Professional Practice – Weeks 1-3

This begins the catch up posts for my initial few weeks of my final year of University, and oh what a first few weeks it has been. The only consistent element of my life these few weeks has been the pleasured agony of the woman in the apartment directly above me and sleepless nights of my quiet abode bellow. But thankfully the thoughtless beginnings have stopped and the realisations have begun soon enough to tell the world (well all 5 of you reading – ok ok 2 of you) of the three threads that will be weaving my final year into a quilt fine enough to hang on any wall that is still standing after COFA’s (my univeristy) redevelopment. But enough of this ranting and on with the first yarn that will define my next year – Professional Practice.

Gustav - by flickr member maureen_sill

The first few weeks of this subject have been all about presenting ourselves as Professional Creative Practitioners. And to be counted as a reliable, professional person one must be aware of how to speak of one’s self in company that holds itself in great esteem. But in all seriousness it is a subject where as “creatives” we can learn to communicate our strengths and ideas without going on a rant about how “It’ll start when this tank comes into shot and then this really big explosion happens and it’s all about the Nazis and the deeper meaning behind war and then at the end the American soldier drinks a coke and goes “Ahhh Enjoy Coke” or something like that – haven’t totally nailed the ending yet.” Because ultimately we will be needing people to back our ideas with money and people don’t generally give money to ranting lunatics unless they are holding an extremely sharp object or an extremely blunt one that explodes.

So through Professional Practice I will be creating an event, which will need to be funded, which in turn will need to be applied for backed by official documentation explaining my value as an Creative Practitioner and the value of my proposed event. This then leads me to one of the threads of my final year: Community. My event will aim to raise the arts up in the eyes of local communities promoting appreciation and acceptance of other people through the practice of art in the park.

With the support of local, professional Artists, the event will promote the recognition of the importance of art to local community and culture . Secondly, it is the goal of this event, which will exist in a world where commodity is more important than community, to give worth to those lesser valued in society through fund raising and building awareness. Further scope to create a swap meet from the products of art in the park, which can also demonstrate the value of art on all levels and give confidence to those who may not usually have monetary value correlated to the art they create. Stay tuned for more sickeningly accepting community ideas for Professional Practice.