Byam Shaw School of Art and International Academy of Art Palestine have set up their first exchange for 2010. Four London-based students will travel to Ramallah, Palestine for six weeks in February. Followed by four Ramallah-based students coming to London in April for 8 weeks.

2010 EXCHANGE PROGRAMME

INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY OF ART, PALESTINE, RAMALLAH AND

BYAM SHAW, UNIVERSITY OF THE ARTS, LONDON

The exchange programme aims to support a cross-cultural exchange between the International Art Academy of Palestine in Ramallah and Byam Shaw, University of Art in London

BUILDING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY AND THE MIDDLE EAST

Using the Erasmus program as a template, with the aim of the programme becoming included in the Erasmus scheme in successive years, the exchange aims to increase student mobility extending exchange programmes from within the European Community to the Middle East. It vital that students and staff build positive relationships with the Middle East countering some of the antagonistic relationships that currently exist and are perpetuated through the media. By building positive, creative and productive relationships between the different communities new understandings and perceptions of the Middle East and the West are can be experienced. In keeping with the Erasmus programme the exchange will promote trans-national co-operation projects and give the students the ability to see art and personal issues from other than ones own cultural perspective.

BENEFIT TO STUDENTS

· Extensive research by Erasmus has been proven that students who partake in such exchange programmes return more motivated, independent and confident. The exchange facilitates a range of life-skills not taught in the lecture theatre in the home university.

· Students from both art schools will have the possibility to create an international network of friends and colleagues that is vital to a career as an artist working in the international arena of the arts.

THE INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY OF ART PALESTINE

http://www.artacademy.ps/english/index.html

The International Academy of Art Palestine (The Academy) was set up in 2006 and currently offers a BA in Contemporary Visual Art and aims to develop a range of courses at BA and MA level via its four-year programme of study, which is open to all applicants. The Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs currently generously funds the Academy for the first three years (2006-2009).

The Academy is an important catalyst in the Palestinian community stimulating creativity and an understanding of the visual arts and promoting art as a powerful tool that stimulates change by transforming cultural attitudes. The Academy is developing a new generation of artists who are conversant with contemporary debates and methods of artistic practice and who will contribute to the local and international art arena as well as playing an important role in developing the creative industries of Palestine and shaping visual culture.

Owing to the history of occupied Palestine, the visual arts have had a difficult path of development, particularly in the absence of art schools, academies and funding. Due to these factors there is general a lack of understanding of the important role that art can play in Palestinian society as a powerful intervention tool that raises awareness, and develops new knowledge on social and cultural issues. Creating a vast arena for thought via the visualization of ideas, like any other field, art needs constant development, empowerment and mobilization in order to benefit society. Students at the Academy have limited access to Art exhibitions due to the ongoing immobilization of their society under the occupation. An exchange programmes is there fore vital for giving the students first hand access to galleries an exhibitions sites in order to develop their visual language. The Academy of Palestine has already developed a successful exchange programme with Norway and the level of artwork produced during these exchange periods has been very high.

BYAM SHAW, UNIVERSITY OF THE ARTS, LONDON

http://courses.csm.arts.ac.uk/byamshaw/area.asp?area=1

Founded by the artists, John Byam Shaw and Rex Vicat Cole in 1910 as a school of drawing and painting, Byam Shaw School of Art retains its focus on the study of Fine Art. This dedication to one subject can be counted as a defining characteristic. Measured against the majority of educational institutions, Byam Shaw School of Art is small. Such scale and compactness enables staff to give extra focus to individual directions and quests – there is enough space and time to respect differences and make the most of them. Together with a purposeful, friendly atmosphere and excellent all round facilities, Byam Shaw’s academic philosophy and high standard of teaching make the School an exceptionally stimulating and rewarding place to study Fine Art.

In 2003 Byam Shaw joined Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, which is part of the University of the Arts London, Europe’s largest centre for education in art, communication, design and performance. Joining Central Saint Martins marks a significant moment in the history of the school, creating wider opportunities for students and staff at all levels. Students at Byam Shaw share the social, cultural and welfare benefits offered by Central Saint Martins and the University’s large Students’ Union. Within the College and the University Byam Shaw has the chance to participate in new academic developments and to benefit from added external research funding opportunities. Additionally, students have an expanded field in terms of exhibitions, events and lectures.

Central Saint Martins has a distinguished international reputation and offers one of the most diverse and comprehensive ranges of undergraduate and postgraduate courses in the country providing specialist education in fine art; fashion and textile design; communication design; media arts; 3D design including jewellery, ceramic, product, industrial and furniture design; theatre design and performance; and interdisciplinary art and design.

Students from Byam Shaw involved in the exchange with Palestine would extend their knowledge of the Middle East and experience different aspects of conflict zones outside of the media representation.

FACTS

The exchange will support 8 students experience working and living in different cultural environments.

· 4 UK students will spend 6 weeks in the spring semester from February - March 2010 in Ramallah, hosted by the International Academy of Art Palestine.

· 4 Palestinian students will be hosted by Byam School of Art for 8 weeks from April – May 2010.

· The exchange programme will be co-ordinated by artist Judy Price who will act as ‘lead artist’ for the programme. Judy was Cocheme fellow at Byam Shaw School of art from 2008-2009 and is currently associate artist at Byam Shaw School of Art and visiting lecturer at the International Art Academy of Palestine.[1]

We envisage that the exchange will have a strong influence on the student’s artistic practice as well as being of mutual benefit for the two institutions through dialogues and collaborations that may emerge. In autumn 2009 collaborative projects between the two arts schools through new media and the Internet will be initiated opening up channels for debate around art practices and the experience of students in different cultural, political and environmental locations. The exchange programme will build on this and offer a rich resource for the exchange of ideas and lived experience.

TIME SPAN

· 6 weeks for UK students – February – March 2010

(Two 2^nd year students and two 3^rd year students.)

· 8 weeks for Palestinian students - April – May 2010

Judy Price has spent over 5 years making work in Israel and Palestine. Her recent project Within this Narrow Strip of Land was shown at Danielle Arnaud Contemporary Art Gallery, London and the Imperial War Museum in 2008 and in 2009 at USF Centre Bergen, Norway. She has curatored a number of film programs of archival film around the British Mandate in Palestine for the British Council and the Al‐Ma'mal Foundation in East Jerusalem. She is currently developing a new body of work in Palestine and Israel as part of PhD at the University of the Creative Arts, United Kingdom.