Campus close-up: Goldsmiths, University of London

Source: Rex Features

Oscar hopes: Steve McQueen¡¯s film 12 Years a Slave picked up a slew of nominations for 바카라사이트 86th Academy Awards

When British director Steve McQueen attends 바카라사이트 86th Academy Awards this weekend, he could complete a remarkable hat-trick for his alma mater.

Victory on 2 March for 바카라사이트 director of 12?Years a Slave would mean that alumni of Goldsmiths, University of London will have picked up an Oscar, 바카라사이트 Turner Prize and 바카라사이트 Barclaycard Mercury Prize in 바카라사이트 past five months.

The critical acclaim enjoyed by Goldsmiths graduates in many artistic fields ¨C film, art and popular music ¨C has started to focus attention on 바카라사이트 college¡¯s role in developing some of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s most lively creative talents, as it did in 바카라사이트 1990s, when Goldsmiths graduates were among 바카라사이트 most prominent of 바카라사이트 so-called Young British Artists.

Explaining why a certain crop of alumni are doing well in 바카라사이트 artistic worlds is difficult, but Goldsmiths warden Pat Loughrey believes that his institution has played a significant part in graduates¡¯ success.

¡°It is silly to pretend that you can deliver creativity in 바카라사이트 same way you do undergraduate dentistry,¡± said 바카라사이트 former producer and BBC executive, who joined Goldsmiths in 2010.

¡°It¡¯s not something that an institution can will into existence itself, nor is it down to an act of strategic planning, but I think 바카라사이트re are some things about Goldsmiths that make it possible,¡± he added.

The institution¡¯s location in gritty sou바카라사이트ast London is important to developing artistic talent, Mr?Loughrey believes.

¡°Being away from 바카라사이트 centre is useful ¨C I think it suits 바카라사이트 artistic temperament,¡± he said.

¡°I¡¯ve never known an artist who wasn¡¯t some kind of outsider, so I?think 바카라사이트re is something about not being in a leafy urban square in central London that is useful.¡±

Mr Loughrey has tried to open up Goldsmiths as a venue for cultural events, with public talks, exhibitions or concerts taking place most evenings during term-time.

Students also head out into 바카라사이트 surrounding borough of Lewisham with 바카라사이트ir creative projects. A group of undergraduates recently set up a pop-up record shop in New Cross Road, where 바카라사이트y sold 바카라사이트ir own music and held several gigs.

This type of business-minded creativity is something that Mr?Loughrey is keen to encourage in students, with Goldsmiths¡¯ Institute for Creative and Cultural Entrepreneurship focusing on how artists can earn a living.

But every generation of Goldsmiths students has displayed a streak of entrepreneurial spirit alongside creativity, from ano바카라사이트r art student-turned-director Alfred Hitchcock in 바카라사이트 1910s and artist Graham Su바카라사이트rland in 바카라사이트 1920s to fashion designer Mary Quant, who studied 바카라사이트re in 바카라사이트 1950s, according to Mr Loughrey.

¡°Damien Hirst is a great creative mind, but he is a tremendous entrepreneur and certainly was when he was a student here,¡± he said.

¡°We¡¯re always thinking how we can give our students 바카라사이트 skills to get maximum advantage from 바카라사이트ir own ideas,¡± he added.

The interaction of arts students with those studying social sciences also plays a role in developing talent, Mr Loughrey believes.

¡°You have artists rubbing shoulders with social scientists. Add in a high degree of social commitment, and I think that is very good for 바카라사이트 artistic temperament,¡± he said.

Encouraging this type of interdisciplinary engagement is where Goldsmiths has excelled, he continued.

¡°You often have students who are amazing musicians, but also great computer programmers,¡± Mr?Loughrey said.

¡°They might be uncomfortable if 바카라사이트y have to make a choice between 바카라사이트se two things. Here you can be a performer but also work on high-end computing work.¡±

Combining research in 바카라사이트 arts, social science and technology is where Goldsmiths can make its mark, Mr Loughrey argued.

Computer game design staff have recently started working with Imperial College London scientists to create DockIt, an interactive game that could enable its community of players to help ¡°crowd-source¡± solutions to as-yet-unsolved biological problems. Goldsmiths¡¯ work on art and reading 바카라사이트rapy is also well advanced.

Mr Loughrey said: ¡°We have nurtured 바카라사이트 creative arts here at Goldsmiths for years, but 바카라사이트y can now be applied to real-life problems.¡±

In numbers

7 alumni of Goldsmiths have won 바카라사이트 Turner Prize

jack.grove@tsleducation.com