REMEMBERINGTHE PAST ANDINVESTING INTHE FUTUREPAGE 10

HONOURINGANARTISTIC LEGACYPAGE 09

THEVALUE OFVOLUNTEERINGPAGE 06

EMPLOYABILITY -WHAT DOES ITMEAN?PAGE 05

FROMYBA TOPROFESSOR -GAVIN TURKPAGE 14

SPArtanBATH SPA A LUMN I AND FR I ENDS MAGAZ INE I S SUE ONE SPR ING 2013

Welcome to the first issue of SPARTAN, the newAlumni and Friends magazine for Bath Spa University.

I am delighted to be writing to you as President of theAlumni Association and I hope you enjoy reading aboutthe experiences of your fellow alumni alongside newsabout the University.

I was very pleased to accept the invitation to be Presidentof the Alumni Association. My time at Bath College ofDomestic Science was wonderful and gave me a good startto my career. I recently re-visited Newton Park to film adocumentary for BBC2 and it was wonderful to delve intomy old academic records with the Vice-Chancellor andexplore the campus again. It certainly brought back lotsof very fond memories.

As alumni of Bath Spa University we are a varied bunchwith a whole host of different experiences. As well as myown College of Domestic Science, we can include amongour number those who attended Bath Academy of Art,Bath College of Education, Bath College of HigherEducation, Bath School of Art, Bath Spa University College,Bath Teacher Training College, City of Bath DomesticScience Training College and Newton Park Training College,as well as the various other names these colleges wentby over the years.

The one thing we all have in common however, is a sharedhistory with what has become Bath Spa University, a placewhere students are supported in their creative efforts andcultural endeavours and enterprise is encouraged.It provides a wonderful community for the students oftoday where careers begin and friendships flourish.

In this first issue of the magazine, we explore enterprise,what it has meant for graduates and the impact it has onstudents today. The experiences we gain at college anduniversity can shape our future lives and it is inspiring toread about the successes of my fellow alumni.

The University today has foundations built on a multitudeof different experiences, some of which are expressed inthis magazine. I hope you will join me in becoming activemembers of the Alumni Association and sharing yourinspirational stories for friends old and new to enjoy.

Mary Berry, CBE

Bath Spa University Alumni Association President

HellofromourPresident

Competition: 31 May 2013*

To win a copy of Mary’s book ‘At Home’please answer the following question:

What was the name of the College, now partof Bath Spa University that Mary attended?

a) Bath College of Education

b) Bath College of Domestic Science

c) Bath Academy of Art

Please email your answer toalumni@bathspa.ac.ukby 5:00pm on Friday 31 May 2013

*Competition is only open to alumni of Bath Spa University

2

3

SPARTAN is published twicea year. The opinions expressedin its editorial are those ofthe writers concerned andnot necessarily those of BathSpa University.

Editor-in-ChiefRob Armstrong Haworthr.armstrong-haworth@bathspa.ac.uk

Features EditorJaneWakefieldj.wakefield@bathspa.ac.uk

FeaturesWriterRob Breckonr.breckon@bathspa.ac.uk

Alumni enquiriesRuth Russellalumni@bathspa.ac.uk

Advertising enquiriesRuth Russellalumni@bathspa.ac.uk

LettersPlease write to us by email atalumni@bathspa.ac.uk or inwriting to:Alumni AssociationBath Spa UniversityNewton ParkNewton St LoeBathBA2 9BN

CoverCover image by Andrew Joyce.Andrew graduated in 2010with a BA (Hons) in GraphicCommunication. He is nowbased in Japan and works asan illustrator specialising incityscapes, hand drawnlettering and observationalillustration. More informationis available atwww.doodlesandstuff.com

04Building a career on portfolio workingAlice Atkinson-Bonasio on collecting skills, experienceand contacts to boost career prospects.

05Employability-what does it mean?Adam Tobin discusses the importance of workexperience in today’s competitive job market.

