Limerick School of Art & Design Invites Applications for MA SPACE (Social Practice And the Creative Environment)

Limerick School of Art & Design (LSAD) is now inviting applications for its Masters of Arts in Art and Design: Social Practice and the Creative Environment (SPACE). Currently in its second year, MA SPACE is an international high-level MA which is multidisciplinary in nature and can be completed as a one-year full-time or two-year part-time, taught MA programme. This innovative MA programme is distinctive in that it focuses on the growing area of social practice and is open to experienced graduates outside of the art and design fields as well as practitioners of art and design

The MA in Social Practice and the Creative Environment builds on the LSAD experience. Founded in 1852, LSAD is a constituent school of Limerick Institute of Technology (LIT) and is one of the largest schools of art and design in Ireland. It has consistently maintained its prominence as a major provider of art and design education, and LSAD’s Fashion department was recently named as one of the top 50 fashion colleges worldwide in an independent US guide.

The MA Space was developed in 2009 and the programme began in September 2010. The programme is unique in that it is designed to fulfil student demand from art, design and related fields, nationally and internationally. Throughout the duration of the programme the candidates engage with a significant volume of critical group work.  This has led to self-initiated off campus collaborations with artists and creatives in diverse socially engaged projects nationally and internationally.

Dr Maria Hinfelaar, President of LIT said: “The MA Space is one of the most exciting programmes we have launched recently.  The students really engage with the community and it is amazing how art can play a role in unlocking potential.  It’s a good example of LIT’s commitment to the City and the region.”

Speaking about the programme, Dr Marilyn Lennon MA SPACE Programme Leader said, “This programme is tailored towards the development of a sustainable artistic praxis rather than training in certain media or genres. It recognises that the relationship between creative production and the contemporary structures of social production is one of opportunity. The theoretical and critical grounding supports a creative response for a multitude of possibilities in social practice. The vision for this programme arose by taking cognizance of many leading contemporary artists and designers who have embraced social practice as a means of responding to the demands of the world we share.”

The programme is delivered by both LSAD staff and a variety of national and international visiting experts through an exciting mix of active learning, field research and engagement in the wider world. Visiting lecturers have included, Claudia Eipeldauer from the Austrian collective WochenKlausur, Anab Jain from the UK and India based design group Superflux.  And Suzanne Bosch (artist), University of Ulster.

Applications are invited from candidates from an art and design background and related areas.
Application forms and information sheets are available from:
http://www.lit.ie/courses/MASPACE or by contacting muriel.dinneen@lit.ie.
Please email lsadspacema@gmail.com for any specific enquires.

Deadline for applications 5pm 30th June 2012.