The COVID-19 Great Lockdown means an economic field which many assumed would grow, has in one sense shrunk. Economic growth is disrupted and seems amidst a terrible downward spiral. This does not mean the expansion of the economic field via AI has decreased, however. Indeed, data-driven decision making about the resourcing of higher education is likely to accelerate in this context. What this means for Art Schools (both in universities and independent) remains to be seen but, whilst we are waiting for this sight to play out, it is time to address the issue of the value of the creativity we support, inspire, aspire to, hope for as the through-put and outcome of the education we provide. In doing this, we need to interrogate the immediate contextual position we find ourselves through understanding the one that existed before lockdown; define the core conditions for making creativity and creative practitioners; and identify the role that the paradoxes of creativity play in the generation of artistic and designerly innovation powerful enough to generate much needed social, economic, and environmental change. This seminar looks to continue critical conversations happening before the coronavirus pandemic arrived but which have, perhaps, taken on some urgency.

Professor Vicky Gunn has been the Head of Learning and Teaching since November 2014 at The Glasgow School of Art. Prior to that she was Director of the Learning and Teaching Centre at the University of Glasgow. She has a research and teaching profile in tertiary learning and teaching in the Arts and Humanities and an eclectic publications list as a result. She has been the research lead on several national-level teaching enhancement projects with both QAA Scotland and the Higher Education Academy and has a penchant for policy development in higher education at institutional and national levels.

All of her work is woven together through the theme of the applied humanities which sometimes sits easily as a humanities practice but increasingly falls into being a humanities oriented sub-specialism of Design. Her work pulls together threads of a background in higher education practices, history, and practical theology. Her research areas include: the relationship between broad personhood development and research-intensive disciplinary learning in a creative practices environment; the application of cultural theories to learning in higher education in general and Art School in particular; embracing equality and diversity through disciplinary development in Art and Design; (and for fun) developing the queer historical imaginary to explore contemporary social conflicts as a creative Arts practice.

Running Order

16:00 - 16:05 - Welcome by Chris Speed (host) and introduction to Vicky Gunn

16:05 - 16:40 - Vicky Gunn's Talk

16:50 - 17:00 - Open to Zoom Q&As

* Please note that this webinar will be recorded*

We encourage you to tweet during the webinar and please tag @DesignInf