Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design

Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design (DJCAD)
Established 1892
Type Art school
Dean Professor Tom Inns
Location Dundee, Scotland, UK
Affiliations University of Dundee,
Website www.dundee.ac.uk/djcad

Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design (DJCAD) is an integral part of the University of Dundee in Dundee, Scotland. It is ranked as one of the top schools of art and design in the United Kingdom and has an outstanding reputation in both practice and research.[1]

Contents

History

Attempts were made to establish an art school in Dundee from the 1850s, and evening classes in art were taught at the High School and the YMCA with great success. A full-time art school only became a possibility following the creation of the Dundee Technical Institute in 1888. The Institute was based in Small's Wynd, now part of the University of Dundee's main campus, and shared facilities with what was then University College, Dundee.

From the start, art classes were taught at the Institute in the evenings by George Malcolm, but in 1892 Thomas Delgaty Dunn was appointed as the first full-time art master, and this is now regarded as the date of the present college's foundation.

The Technical Institute's main building, designed by J Murray Robertson, soon became inadequate, particularly when the High School and YMCA art classes were amalgamated with those of the Instutite. A fund-raising campaign was launched in 1907 and in 1911 the Institute moved to new and much grander premises on Bell Street, designed by Robert Gibson and James Langlands, where it re-opened as Dundee Technical College & School of Art. A further incentive to the development of the school had come in 1909 with the bequest of £60,000 by James Duncan of Jordanstone to establishment of an independent art school in the city. A lengthy legal battle ensued as to whether the existing college could spend the money, and it was not until the 1930s that an agreement was reached whereby the College was reorganised as Dundee Instutite of Art & Technology, the College of Art to be autonomously run on a separate site away from the Technical College. A site was chosen and plans drawn up by architect James Wallace in 1937, but due to delays largely caused by the war construction did not begin until 1953. Classes began in what is now called the Crawford Building in 1955, though it would not be completed until 1964.

The College did not become entirely independent of the Institute of Technology (now the University of Abertay) until 1975, when it was officially renamed Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art (though it had been known as such unofficially for many years). By that time it has expanded into a new building next door(now called the Matthew Building, designed by Baxter Clark & Paul). The College remained independent until 1994, when it became part of the University of Dundee.[2] Over time Duncan of Jordanstone has built up strong academic links with other disciplines in the University, manifested in joint programmes such as Digital Interaction Design and Product Design. In 2006 it became more fully integrated in the University as part of the College of Art, Science and Engineering.

Structure

A school of the University of Dundee, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design is managed by Acting Dean, Professor Tom Inns, Ms Jeanette Paul, Head of Learning and Teaching and Professor Stephen Partridge , Dean of Research. The management team are supported by Secretary to DJCAD, Rebecca Leiper.

It offers undergraduate programmes in Animation, Art & Philosophy, Digital Interaction Design, Fine Art, Graphic Design, Illustration, Interior Environmental Design, Jewellery & Metal Design, Product Design, Textile Design and Time Based Art & Digital Film.

DJCAD also offers postgraduate masters programmes in Animation, Design, Design Ethnography, Fine Art, Forensic Art, Medical Art and Product Design.

In 2011 the college launched a new Masters programme in Design for Services (Service Design).

Sites & Galleries

The college is based in the Crawford Building facing onto Perth Road at the south-western corner of the University of Dundee's main campus, and the Matthew Building behind it. Temporary exhibitions are held in various galleries within the College, including the Cooper Gallery and the Matthew Gallery. The college also has a facility located within the Dundee Contemporary Arts building: the Visual Research Centre, which includes Centrespace - an experimental flexible studio/gallery where research outcomes can be given their first public airing.

Aside from the galleries it runs, the College also maintains an art collection of work by its students, usually acquired from the annual Degree Shows. The collection is now managed as a public museum collection by the University of Dundee Museum Services. Works from the collection are regularly exhibited within the University, as well being loaned to other museums and galleries throughout the country. Work by College staff is regularly exhibited in sites owned by the City of Dundee, the University generally or the DCA as well as in events throughout the world.

More information on gallery areas can be found on the Exhibitions at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design page.

From 2001 until 2003, the University of Dundee held a London graduation ceremony for the benefit of participants in the New Designers' Show in which several officials of the faculty and university decanted to certain venues (in 2003, at Sadler's Wells Theatre; in 2001 and 2002 at the Estorick Gallery). Due to semesterisation, the dates no longer conflict.

Dundee Degree Show and Dundee Masters Show

The Dundee Degree Show is organised annually in May to showcase the work of final year undergraduate students. It usually runs for around a week, with the opening night being a significant social event for staff, students, family and friends. The 2012 show will run from Friday 18 May - Sunday 27 May 2012 inclusive.

In 2009 the Dundee Degree Show was awarded Best Educational Event at the Scottish Event Awards and in 2011 it was awarded Best Educational Event at the UK Event Awards.

References

External links