06The value of volunteeringJohnny Booth on his experience of volunteering andthe impact it can have.

07

From a digital revolution to21st century advertisingLukeWilliamson talks about his career in a fastchanging sector.

09Honouring an artistic legacyNewAcademic Chair in the name of artist and alumusHoward Hodgkin.

10

Remembering the past andinvesting in the futureThe history of Somerset Place and how its sale willbenefit students today.

12 University newsKeep up to date with what’s happening at Bath Spa.

14Notorious YBA to ProfessorNew Professor of Art and Design, answers ourquestions.

Contents

4

An enterprising attitude is, I believe, a key factor tosucceeding in today’s ever-changing, fast-paced world.

By enterprising I mean an attitude that is flexible, creative,adventurous, resourceful, and - perhaps most importantly –persistent.

My professional life now spans over 11 years, many of whichwere spent studying as well as working. I’ve had 16 differentjob titles in eight distinct industry sectors, got funded for anErasmus year in Italy, a Master’s Degree, and a PhD, andbecame fluent in three languages.

The great management philosopher and guru Charles Handycoined the concept of the “PortfolioWorker”. These arepeople who collect a suite of relevant skills, experience andcontacts and bring them together in a flexible way to meetthe requirements of opportunities that come their way.This dynamic way of working has become increasinglydominant in the past decade, and it is likely to become thenorm rather than the exception in years to come.

My own career progression embodies this concept, and theunique combination of skills I’ve acquired and flexiblydeployed over the years is what led me to my current role asPR and Communications Manager at Mendeley – a globalresearch social network with over 2.1 million users worldwide.If it hadn’t been for the writing skills I developed as afreelance writer, combined with experience working at othertech start-ups such as Badoo and The Filter – backed bymusician Peter Gabriel and based right here in Bath – and myacademic background as Research Assistant and ResearchAssociate at Bath Spa and UWE, I would not have been theright fit.

But while collecting skills and experience is crucial, keeping anopen mind, being constantly on the lookout for opportunities,and understanding how to combine and leverage your skillsand contacts is just as important. Opportunities often presentthemselves when you least expect, and often in ways youdon’t expect, so keeping an open mind lets you takeadvantage of them, as long as you’re agile, because theyusually don’t hang around for long.

The best way for universities to help students prepare for thisnew and exciting environment – especially when it comes toworking in the creative industries – is to encourage them toseek out and cultivate a network of contacts. University is theideal place to plant those seeds, which can often lead tomutually beneficial opportunities. The key is to think in termsof skills, resources and opportunities rather than jobs, becausein today’s world of work each person and their career is anenterprise in their own right.

If you would like to help students expand their professionalnetworks or find out more about our mentoring programmesand networking events, please email enterprise@bathspa.ac.ukor visit ww.bathspa.ac.uk/business

Building acareer onportfolioworking

By Alice Atkinson-Bonasio

Alice Atkinson-Bonasio graduatedfrom Bath SpaUniversity in 2006with a BA MediaCommunicationswith CulturalStudies.

5

Employability is the latest recruitment ‘buzz-word’used by Human Resources departments acrossthe country and whilst the term itself may berelatively new, the concept has always existedalongside a competitive jobs market. Employersnaturally want to attract and appoint the best staff.Employability, I believe, is simply about developinga range of skills, capabilities and experience whichmake you stand out from the crowd.

In the 1970’s, 80’s and early 90’s, having a degreemade you ‘employable’ and was generally seen asa passport to a decent job. Today the situation isvery different – since 1990, according to researchconducted by the Department for BusinessInnovation & Skills, ‘student volumes have morethan quadrupled’ and a degree is the ‘norm’ for mostcandidates. Therefore, employers have to look forthat ‘little bit extra’ to differentiate between them.

Employability-what doesit mean?By Adam Tobin

Your degree acts as an indicator of yourunderstanding and knowledge in a specific topicarea and capability to learn, but how does thistranslate into the workplace? Employers have nowrecognised that whilst candidates may have thisknowledge, they also need the skills and capabilitiesto apply it successfully in the workplace.Employability has therefore evolved and manycompanies now adopt capability driven interviewsto reflect this.

