The merger has been officially abandoned. It has been a long and draining fight but our demand for this institution to remain independent was finally met. Rest now, because we proved that persistence can force the people in charge to listen.
August 28, 2016
Final supporters
An open letter to Ms Belinda Hutchinson AM, Chancellor and Dr Michael Spence, Vice-Chancellor, the University of Sydney from members of the concerned arts community. Over four decades Sydney College of the Arts (SCA) has been recognised as a world-class institution vital to the education of Australia’s leading contemporary artists. With alumni including Marc Newson, Ben Quilty, Jane Campion, Bronwyn Bancroft, Lindy Lee, Fiona Foley, Shaun Gladwell, Fiona Lowry and Justene Williams, SCA has been a cultural leader and has shaped who we are as Australians and our place in the world. The University of Sydney should celebrate the presence of a leading art school, as well as SCA’s global leadership in research and education.
However, in full awareness of the proposed ‘merger’ of Sydney College of the Arts with University of New South Wales Art and Design (UNSWA&D) at the end of 2016, we, the undersigned, call on the University of Sydney to:
- Recognise that the proposed ‘merger’ with UNSWA&D will not lead to a centre of excellence but reduce the vitality of art and design education and research in New South Wales and Australia
- Withdraw immediately from the Heads of Agreement with the University of New South Wales
- Establish an external independent review of Sydney College of the Arts that is open, genuine and transparent in its consultation process with staff, senior artists and alumni, and contemporary museum and gallery professionals, to ensure SCA’s long term sustainability.
- Recognise that Sydney, as a global city, must have a diversity of art schools as an essential ingredient for creating the optimum conditions that are part of building a vibrant creative Australia, and should retain the current number of 3 art schools, each with their own distinctive history, culture and mission.
Updates
Reached 250 supporters
July 26, 2016
July 26, 2016
The silence from the university administration remains heavy despite the growing volume of concern we have gathered here. I am exhausted from the constant back and forth behind closed doors but I am not walking away from this fight for the future of the college.
Reached 100 supporters
July 22, 2016
132 Comments
Dear USyd, you are contemplating the destruction of one of your greatest assets. Please try to look beyond the short-term real estate temptation of the Rozelle site, and rethink the dismantling of SCA. The proposal to relocate it within the main campus is not credible. Thank you
The decisions to amalgamate and/or remove SCA from Callan Park are short-sighted, economic rationalist decisions, without long-term vision. This is yet another example of saving money being emphasised over the provision of varied, quality education options, specifically in the Arts.
While travelling overseas I am often asked: where did you study? SCA has such immediate gravitas it needs no further explanation. To squander that resource, that international kudos is foolishness beyond belief.
In a time of unprecedented environmental change, and chilling social transformation, Universities need to be expanding their range of critical voices not reducing them. The closure of SCA shakes our arts ecosystem at its core.
I attended both UNSW and SCA art schools and attest that the approach to art education in the 80's was far superior at Sydney College of the Arts. We need the diversity of art education approaches in NSW. SCA encouraged a high level of critical thinking.
SCOTA helped me develop critical thinking and creativity in a free environment. People like Bob Jacks, Guy Warren and David Ahern were inspirational. Do not touch the college.
Should be expanding capacity for art participation, the shrinking of the job market and reliance on extractive resources make it a necessity to fuel people brains - the alternative is antoher economic contraction, social and cultural collapse and fascism. Good for business, not so much for humanity.
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The merger has been officially abandoned. It has been a long and draining fight but our demand for this institution to remain independent was finally met. Rest now, because we proved that persistence can force the people in charge to listen.
August 28, 2016
Final supporters
An open letter to Ms Belinda Hutchinson AM, Chancellor and Dr Michael Spence, Vice-Chancellor, the University of Sydney from members of the concerned arts community. Over four decades Sydney College of the Arts (SCA) has been recognised as a world-class institution vital to the education of Australia’s leading contemporary artists. With alumni including Marc Newson, Ben Quilty, Jane Campion, Bronwyn Bancroft, Lindy Lee, Fiona Foley, Shaun Gladwell, Fiona Lowry and Justene Williams, SCA has been a cultural leader and has shaped who we are as Australians and our place in the world. The University of Sydney should celebrate the presence of a leading art school, as well as SCA’s global leadership in research and education.
However, in full awareness of the proposed ‘merger’ of Sydney College of the Arts with University of New South Wales Art and Design (UNSWA&D) at the end of 2016, we, the undersigned, call on the University of Sydney to:
- Recognise that the proposed ‘merger’ with UNSWA&D will not lead to a centre of excellence but reduce the vitality of art and design education and research in New South Wales and Australia
- Withdraw immediately from the Heads of Agreement with the University of New South Wales
- Establish an external independent review of Sydney College of the Arts that is open, genuine and transparent in its consultation process with staff, senior artists and alumni, and contemporary museum and gallery professionals, to ensure SCA’s long term sustainability.
- Recognise that Sydney, as a global city, must have a diversity of art schools as an essential ingredient for creating the optimum conditions that are part of building a vibrant creative Australia, and should retain the current number of 3 art schools, each with their own distinctive history, culture and mission.
Updates
Reached 250 supporters
July 26, 2016
July 26, 2016
The silence from the university administration remains heavy despite the growing volume of concern we have gathered here. I am exhausted from the constant back and forth behind closed doors but I am not walking away from this fight for the future of the college.
Reached 100 supporters
July 22, 2016
132 Comments
I most certainly am not in favour of selling off heritage sites (Kirkbride Building, East Sydney Goal) to private interests. Students are deserving of exemplary spaces in which to study and develop their artistic practice. Keep SCA and NAS where they currently are!
Dear USyd, you are contemplating the destruction of one of your greatest assets. Please try to look beyond the short-term real estate temptation of the Rozelle site, and rethink the dismantling of SCA. The proposal to relocate it within the main campus is not credible. Thank you
The decisions to amalgamate and/or remove SCA from Callan Park are short-sighted, economic rationalist decisions, without long-term vision. This is yet another example of saving money being emphasised over the provision of varied, quality education options, specifically in the Arts.
While travelling overseas I am often asked: where did you study? SCA has such immediate gravitas it needs no further explanation. To squander that resource, that international kudos is foolishness beyond belief.
In a time of unprecedented environmental change, and chilling social transformation, Universities need to be expanding their range of critical voices not reducing them. The closure of SCA shakes our arts ecosystem at its core.
I attended both UNSW and SCA art schools and attest that the approach to art education in the 80's was far superior at Sydney College of the Arts. We need the diversity of art education approaches in NSW. SCA encouraged a high level of critical thinking.
SCOTA helped me develop critical thinking and creativity in a free environment. People like Bob Jacks, Guy Warren and David Ahern were inspirational. Do not touch the college.
Should be expanding capacity for art participation, the shrinking of the job market and reliance on extractive resources make it a necessity to fuel people brains - the alternative is antoher economic contraction, social and cultural collapse and fascism. Good for business, not so much for humanity.
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I most certainly am not in favour of selling off heritage sites (Kirkbride Building, East Sydney Goal) to private interests. Students are deserving of exemplary spaces in which to study and develop their artistic practice. Keep SCA and NAS where they currently are!