How can current and graduating students be assisted in making their work public and transitioning into a professional realm of Book Arts? Specifically, those students who are unable to take the financial risks associated with selling work publicly

or as a title:-
“Supporting Students’ Transition into the Professional Book Arts Sphere: Strategies for Facilitating Public Presentation of Work and Overcoming Financial Barriers at Book Fairs”.

Having spoken to staff and Pg Peers about my two ideas, i decided on the second idea. To create a public facing event for students to sell their work and meet professionals in the industry as equals.

The aim of this enquiry is to generate new knowledge that will allow us to support and advise students with the aspiration to sell their work publicly, as well as inform recommendations to senior management towards maximising engagement with the professional scene outside of UAL and to provide information on an event or action we can take to provide a platform for students to share their work with the professional community.

During conversation with John and the rest of my tutorial group i explained exactly what a Book Fair is, and the hierarchical nature of them. I explained the barriers for students, or recent graduates to selling their work at book fairs, or feeling ‘part of the scene’ are largely financial, repetitional and age-related. The feeling is that you want to sell your work to the public, and be respected by peers in the industry. You cannot feel part of it until you have sold work, but you cannot sell work until you have been allowed in. This is a problem.
Even if you pass this barrier, having a good portfolio of work that the curators like, you need to pay the table fee. These fees start at 150 and can get up to 600 for a table space. This is a bigger problem

After explaining these barriers, John pointed out it is also a social justice issue. and my tutorial team all agreed this was something that LCC could easily provide, and something I was clearly passionate about, and keen to install.

I also spoke with colleagues from LCC who ‘do’ the book fair circuit, and all agreed that it was something that students, staff and alumni would greatly benefit from,

The final unit of the PgCert is centered on the Action Research Project (ARP) with an action that can take place within our university. For me, I would like to focus specifically within the realm of Book Arts, whether in a more theoretical context, or in the physical workshop I oversee as a technician.

The ARP manifests as a methodical and engaged approach, promoting a blend of creativity and practical application. It involves a comprehensive examination of our Book Arts program, encompassing an exploration of novel methodologies and techniques with the aim of enhancing our educational and creative endeavours.

An ARP needs to be more than theoretical discussion; rather, it materialises in hands-on studio work. Collaborating closely with both students and faculty, we explore various procedures and methods, seeking to discern their efficacy and durability. The outreach will extends beyond academia, speaking to students and staff, and seeking insights from artists and enthusiasts to have a wide breadth of information.

One aspect that distinguishes ARP is its iterative nature. It thrives on a loop of action, reflection, tweaking, and action again. It should be a continuous cycle of improving what you do, and how you do it. whatever “it” is.

ARP’s essence lies in pragmatic transformation and genuine influence on our educational and creative pursuits. Engaging in this journey is invigorating, discovering new dimensions in the refinement of designs and pedagogical methods.

I had two initial ideas for this project. The advice I had received from everyone (PgCert students, Alumni and tutors alike) was to do something i was actually interested in.
So i had two ideas:
– A book– I had started, but hadn’t found the impetus to finish. I had already completed 174 interviews across the world, and wanted to compile them into an artists book to “document” one moment in time across the globe. I saw this ARP as an opportunity to finish this project and start halfway through the ARP cycle.
– A book fair for the students – a way for them to publicly sell their work and break down the barriers between being a student and making “student work” and selling work professionally and becoming a peer in the industry.