ANU Furniture Workshop faces closure

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In an open letter, Ashley Eriksmoen, Head of Furniture Workshop, ANU highlights how the Furniture, Jewellery, and Animation & Video disciplines at the School of Art & Design (SOAD) are facing disestablishment, with additional cuts in Glass.

On 18 November, the School of Art and Design was informed that the ANU proposes to cut the number of technical staff; cut the number of gallery staff; change Honours and Masters course convener positions into pre-existing staff's workloads; disestablish our Furniture, Jewellery and Object, and Animation and Video workshops; and cutting half a position in Glass.

"This a tragedy for the entire art, design and craft sector of Canberra and Australia as we are the only university program able to offer such a spectrum of disciplines under one roof, and therefore to foster interdisciplinary thinking and transferable skills that benefit our sector," writes Eriksmoen.

Letters of support in response to a change management proposal are urgently requested. "Please stand in solidarity with our school by writing a letter of support indicating the positive impacts and contributions provided by academic and practical skills training in the SOAD workshops to local and national industry, alumni employment opportunity, arts education, and the cultural sector including national institutions, museums, and galleries.

"We are calling out for your help, and ask for you to write a letter of support for the School of Art and Design. The letters of support we receive back we will publish as part of a strategic campaign. We’re asking that you send your letters to the Vice Chancellor, Professor Brian Schmidt; the Dean of the College, Professor Rae Frances, the Head of the Research School of Humanities and the Arts, Professor Paul Pickering, and the Organisational Change feedback email address. Email addresses are below:

vc@anu.edu.au
rae.frances@anu.edu.au
paul.pickering@anu.edu.au
org.change@anu.edu.au
millan.pintos-lopez@anu.edu.au

Letters are requested by December 4.

More information from Ashley Eriksmoen, ANU Furniture Workshop

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