The simplest way to describe the activities of the proto-academy is to imagine a table around which interested individuals can gather and talk about the role and concerns of art. From these discussions, ideals for collective or collaborative projects are born and taken forward.

Practising artists, curators and art historians are invited to the table for a day, a week or a term to present their work or organise a project in response to the needs of the group. The participants are drawn from across the college and from artists and others based in the city.

There is no formal hierarchy between first year students, post-graduates and external members - each is present through his or her own interest and commitment. Projects to date have included a month long seminar in ECA; basecamp, an process exhibition about information collection and presentatio; a ‘democratic’ series of projects voted by the participants and a number of individual project and travel initiatives.

FORTHCOMING PLANS

This is the first stage in the proposed proto-academy. The long-term aim is that post-doctorate students would choose to come to Edinburgh to work with the organisation, knowing that they will encounter some of the major international figures in the contemporary art world. In turn, these invited artists and writers would present their work in a new public space attached to the proto-academy and open to all.

The creation of a meeting point between the academic institution and the public realm is crucial to the underlying purpose of the project. It is intended to provide a particular opportunity to reconsider issues of access, presentation, research and production in contemporary art with a combination of academic rigour, leadership and concern for the expectations and demands of viewers.

CONTACT PROTO ACADEMY