LASALLE introduces region`s first MA Artist Educator programme

Source: Lianhe Zaobao © Singapore Press Holdings Limited.
Reproduced with permission
PUBLICATION
Lianhe Zaobao
SECTION/PAGE
9
DATE
20 January
2014
JOURNALIST
Tan Leng Tuan
LASALLE introduces region's first MA Artist Educator programme
The MA Artist Educator program is the fifth MA programme that LASALLE College of the Arts
has launched since 2004. This 18-month full-time course caters to professional art education
workers with at least four years of work experience, and its first class of students is set to
begin studies in mid-2014. The college anticipates an enrolment of ten to fifteen applicants.
Tan Leng Tuan nengduan@sph.com.sg
In conjuction with LASALLE College of the Artsʼ 30th anniversary celebrations,
LASALLE is also rolling out the region's first Master of Arts, Artist Educator programme. Over
the next three to five years, LASALLE plans to nearly double the number of MA programmes
that it offers, which currently stands at five, to offer more opportunities to alumni and
members of the public who specialise in art to continue their education.
The MA Artist Educator program is the fifth MA programme that LASALLE College of
the Arts has launched since 2004. This 18-month full-time course caters to professional arts
education workers with at least four years of work experience, and its first class of students
will begin studies in mid-2014. The college anticipates an enrolment of ten to fifteen students.
During an interview, LASALLE's Provost & Vice President (Academic), Venka
Purushothaman, commented that, more than anything else, LASALLE is an institution of
learning that nurtures artists and focuses on artistic practice. Over the past 30 years, the
college has cultivated countless students, and many of these alumni continue to pursue their
practice while working as arts education professionals. The launch of the MA Artist Educator
programme aims to fill an area that is currenly lacking in the higher education landscape,
thereby creating opportunities for arts education workers to deepen their professional
knowledge and seize the opportunity to develop as an artist.
The college has spent two and a half years exploring and researching how to plan out
this course of study. Venka said, "Besides establishing an internal programme development
group, we have also consulted eminent scholars from countries including Australia, the U.S.,
and the U.K. They have provided valuable suggestions about how to guarantee the
programme's quality."
The total enrolment of LASALLE's MA programmes currently stands at 95, and the
number of alumni has reached 280. Among them, a number of these alumni have attained
quite a reputation for themselves in local art circles. For example, there is Yuni Hadi, one of
the producers of Ilo Ilo, which took home the Golden Horse Award for Best Feature Film, as
well as Lee Wen, who was honoured with Singapore's highest cultural award — the Cultural
Medallion — in 2005. They graduated from the Arts & Cultural Management and Fine Arts MA
programmes respectively. The college also intends to roll out MA programmes focusing on
performing arts and film studies.
LASALLE's two other master's programmes are Art Therapy and Asian Art Histories.
The latter also has the distinction of being the world's first coursework MA to focus on Asian
contemporary visual art.
Upholding the spirit of producing knowledge and nourishing artistic creation,
LASALLE next intends to launch MA programmes in the areas of performance art, creative
writing, design and film studies. As for whether or not the college has considered establishing
doctoral programmes, Venka had this to say: "We have always paid attention to the evolution
of the art field as well as to how can LASALLE make contributions in this respect. If we really
do decide to launch doctoral programmes, we might co-operate with other educational
institutions that have already accumulated good experience in this area."
Venka is profoundly confident in LASALLE's future training environment and
capabilities. This is because aside from expanding the scope of the college's master's
programmes, its management also grants strong support to its faculty in research and
publishing academic publications. As he sees it, this kind of direction is conducive to
continuously optimise the quality of LASALLE's advanced study and training programmes.
LASALLE began its use of the one-hectare McNally Street campus in 2007. At that
time, its enrollment numbered approximately 1,800; today, the college's student count has
already reached 2,570. Since last August, the former site of Monk's Hill Secondary School on
Winstedt Road has transformed into LASALLE's new Winstedt Campus, which is providing
more room for creativity to students and teachers. In conjuction with the college's 30th
anniversary celebration, Lawrence Wong, Acting Minister, Ministry of Culture, Community and
Youth and Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Communications and Information, will be the
Guest of Honour its opening ceremony in April.
On this occasion of reviewing the past and looking ahead to the future, Venka says
that LASALLE is really still a young college, and they are thankful for the support received
from all sectors of society in respect to all of their accomplishments. In his words, "In the days
to come, we intend to make strides toward the goal of developing into one of Asia's leading
art institutions.”
Photo caption:
The instructors for LASALLE College of the Arts MA programmes generally make use of small
group instruction. In the picture, MA Art Therapy Programme Leader Ronald Lay (first from
right) and three students discuss how a piece of art reflects the artistʼs emotions. (Photo:
Kuang Qicong)