This module is a significant step in your development as an artist. It requires intense creative engagement and reflection, ultimately helping you build a coherent and confident working process.

Importantly, this module forms the conceptual foundation for your degree show work in the next semester. By the end of it, you'll be well-prepared to propose the work you'll develop in Semester 2.

You’ll have hands-on experience, where you'll face the real-world challenges of exhibiting your work to the public. It's the moment to bridge the gap between the ideas you've been cultivating, the form your work takes, and the details of how it all comes together.

Your mission is to create a fully developed body of contemporary art for the public exhibition at the Fine Art Degree Show. Your work will build upon the research and experimentation you delved into during Practice 5: Research and Development. This is your chance to take those ideas to the next level and transform them into compelling and ambitious pieces that meet professional standards.

Whether you've taken Practice 5 or not, this module offers an opportunity to build upon your prior learning and unleash your creative potential. It's the grand stage where your artistic journey reaches a peak, and we're here to support you every step of the way.

This module helps you develop the skills, experience and confidence you need to build a career. It connects you with the wider creative industries and gives you the opportunity to take part in real-world creative projects. You will develop projects that reflect your own interests and career goals, while working in ways that artists and creative professionals do in the industry.

You will also take part in advanced professional workshops designed to build practical skills for your future career. By the end of the module, you will have a better understanding of the wide range of careers available in the creative industries, as well as the confidence and experience to take a leading role in creative projects.

In this module, you will take charge of your learning and explore a topic of your choice within contemporary art practice or cultural theory. This module empowers you to conduct thorough research, critically analyse works of art and cultural practices, and develop an extended critical essay that articulates your unique scholarly viewpoint. By engaging independently and critically with research materials, you will cultivate a sophisticated understanding of your chosen topic.

Through the process of conducting thorough research and critically analysing diverse theoretical resources, you will develop essential research skills that are transferable to future academic pursuits and professional endeavours. Furthermore, Critical Theory 5 enhances your communication and presentation skills, enabling you to articulate complex ideas, structure persuasive arguments, and present your work in a scholarly manner.