So how can an undergraduate ensure that theystand out from the crowd as ‘employable’ whenthey graduate?

In my experience, the answer to this question iswork experience. When I was in my second yearat Bath Spa, I was able to secure a work placementwith the Environment Agency. Fortunately, I madea good impression and was offered a paid summerjob and subsequent part time employmentthroughout my final year.

This experience in the workplace enabled me todevelop the generic capabilities discussed andtherefore made me stand out from the crowd as‘employable’. Within six months of graduationI had been appointed to a full-time position withinthe Environment Agency’s Geomatics team andhave not looked back since.

So why write this article in an alumni magazine?Well many alumni have the ability to influencetheir employers on their approach to recruitmentand development.

The UK’s top business lobbying organisation, theConfederation of British Industry (CBI) highlightedthe importance of both business and universitiesalike when it comes to facilitating work experience,saying: “Universities and employers both have animportant role to play in providing workplacements, internships and opportunities whichcan assist in the development of these(employability) skills.”

I am pleased to see that Bath Spa Universitycontinue to offer an openWork PlacementModule to all students, allowing them to take theirlearning into the workplace. I have supported fourundergraduates through such work placements,each of whom have successfully been offeredemployment upon graduation, two within theEnvironment Agency.

I am now developing a programme offering aformal sandwich year work placement within ourGeomatics department, to a group of universities,including Bath Spa. This will not only support thestudent, enhancing their ‘employability’, but alsobring the benefit of their fresh skills andenthusiasm to the organisation.

Perhaps you could do the same?

If you would like to knowmore about howstudents and graduates can support and developyour business through placements, projects orinternships, please email placements@bathspa.ac.ukor visit www.bathspa.ac.uk/business

Adam Tobin studiedRemote Sensing andGeographicInformation Systemsat Bath SpaUniversity Collegefrom 2001 – 2004and is now a SeniorGeomatics Analystwith theEnvironmentAgency’sGeomatics team,specialising in Floodand Coastal RiskManagement data.

6

Given the pressure of the job marketin the UK today, there is a lot of

emphasis placed on students gettingas much work experience as possiblewhile studying for their degree. Thereis an expectation that without gainingthe relevant experience it will be verydifficult to get a job after graduation.

During my time at Bath Spa UniversityI found that volunteering proved to beas valuable as the more traditionalwork experience I undertook as partof my course. A module in my secondyear involved a placement in aninformal education setting and Ivolunteered with the British Red Cross.This was to have a rather large impacton my life after university.

While on placement I carried out someresearch for an essay and this led tome being introduced to Jenny Martin,the Youth and Schools Manager atOxfam SouthWest. My discussionswith Jenny not only helped with myessay, they also resulted in a six monthinternship with Oxfam as SchoolEngagement Campaigner.

This experience proved to beinvaluable and the skills I learntencouraged me to apply for a rolewith the British Red Cross Youth andSchools, Education and Engagement.I was subsequently offered andaccepted a ten month contract at theBritish Red Cross as HumanitarianEducation Project Manager.

Without Bath Spa giving me theopportunity and encouragementto approach other educationalinstitutions, I would never havethought about entering the ThirdSector and working with somefantastic people for a great cause attwo of the best and biggest charitiesin the UK!

I would encourage all students todayto get as much experience as possible,be it through internships, placementsor volunteering. You not only gain vitalskills and make valuable contacts, youalso learn more about yourself andwhat you are capable of.

If you would like to find out more abouthow the University’s Volunteering teamhelp students, contact the Just V teamwithin the Students’ Union by emailingjustv@bathspa.ac.uk

The value ofvolunteering

Jonny Booth graduated fromBath Spa University in 2010 with a BA (Hons)

International Education.

