Nova Scotia College of Art and Design University

Infobox_University
name =Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD University)
motto =Head, Heart, and Hand
established =1887 Victoria College of Art (1887-1925). Subsequent names, Nova Scotia College of Art (1925-1969), and now, Nova Scotia College of Art and Design.
type =Public
faculty =85 (regular staff)
president =David B. Smith
students =1025
undergraduate =available
graduate =available
city =Halifax
state =Nova Scotia
country =Canada
campus =Urban
affiliations =UACC
colours =Purplecolor box|#800080 and Greencolor box|#00502F
website =http://www.nscad.ns.ca/

The Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD University) is a post-secondary art school located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

During the 1970s NSCAD was hailed as a cutting edge art school, which emphasized artistic innovation, and political art. Currently the university is forging relationships with galleries, museums and other cultural institutions in Canada and around the world.

Academics

NSCAD offers Bachelor's degrees in Fine Art and Design, and a Bachelor of Arts in Visual Arts. It also offers graduate degrees such as an Master in Fine Arts, an Master of Arts in Art Education, and an Master of Design including both a "Domestic" and "International" stream.

History

NSCAD was founded in 1887 by Anna Leonowens of "Anna and the King of Siam" fame. It was originally called the Victoria School of Art and Design to commemorate Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee.

One the notable artists to be associated with the school in its early years was Arthur Lismer, who was a member of the Group of Seven and spent several years as the school president.

In 1967, a young artist named Garry Kennedy was appointed President, and he immediately moved to remake the College from a sleepy provincial art school into an international hotbed of artistic activity. He invited many "art stars" to come to NSCAD as visiting artists, particularly those involved in conceptual art. Some the notables who made significant contributions during this period were Vito Acconci, Sol Lewitt, Dan Graham, Eric Fischl, Lawrence Weiner, Joseph Beuys and Claes Oldenburg and many more artists popular at that time.

In September 2006 alumnus David B. Smith (an arts administrator, educator, and artist) was appointed President of the university, following the resignation of President Paul Greenhalgh.

NSCAD University Press

Under the direction of Kennedy, The Press of the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design was established as a vehicle to publish books by and about leading contemporary artists. The Press was important in establishing the university's international reputation. Between 1972 and 1987, 26 titles by such artists as Michael Snow, Steve Reich, Gerhard Richter and Yvonne Rainer were published. Re-launched in 2002, The Press has once again become a source for the publishing of primary documents and scholarly works in the fields of contemporary art, craft and design.

NSCAD Continuing Studies

Founded in 1887, NSCAD has established a long and distinguished history of offering the public the opportunity to study in a visual arts environment. The Division of Continuing Studies continues this tradition by offering the public a wide variety of non-credit studio and audit lecture courses in fine arts, media arts, craft and design. The Division also manages the 30-credit Visual Arts Certificate for Teachers program, the 30-credit Visual Arts Certificate in Studio and the pre-university summer study credit program. Credit programs have admission requirements. Noncredit programs have no admission requirements although prerequisites must be met for some courses.

Adult ProgramsThe adult studio-based and audit lecture courses are available to individuals who are 16 years or older. These courses are designed to meet personal and professional development interests and to prepare for studies in an undergraduate visual arts degree program. Curricula incorporate skills, processes, and health and safety issues. New approaches and ways of seeing, analyzing, experimenting and problem solving through observation are promoted. To ensure program quality, planning is ongoing with other areas of NSCAD University. New courses are added regularly to introduce different subject matter and in response to public demand.

Children and Teen ProgramsSaturday Children’s Art Classes began in 1887 and are one of the earliest known examples of such programs in North America. Children in grades 1 – 6 participate in a variety of fun age-appropriate activities that introduce basic visual arts skills.

Teen Art Studio courses for students in Grades 7 -12 introduce fundamental visual art skills and processes, introduce NSCAD facilities and provide older teens an opportunity to build a portfolio for admission to an undergraduate visual arts degree program. Saturday teen courses are offered during the fall and winter and week-long courses are offered during summer. One-day March Break workshops are offered during the Provincial school break.

Night Shift ExhibitAn annual Night Shift Exhibition to display student work completed in a Continuing Studies course is held in the Anna Leonowens Gallery located on the NSCAD Granville campus. Family and friends are encouraged to attend this popular exhibit and enjoy a variety of different works of art created by all ages.

Timeline

NSCAD has existed under various names and locations.
* 1887 the Victoria School of Art and Design opens in the Union Building
* 1890 the school moves to Halifax Academy
* 1903 the school moves to the old National School
* 1925 the school is renamed the Nova Scotia College of Art
* 1957 the school moves to a four storey church hall on Coburg Road
* 1969 the school is renamed the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design
* 1978 NSCAD moves to its current location in the Historic Properties buildings on Granville Street
* 2002 the school is renamed NSCAD University
* 2004 NSCAD expands into its second campus – the Alliance Atlantis Academy Building for film studies
* 2007 NSCAD expands into its third campus, the Port Campus, on the Halifax Waterfront at Pier 21

Notable alumni

* Thomas Bezanson - pottery
* Luc Courchesne - interactive artist
* Thierry Delva - sculptor
* Thom Fitzgerald - film maker
* Jenn Grant - singer/songwriter
* Hedwig Gorski - performance poet and artist
* James Goss - painter
* Steve Heineman - ceramics
* Steven Holmes - curator
* Bruce Johnson - curator
* Laura Kipnis - media critic
* Cal Lane - sculptor
* Christopher Manson - children's book author/illustrator
* Kelly Mark - sculptor, conceptualist
* Sarah McLachlan - singer/songwriter
* Lisa Moore - writer
* Chris Murphy - musician
* Graeme Patterson - sculptor
* Peter Soucy - comedian
* Andrew Scott - musician

Faculties

* [http://www.nscad.ns.ca/students/craft/craft_intro.php Craft]
* [http://www.nscad.ns.ca/students/design/design_into.php Design]
* [http://www.nscad.ns.ca/students/fine/fine_arts_intro.php Fine Arts]
* [http://www.nscad.ns.ca/students/foundation/fndn_intro.php Foundation]
* [http://www.nscad.ns.ca/students/history/hist_crit_studies.php Historical and Critical Studies]
* [http://www.nscad.ns.ca/students/media/media_arts_intro.php Media Arts]
* [http://www.nscad.ns.ca/thepress NSCAD University Press]

University History

* Soucy, Donald and Harold Pearse. "The First Hundred Years: A History of the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design" (Halifax: Press of the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design ; Fredericton: University of New Brunswick, 1993.) ISBN 0-920114-27-x

External links

* [http://www.nscad.ns.ca NSCAD University homepage]
* [http://www.aucc.ca/can_uni/our_universities/nscad_e.html NSCAD University profile by AUCC]