Professional Contexts an introduction. CATS Year 2 semester 1

1. Professional Contextsan introduction.CATS Year 2 semester 1 Make connections

2. Aims • To gain experience and knowledge relevant to your future plans plus opportunities for self initiated projects • To develop your theoretical skills and knowledge within the context of professional and vocational issues • To relate your practice as a developing artist/designer to the professional contexts you might operate in when you leave college

3. There are 3 strands to the course • Core lectures, • Personal pathways • Workshops

4. Core topics • Work and Social Structures • Sustainability and Ethics • Audiences and Clients • Each can be approached theoretically, professionally and in relation to your studio practice • For each there will be a range of activities including a generalised lecture, and an opportunity to relate the topic to your specialist area or to a particular case study

5. Personalpathways • In addition to these general topics there will be an individual element to your submission where you set your own targets- and gain information or experience relevant to your future plans/interests

6. These individual targets can be as practical or as theoretical as you like • Some examples: • Interviewing / shadowing a professional • Documenting aspects of a live project • Exploring sites through which artists/designers promote themselves • Finding out where jobs in your area are advertised and analysing these adverts • Running a workshop, doing some teaching • Holding an exhibition • Researching galleries that might show your work • Investigating business plans – beginning to research some aspects of business planning • Learn how to write the minutes of a meeting +/or press releases • Research further into one of the set topics such as ethics

7. We normally suggest that you set yourself about 2 to 3 manageable targets • They should provide useful information/experience • You can build on your strengths (do you like learning through doing, researching, observing?) • And address your weaknesses…….. • There is nothing to stop you using, or developing an aspect of your studio work for this

8. workshops During reading week there will be a number of workshops to cover the business and vocational elements. These will be run by outside speakers Topics include • Self employment/ setting up a business • CV writing • Introduction to teaching • Marketing and market research • Marketing and promotion on the internet

9. The evidence you are asked to produce • Documenting, reflecting, evaluating your personal targets • An essay exploring an ethical issue related to your specialist area • Evidence of engagement with the core topics and workshop sessions

10. you should aim to gather your information from as many different sources as possible…… • Lectures • Wider course material • Visiting speakers • Independent research • Scrounging • Speaking, visiting,reading, doing……… Remember you will be given credit for the breadth and ingenuity of your research. Keep evidence of everything

11. Be professional and business like • On time • ………..reliable • Work well with each other • Use initiative • PLAN, document, EVALUATE