7

I was a student at a time when everything waschanging and new technology was emerging.My course in design included illustration, animation,graphic design, photography and various printmakingand production processes. The mid 1990s saw thebeginning of the first digital revolution and it wasexciting to be able to explore traditional technologiesalongside new ones.

I made some very good friends whilst at Bath Spaand we seemed to share a real hunger to makethings, to be different and have a point of view onthe industry we would soon be a part of. A numberof us embraced the older equipment such as PMT(photomultiplier tubes) cameras, various printmakingtechniques, letterpress and bookbinding amongothers, to help us develop our ideas.

Shortly after I graduated I realised that unlessI drove myself to do the things I was interested in,nothing would happen. I learnt that real design wasabout knowing what you are trying to achieve. Manya project was either purposeless or indulgent, andtherefore not good and also hard to finish if youdidn’t know where you were going.

From a digitalrevolution to21st Centuryadvertising

By LukeWilliamson

I wasn't confident about the direction I wanted totake, so I spent two years working on various projectsfrom packaging, annual reports and accounts, shopsignage, environmental design and branding. It was avital step to finishing my education and it helped mediscover that I wanted to work for myself. Advertisingis very different from the world of design. It's muchfaster, less precious and much more open toexperimentation. I loved it!

I now work as Creative Director at Fabula London,a creative advertising agency I founded with myfriend and colleague Yan Elliott in Jan 2012. Our aimis to operate an agency that is creatively driven andworks for clients. I really enjoy doing things on ourown terms, making decisions about the businessbased on shared agendas with clients who areambitious. I'm learning about how to run a successfulcreative business where people want to work andcreating a culture which is enjoyable and helps shapethe future careers of the people who work here.

Our business is still in its early days andwe've only recently started hiring staff, butI have always sought out talent from artand design schools. The job market has alwaysbeen hard for graduates, but today they haveso much more to offer employers in the creativeindustries. I'm the same as most other employers inthis industry in that I look for hunger, passion, skillsand a willingness to try anything. Additional skills canbe taught to an extent, but creativity is somethingyou either have or you don't.

My advice to graduates today would be make sureyou attack whatever you’re doing with your fullpersonality. Be realistic about what to expect whenmeeting prospective employers, you’re not going tolike everyone you meet in real life, the same rulesapply to finding somewhere you work, it takes twoto tango and sometimes you just can’t force it.

If I could give any advice to my 19 year old self Iwould say finish more things. Hindsight is a greatthing, but I wish I had put the extra bit of effort in tojust finish a few more things off. Having said that I'veworked hard throughout my career and hopefullythrough Fabula, Yan and I will be able to help the nextgeneration of creative designers on their path.

LukeWilliamsongraduated from

Bath School of Artand Design in1995 with a BA(Hons) Design.

8

WEDNESDAY 22 MAY - SUNDAY 2 JUNE 2013Bath Box O�ce 01225 463362bathfestivals.org.uk

FEATURING:Measha Brueggergosman Brandenburg Concertos Meow Meow Flat Earth Society Britten’s Women

Norma Winstone BBC Singers Danish String Quartet Alexander Janiczek Alasdair Nicolson Jessica Walker

Scottish Chamber Orchestra Hebrides Ensemble Florilegium Bath Philharmonia Seth Lakeman Dido and Aeneas

Howard Hodgkin is an artist of international repute.His work has been shown in galleries around the

world and in 1985 he represented Britain at the VeniceBiennale and won the Turner Prize. In 1992 he wasknighted for his services to the arts.

In September 2012 the University awarded Howardan Honorary Doctorate recognising his outstandingcontribution to British painting. The ceremony tookplace at Corsham Court, his former academic home,and guests included colleagues and students from histime at the Academy.

In his acceptance speech, Howard spoke of the creativefreedom that Corsham Court had given him, stories ofhis mentors and their teaching methods and tales ofwhen he himself taught students at the Court.

