VISUAL ARTS

Visual artists are an essential part of any society, as they reflect and comment upon that society in the most fundamental ways

RATIONALE

The Visual Arts extension Program was established in 2013 for Year 11 and 12 students to provide focused and concentrated opportunities for them to learn about the visual arts within a community of like-minded peers. The Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School is located in the heart of Melbourne's Arts Precinct and is a short walk from Melbourne's most significant cultural organisations including the Australian Centre of Contemporary Art (ACCA), the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) and the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA).

An essential part of the Visual Arts extension Program is the chance for students to show their artwork in the school's gallery spaces and at external exhibition venues. Regular exhibitions throughout the year attribute to the powerful and rapid development of each student’s art practice. These opportunities seek to support them in developing their professional approach to presenting art and understanding the stages of exhibition design and development. This is an important outcome for students as they begin to identify how to display their work to audiences and promote conversations about their practice with their peers, family and teachers.

Partnerships with key cultural organisations alongside the promotion of student engagement with the wider arts community is integral to student learning within the Visual Arts Program. Students visit exhibition spaces weekly to develop an expanded understanding of contemporary art practices and historical traditions in art.

Workshops presented by visiting artists and specialist practitioners contribute to and enhance their specialist education in visual arts. Melbourne based artists work alongside students throughout the year. The sharing of knowledge and skills helps students to expand upon their existing art making practice.

A full Academic Program in addition to the Visual Arts Program ensures each student achieves a comprehensive VCE education.

MENTOR PROGRAM - YEAR 12

Rationale

The mentorships are arranged at the beginning of each year and students are partnered with a practising artist to mentor and support their art practice in VCE Art and Studio Arts. Students receive through their mentorship appropriate assistance and support to identify, explore and explain their creative processes and how it can be further expanded to advance their creativity. The mentorships encourage students to learn to think about their creativity process on a personal and philosophical level. The students are encouraged to learn to become critical of, and more experimental with, their art making practice.

Aims

To support students with art making
To inspire discussion and engagement about art making
To encourage the development of a supportive learning environment that values individual ideas and approaches to making art
To develop and enhance their use of art terminology and vocabulary

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