MA Public Art and Performance

Our Public Art and Performance MA prepares artists and art professionals for the increasing demand in the sector to develop publicly interactive, performative and immersive work.

In association with Tate Exchange at Tate Modern and in collaboration with national and international art organisations and institutions, this MA degree encourages a practical and industry-minded approach to exploring how contemporary art experiences engage with the public.

The course is designed to develop career paths for artists, curators and facilitators interested in any creative medium (visual art, performance, video, installation, sculpture and digital art), with a specific focus on developing public-facing projects.

All tutors are internationally recognised industry professionals, approaching this subject from different angles and areas of expertise.

More about this course

During this course, you’ll take a detailed look at the performative relationship between artworks and their viewers/participants, whilst developing new interdisciplinary projects in this respect.

With public engagement at the core of current programming by art institutions worldwide, museums and galleries are increasingly experimenting with innovative ways to make the public directly involved in their experiences. Funding bodies like Arts Council England demand that their supported artists and institutions champion inclusivity and audience engagement. Joining this master’s programme is your chance to be at the forefront of this movement.

This course places a strong emphasis on the idea that all public art can be seen as performative, regardless of the disciplines an artwork entails. The ideas of public work and performativity will therefore represent interdisciplinary stimuli for a variety of tasks and topics.

In the autumn and spring terms you’ll follow Public Art and Performative Practices, which will provide an overall artistic and conceptual path for your learning. With regular visits to London art galleries and an association with Tate Exchange, you’ll have the chance to explore the artistic and cultural potential of developing public art works, as well as making professional contacts in the process. Practical projects and workshops in studio will complement these, enabling you to creatively test the ideas you have explored.

The Research for Practice module will support you through this creative journey, helping you develop your research awareness and providing you with a greater understanding of the implications of developing methodologies and academic inquiries. In turn, this will inform your artistic perspectives with theoretical and methodological rigour.

Assessment

You will be assessed through individual and group presentations, practice-based activities, written assignments and a final project made up of a practical assignment and/or written thesis. All assessments are designed to draw on relevant industry standards and on the current discourses in the related research area.

Where this course can take you

Build your knowledge of the art world and discover careers in a growing field within the industry. Career opportunities include:

• professional artists, whose work explores the idea of public engagement, communicated in any medium, including visual art and performance
• performance practitioners, exploring audience interaction and participation
• project leaders and facilitators in the field of public engagement, working creatively with teams and partners
• managers and administrators in public art, outreach and participation
• curators of public programmes and events
• academics and communicators in the field of public art and public engagement