Howard was first a pupil and then later a tutor at theBath Academy of Art.While a pupil he was taught byClifford and Rosemary Ellis who ran the Academy, as wellasWilliam Scott and Peter Lanyon from 1950 to 1954.As a tutor he worked alongside fellow painters MichaelCraig-Martin, Robyn Denny, John Ernest and AdrianHeath between 1956 and 1966.

A name synonymous with British art, Howard uses boldcolour and abstract forms in his paintings and prints torepresent emotional moments, memories andexperiences. His work is instantly recognisable and heis regarded as one of the greatest British colourists.

Commenting on the award,Vice-Chancellor ProfessorChristina Slade said: “Our long and illustrious historyas a foremost centre for creativity and artistic talent isreflected by the notable persons who have made it so.One of these individuals is Howard Hodgkin, one ofBritain’s most influential and respected artists.

As pupil and then tutor at BathAcademy of Art, Howard Hodgkininspired a generation of artists,so the University sought tohonour that achievement.

Honouringan artistic

legacy

We are honoured to award him an honorary doctorate inrecognition of his outstanding contribution to, not onlyBritish art, but also the Bath Academy of Art and nowBath Spa University.”

Throughout his time at Bath Academy of Art, Howardhelped create an unprecedented output of creativity.Today, the University still nurtures the talent of youngartists. To ensure this can be sustained, Howard has kindlyconsented to an academic Chair being created in hisname. The Chair will be advertised internationally and theUniversity looks forward to attracting new artistic talent.

The cost of such a prestigious Chair is being met partly bythe University and partly from donations and fundraisingactivities. The first donation to the Chair has been madeby Burges Salmon and the University would like to thankthem for this generous contribution. It will greatly help inallowing the Chair to be established in 2015, as wecelebrate over 150 years of teaching art and design.

Burges Salmon is one of the UK’s leading law firms andis committed to providing support for educationalorganisations within its corporate responsibilityprogramme.

If you would like to know more about the HowardHodgkin Chair and how you might be able to support it,please email the Development and Alumni Relationsteam at daro@bathspa.ac.uk

Indian Sky, 1988-1989

Oil on wood

21 3/8 x 27 3/4 inches

54.1 x 70.2 cm

©Howard Hodgkin

9

10

Somerset Place will be fondly remembered bya large number of former students who mayhave lived or were taught there and enjoyed picnicsand barbeques in the grounds. Even though it hasnow been sold, the property remains a significantpart of our history and the story of graduateswho shared in it.

The classical Georgian crescent was built in the1790s and stands on the hillside overlooking Bath.The Grade 1 listed buildings were graduallyprocured by Bath College of Domestic Science,one of the three founding colleges of Bath SpaUniversity, in the late 1940s.

In 1949 the College purchased land on the siteofWinifred House onWinifred’s Lane which hadbeen destroyed in the Bath Blitz of April 1942. TheDomestic Science College was housed at the timein Brougham Hayes (now Hayesfield School) andthis new land was intended to provide sportsfacilities and a market garden for the College.

This idea was soon expanded and plans weredeveloped for a new building on theWinifred’s Lanesite to allow the College to relocate from BroughamHayes. The Sion Hill campus, as it is known today,now houses the Bath School of Art and Design.

Rememberingthe past andinvesting inthe future

The facades, designedby the architect JohnEveleigh who wentbankrupt during thebuilding works, werestarted in 1790 butwere not completeduntil the 1820s.

The sale of Somerset Place hasallowed Bath Spa University to invest in

new facilities for future students.

11

While the new College building was underconstruction, individual houses in Somerset Placewere purchased to provide hostel accommodationfor students. Gradually, the College acquired thewhole terrace, and alterations were made to theinteriors to suit student and staff needs.

Hostel rooms then became a selection of flats wherestudents could learn how to run households withinfixed budgets as part of the ‘Home Managementand Household Science’ curriculum.Alumni whowere students in the 1950s recall that the ‘smartest’flat had the largest budget, so full scale dinnerparties could be held. By contrast the so called‘family’ flat had a restricted budget, and studentshad to work with strict economy measures.

