15. Collective Manifestation: Co-creating a Studio Manifesto

Published by: Innovative Practice in Higher Education

Volume: 7 Issue: 1 Year: 2025

Author(s): Cróna Connolly Atlantic Technological University Ireland, Catherine Smith University of the Arts London

Corresponding Author: c.connolly0620201@arts.ac.uk

Abstract: Studio-based learning has long been a mainstay of arts higher education, but is now at risk in many countries, due to instability caused by the current university funding crisis and ensuing budget cuts. This paper considers the emerging literature on studio pedagogy as a response to broader sector moves away from continued investment in space-hungry studios. The researchers collaborated to design a primary research exercise that sought to explore what arts educators see as the affordances, values, environment and practices of studio education. A participatory workshop was held at the 2024 GLAD conference at Ulster University, Belfast to collectively develop a manifesto for pedagogic studios in the art school*. The resultant co-authored manifesto is presented as a proposition for consideration, alongside analysis. Suggestions for how the manifesto might be activated by other educators are included.

*By art school we refer to creative disciplines’ education.