Students set for Venice Biennale
A group of Edinburgh students have been selected to take part in the world’s most prestigious contemporary art event.
The five Edinburgh College of Art (ECA) students will join ten of their peers from five other Scottish art colleges to work with acclaimed artist Rachel Maclean at the Venice Biennale.
Professional development programme
The students are part of the Professional Development Programme, spearheaded by the Talbot Rice Gallery and the University, and part of the wider Scotland + Venice partnership.
Rachel Maclean, an ECA graduate, will represent Scotland at this year’s Biennale. Her new work will be presented at Venice’s Chiesa di Santa Caterina from 13 May to 26 November 2017.
Ambassadorial role
The students have been chosen to be ambassadors for Scotland in Venice. They will work in pairs for four weeks each over the Biennale’s duration.
Their responsibilities will include welcoming visitors, assisting with events and screenings, and informing visitors about Rachel Maclean and her new work.
Working at the Biennale gives the students a unique opportunity to learn new skills and to expand their network of artists and art world peers.
The Professional Development Programme provides a vital experience of working in a social role, engaging with public, working with established artists and absorbing all that the Biennale and the city offer. By working with students from across Scotland and making contact with teams from other pavilions, this network will provide them and their peers with fruitful connections for the future.
Scotland + Venice
The selected ECA students, all in their third year, are Brandon Logan, Isotta Page, Florence Richardson and Siobhan McLaughlin. Fourth year ECA student Gemma Batchelor and the Talbot Rice Gallery’s Claire Hills will be part of the senior team and will visit Venice for 10 weeks on rotation.
The programme is part of the Scotland + Venice, a partnership between Creative Scotland, the National Galleries of Scotland and British Council Scotland.
Rachel Maclean’s presentation for the 2017 Venice Biennale is commissioned and curated by Alchemy Film and Arts in partnership with Talbot Rice Gallery and the University of Edinburgh.
In the video below, the students discuss this unique opportunity.
Inspiring students
The other institutions participating in the programme are: Borders College; City of Glasgow College; Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design; The Glasgow School of Art; and Gray’s School of Art, Robert Gordon University.
The Scotland + Venice Professional Development Programme began in 2003. The programme has provided the opportunity for over eighty students from eight colleges to spend time in Venice with like-minded artists, experiencing the distinctive setting of Venice and expanding their own practice.