Somerset Place was also used for tutorial andteaching rooms as well as staff offices. Furtheralterations were made following the officialopening of the new College on theWinifred’s Lanesite in April 1960 by HRH the Queen Mother.

As times and expectations moved on, Somerset Placebecame more difficult to maintain and following thetransfer of Home Economics courses to the NewtonPark campus in 1975 its use became more limited.The soon to become Bath Spa University wasexpanding and a review of facilities was needed. Aftercareful consideration and much consultation, thedecision was taken to sell Somerset Place in 2006.

A 21st century university

Bath Spa University was formed in 2005 bringingtogether all its various colleges into one institution.In the years since it has continued to grow andwelcome more students across a diverse range ofsubjects including visual and performance arts, digitalmedia, humanities, teacher training, social sciences,science and business studies.

In 2012 the University began work on a majorre-development project at the Newton Park campus.The first phase of the development is a new state-of-the-art academic building which will provideoutstanding teaching and learning facilities for allstudents. It is situated in the middle of the campusnext to the Michael Tippett Centre and will becompleted and ready for use by spring next year.

The second phase of the development is newstudent residential accommodation which willbe situated at the top of the campus near to theStudents’ Union. Nine new halls of residence willprovide 561 additional bedrooms and allow nearlyall new students to live on campus. The newresidences should be complete in time for thestart of the academic term in September 2014.

Together these developments will transform theNewton Park campus and provide superb facilitieswhich students today expect from their university.

Somerset Place was home to numerous studentsduring its time as part of Bath Spa University and itssale is helping the University expand. The legacy ofSomerset Place will ensure future generations ofstudents benefit from excellent facilities and havea wonderful experience while at Bath Spa.

Somerset Placein the 1970s.

Top:Artist impression of thenew residential accommodationBottom:Artist impression of thenew academic building includingoutside amphitheatre.Both at Newton Park.

12

Bath Spa University and the Holburne Museum haveentered into a new partnership to promote academic

and cultural collaboration. Bath Spa University is wellknown for its study and research in the areas of creativity,culture and enterprise and this partnership with theHolburne recognises the strategic alignment of the twoorganisations. The collaboration builds on work the Museumand Bath Spa have done together over several years,including teaching initiatives and creating innovative andexciting performances, exhibitions and concerts.

The partnership will develop this relationship in a numberof ways. Firstly, by providing opportunities for collaborativeresearch, exhibitions, publications and projects; secondly, tosupport taught academic programmes, specifically in theareas of art and design, history and arts and heritagemanagement; and thirdly, to provide opportunities forstudents and staff to expand their personal andprofessional development.

Commenting on the new partnership,Vice-ChancellorProfessor Christina Slade said: “Bath Spa University is acreative hub of culture and enterprise and we support ourstudents in their endeavours to develop their practice. Ourvarious project partnerships with the Holburne Museumhave continued to expand over the years, so it is fitting thatwe now work more closely together to further developour relationship.”

Dr Alexander Sturgis, Director of the Holburne Museumadded: “Education is at the core of what the Holburne isabout.We are delighted and proud to be working inpartnership with Bath Spa University. I can’t wait to seethe ways in which our collaborations will develop andflourish over a wide range of museum activities andacademic disciplines.”

To celebrate the announcement, the University sponsored arecent Holburne exhibition: ‘Painted Pomp:Art and Fashionin the Age of Shakespeare’. The exhibition featured nineexceptional full-length Jacobean portraits byWilliam Larkin,painted around 1613-18.

Bath Spa Alumni receive half price admission to theexhibition on production of the advert on page 8.

artistic partnership A celebrationofmusical talentFive years of Bath Spa’s Music Think Tank markedat a special event.

