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Working in Public Seminar Series: Art, Practice and Policy

The On the Edge (OTE) research programme at Gray's School of Art, Robert Gordon University and Scottish Arts Council has developed a seminar program that aims to develop a new level of thinking in relation to art practices that work within social and cultural spheres of public life. At the heart of the programme is a significant, long term case study – the Oaklands projects, California (1990-2000) developed by Suzanne Lacy. Lacy is internationally renowned as an artist in social contexts. Working with key individuals in the field, the series will focus on the issue of what quality means by connecting the experience of Oaklands to recent work and critical thinking in the field.

Each event is hosted by a different venues in Scotland.

The programme is part of a significant development of research and learning in the visual arts as they relate to the public sphere.

Seminar 1: Aesthetics and Ethics of Working in Public (past event)
Suzanne Lacy - internationally renowned artist and critical writer in the field of social practice, and Grant Kester - art historian and critic whose research focuses on socially-engaged art practice. At the Gray's School of Art, Aberdeen.

Seminar 2: Representation and Power
Suzanne Lacy and Tom Trevor - artist curator and currently the director of Arnolfini, Bristol. At the CCA Glasgow, Tue 22 and Wed 23 May 2007. Booking essential.

Seminar 3: Quality and Imperfection
Suzanne Lacy and Simon Sheikh - critic, curator and editor of OE critical readers series, published by b_books Berlin. At UHI Executive Office, Inverness, Tue 19 and Wed 20 June 2007. Tel: Hi-Arts 01463 717 091.

A Public Dissemination Event: Cultural Rights and Entitlement
Septemer, venues and dates TBC.

Programme structure and organisation
Each seminar will be made up of three components with different levels of participation that occur over a day and a half. The first evening lecture is free and open to the general public. The next day seminars and afternoon studios require prior registration. This part of the programme is intentionally limited to support depth of discussion.