Australian Council of University Art and Design Schools Conference, ANU, September 2017

ACUADS Conference

Australian National University School of Art & Design

28 & 29 September 2017

Conference theme: Value

Australian university art and design schools are facing increasing economic and political challenges. The visible impact of these pressures on the sector is already evident and has been widely discussed. Inevitably, the careers of younger and emerging academics will unfold in a very different environment to their older and more established colleagues. Against the backdrop of this profound change it is important to establish and declare the continuing value to Australia of art and design, and therefore the continuing value of university education and research in those disciplines. This conference will explore ‘value’ in all of its manifold senses.

Call for papers

In these challenging economic and political times, establishing the value of art and design, and therefore the value of university education and research in those disciplines, is more urgent than ever before. Papers are invited that address the theme of ‘value’ in all its aspects.

Art and design have already laid claim to public VALUE through ideas such as creative industry, social capital and technological innovation – but how do we continue to promote that value in an increasingly conservative and short term economic context?

Can we expand on these economically based notions of value? Can either shared symbolic, environmental, spiritual, ethical or political VALUES, or intrinsically aesthetic values, be added directly to public debates around the importance of art and design for Australia? Should these non-instrumental values be more directly addressed in art and design research and education?

We all know that the products of art and design are VALUABLE, they are regarded as amenities to our social environment, assets for our public collections, sources of personal pleasure and repositories of private wealth. Can the valuableness of our art and design be counted, weighed and protected in more complex ways than monetary worth or attendance figures?

In the competition for resources in the art and design sector EVALUATION is crucial. Can our systems of measuring and ranking be better fitted to art and design beyond, for instance, measures of excellence or impact?

We invite papers that consider new configurations of value in art and design research and education.

Abstracts to be submitted before 5pm Monday 22 May 2017.

Spread the word. Share this post!