Commercial Music graduates came together withcurrent staff to celebrate five years of Bath Spa’sMusic Think Tank at a party at the Groucho Club inSoho in January. Every year, eight or more keynotespeakers from the music industry come to the eventto talk to Commercial Music students. The party inLondon was held to celebrate these guests, theircontinuing connection with Bath Spa andCommercial Music graduates currently workingin the music industry.

The event included speeches from Nigel Beaham-Powell, Subject Leader in Commercial Music at BathSpa University, Paul Brindley of Music Ally and JoeBennett, Dean of the School of Music and PerformingArts at Bath Spa University. The evening was roundedoff with a performance by Mike Dawes, a formerCommercial Music student who has achieved hugeYouTube success with his cover of Gotye.

Guests at the event included Robert Ashcroft thecurrent CEO of PRS for Music along withWilliamBooth of Sony/ATV Music Publishing, Chris Careyof EMI and Florian Koempel of UK Music. A numberof graduates working in the music industry alsoattended including Jessica Keeley-Carter ofUniversal Music Group, Jon Blake of EMI, Sarah Doeof Atlantic Records and Neil Martin of Abbey RoadLive, among others.

Developing links with the music industry is a key partof the Commercial Music course and it has alreadyhelped one recent graduate, Barnaby Bowles-Bray,find a job with Sony. This year in Music Think Tanktwo Commercial Music graduates will be talkingabout their careers in the music industry. It is hopedthat within five years, all keynote speakers at theevents will be Bath Spa graduates.

UNIVERSITY NEWS

The Holburne Museum, Bath

13

Students' UnionOldBoys and Girls eventsHockey Old Boys Sunday 5 May, 12:00Beechen Cliff School, Bath

Football Old Boys Saturday 11 MayBath City Football Club

If you have any questions please emailsu-activities@bathspa.ac.uk

If you would like to arrange a reunion, please get intouch by emailing alumni@bathspa.ac.uk

Creative Futures

Following the success of Creative Futures 2012, theseason of events is set to run again throughout Mayand June this year. Creative Futures is a celebration ofall that the University, its students, graduates and staffhave achieved this academic year. Last year saw eventsheld by groups of staff and students across the variousschools of study and featured students work from thecreative and cultural industries including heritage,design, fashion, film, music, performing arts, photography,textiles and visual arts. More information is availableat www.bathspa.ac.uk/creativefutures

Careers andEnterprise Supportfor Graduates

Career planning and development is not just an on-goingprocess while you are at Bath Spa – you will probably

be repeating this sort of self-assessment throughout yourworking life.

You are eligible to access the Bath Spa Careers serviceremotely for up to three years after graduation.What'smore, within your first year after graduating we can help youwith a range of guidance, events and workshops specificallydesigned to support your search for that important first stepinto the job market. This includes:

• Facilitated sessions to help you understand what youmight want to do in the future and where to findopportunities that will get you there.

• Careers guidance and workshops on keeping your CVup-to-date and making successful applications.

• Seminar sessions with practical advice on how tofreelance, start a business or do both as part of aportfolio career.

•Workshops on how to find an internship for workexperience or a business mentor to help your professionaldevelopment.

The University also has schemes and opportunities thatcould support your own personal and professionaldevelopment, add to your CV and also benefit theorganisation you work for. For example, join our growingpool of Bath Spa Graduate Mentors and pass on the benefitof your experience to current students. You can alsoparticipate in one of our 'Industry Insights' panels as aspeaker and share top tips about the career path youfollowed since graduating. The Bath Spa CareerHub is also anefficient and free way to recruit the staff your organisationneeds for part-time jobs, placements, graduate vacanciesand internships.

So, if either we can help you, oryou can help us, drop us a lineat careers@bathspa.ac.uk orfollow us on Twitter@bathspacareers

The annual School of Art and Design Degree Showwill run from Friday 7 to Sunday 16 June.

The preview evening with drinks and nibbles will be heldon Friday 7 June at Sion Hill from 6:00 to 9:00pm and atDartmouth Avenue from 7:30 to 10:00pm.A shuttle buswill be running between Sion Hill and Dartmouth Avenuefrom 7:30 to 9:00pm.

The preview evening for industry guests will take placeon Monday 10 June from 5:00 to 8:00pm.

Bath Schoolof Art and DesignDegree Show

14

notoriousYBA to

Professor

Gavin Turk joined Bath SpaUniversity as Professor of Art andDesign in September 2012. Hehas pioneered many forms ofcontemporary British sculpturenow taken for granted, includingthe painted bronze, the waxwork,the recycled art-historical iconand the use of rubbish in art.

LAege dOrA Georgian internal door in a doorframe, open at 45 degrees. It becomesa standalone door in the landscape, almost closed or almost open. It’s all aboutinside being outside, and all sides being outside.

15

Gavin Turk’s installations and sculptures deal withissues of authorship, authenticity and identity.

Concerned with the ‘myth’ of the artist and the‘authorship’ of a work, Turk’s engagement with thismodernist, avant-garde debate stretches back to theready-mades of Marcel Duchamp.

In 1991, the Royal College of Art refused Turk adegree on the basis that his final show, ‘Cave’,consisted of a whitewashed studio space containingonly a blue heritage plaque commemorating hispresence ‘Gavin Turk worked here 1989-91'.Instantly gaining notoriety through this installation,Turk was spotted by Charles Saatchi and has sincebeen exhibited by many major galleries andmuseums throughout the world. In 2013 a majornew book assembled under Turk’s direction will bepublished by Prestel, showcasing more than twodecades of work.

How are you enjoying your new Professorship atBath Spa?

I am delighted to be a new Professor at Bath Spa.I am finding the whole thing a learning experience,to share my thoughts and experiences and in someways collaborate with the students and University.

Did you have any tutors or teachers who inspiredyou when you were younger?

I had several. My teacher from when I was thirteento sixteen recently contacted me with my O-levelsubmissions and sent me some of my work afterhanging on to it for all these years. That was at theend of the 70’s, beginning of the 80s. Strangely I dostill remember the lessons.

As a young artist did you have a career planof action?

No. Not really.

What advice would you give young artists todayabout how to best promote their work?

Make sure you show your work however possible,even if it is just to friends and peers. Because whatyou’re trying to do is encourage a dialogue around,and through the work that you make.

Do you think it is more difficult for art and designgraduates today? Is the market more competitiveor are there more opportunities for them?

I would say it is because there are so many moreartists and people looking for work. But maybe thereare more people buying art as well. There aredefinitely more people on the planet.

Did you always want to be an artist from ayoung age?

For a while I thought I might be a cartoonist, whichis a kind of artist.

What's your favourite food?

Choco Leibniz. More chocolate than a biscuit.

When the Royal College of Art (RCA) decidednot to award you a degree, did it make you moredetermined?

No. But obviously I was able to convert the negativeenergy from failing my degree into some sort ofpositive.

Who are your main art influences?

More or less everyone.

Are there any artists you would want tocollaborate with that you haven't already?

I would like to go to theWest coast of America andhang out with Bruce Nauman. But I am a bit allergicto horses.

If you had a super power what would it be?

I would quite like to time travel, but I’d settle forx-ray eyes.

What’s the focus of your new exhibition at theDavid Nolan Gallery in NewYork?

In the exhibition there are several casts of exhaustpipes. There are drawings made from exhaust fumesand human size images of smoke.

Nailsitting betweenthe gleam of21st centuryglass andthe historicfacade of StPaul’s Cathedral.‘Nail’ representsthe dialoguebetweenthese twomonuments,and theextraordinarychanges thathave takenplace over thecenturies in anarea rich inhistory andheritage.

ce to achIEve

POSTGRADUATE VACANCIES

MASTERCLASSBath Spa University’s postgraduate courses provide the ideal opportunity for study that is both academically rigorous and vocationally relevant. AHRC funded studentships available.

So, how far do you want to go?

For more information visit:www.bathspa.ac.uk/pgrad