STORE FOR ART'$ SAKE BY HARALD GRAVELSINS ECIAD is a few steps closer to staking out its turf in the local art market. A detailed study is under- way to determine the financial viabil- ity of a store in the business of selling the art work and design ser- vices of ECIAD students. The store will likely be located in the North Building at street level, and will displace the President's office. A team of five MBA stu- dents from UBC has been brought on board to conduct market research and to tabulate responses to a questionnaire on the store distributed at ECIAD in January. The store project is one ’ of the initiatives of the President's Budgetary Task Force. The Task Force was assembled in September 1995 by Acting President Brad Campbell with a mandate to devise local strategies to cope with the long-term impact of reduced public funding for post- secondary education. The impetus to offer student work to the public either for sale or for display has many precedents. The Print and Ceramics Sale and the Graduating Class Art Auction have become important ECIAD events. Exhibits in the Concourse Gallery, the First Year Students Show and the Grad Show are fixtures in the life of the Institute. These precedents are being reviewed by the Task Force as it:con- siders how to structure an appropri- ate permanent commercial facility within the confines of a teaching- learning environment. "Students are going to encounter some fairly tough realities in offering their work for sale," according to Gary Coward, First Year Technical Adviser and coordinator of the Store study group. “It will be a great learning experience,” Gary adds, noting the significance to students of making choices about what to produce for a non-classroom audience, how to pre- sent their work, and how to price it. Second Year Design student Jenn Eby concurs with Gary's sense of enthusiasm. “This is a great idea, and long overdue." "Why wasn't a store selling students’ work set up years ago," Jenn wonders. 3 Jenn's endorsement of the store concept seems to be typical of the responses to the questionnaire circulated by Gary Coward and his study group. Negative comments were quite rare among the approxi- mately |70 questionnaires returned by students, staff and faculty. "There was only one person resolutely opposed to the store who handed in a questionnaire," Gary reports. Support for the store is not unanimous. At the February 9th meeting of the Budgetary Task Force Ruth Beer, a faculty member in Sculpture and First Year, voiced opposition to the store on the grounds that it would create tension between those who succeed in selling their work and those who do not. Ruth also disagreed with the proposal to have a facility at the Institute that cannot accommodate the display of work whose dimen- sions or mode of assembly are rela- tively unwieldy, such as eight-foot high paintings. If the Institute goes ahead with a store, Ruth feels that it should restrict its sales to t-shirts, mugs and other paraphernalia that can be emblazoned with the ECIAD logo. While not opposed to the store per se, Dean of First Year Monique Fouquet has reservations with the “commodification of student work within a teaching environment." Monique stresses the need for very careful examination of the ramifica- tions of such a practice. The tension between art and commerce that would be present in operating a store at ECIAD is viewed by Gary Coward and other members of the store study group (including this writer) as a productive opportunity as much in terms of non- market objectives as for market objectives. The range of goods and services that might be offered for sale would benefit from ECIAD's diverse programmes of study. Visitors to the store would have ongoing access to the output inspired by a high level and high calibre of curricu- lar diversity. Unlike strict commercial operations, the manner in which goods and services are displayed in the store could take ample account of artists’ biographies, working meth- ods and aesthetic perspectives. ECIAD's store could make itself distinctive by the way it informs customers about the nature and purposes of the items of art and design it offers for sale. It could add a further bridge into the art world to ECIAD students, make the Institute's - presence on Granville Island more dynamic, and - yes - even sell t- shirts. A report on the store is due by April [5th. The report will include a market analysis, business plan, non-market objectives, and a general description of design requirements. Further input from the ECIAD com- munity will be solicited. —@& ee Gary Coward (left) makes a point while Ken Hughes (right) looks on and Byron (UBC student ) keeps a respectful silence -FEBRUARY -"MARCH 1996 / EMiLy 7 by Harald Gravelsins AMDNG i@ COMMIT MCCTING ON THE LOUNGE MONDAY MARCH 4Th 12:19 - 3p PAM. Room 261 NL ONDENO, ORFF AND FANT Noe INVIED To AIEND AND To OF F€K5 FeiR VIEWS. PRoGOCNATONS Wi INGUDE: IOUNGE AUIRONEY Rotouio 2. FINANCING ROCQUIROGMEN® Foro BUNDING A JouNGe S, PRooLl6 AND CoNCIO OF SCRONING javoKe 4 FOQN_AND CIMIRON_PRoOGROMMMING PoosIbiiiCs 2. DESIGN Pooolbiliee WAI TE CoNCoURO®6 ARoOo FoRo [Roce BONO lor Roce Fovato ON TE TOPIC oF “Fe louNce k FEW DAY® BeForee Fe MPSING Susan Coward remusy sao 1996 | any 7 STORE FOR ART'$ SAKE ‘5 Haraip Graveiss ECIADis afew steps closer to staking Ruth aso disagreed with ‘out its turf in the local art market. the proposal to have a faclty atthe ‘detailed study is under- Institute that cannot accommodate way to determine the financial vabl- the display of work whose dimen- ity ofa store inthe business of sions or mode of assembly ae rela- selling the art work and design ser- tively unwieldy such as eight-foot vices of ECIAD students igh paintings. The store wil ikly be If the Institute goes ahead located in the North Building at __witha store, Ruth fels that it should street level, and will displace the restrict ts sales to t-shirts, mugs and President’ office. ‘Ateam of five MBA stu- ents from UBC has been brought ‘on board to conduct market research and to tabulate responses toa questionnaire onthe store distributed at ECIAD in January The store project is one ofthe initiatives ofthe President's ‘Budgetary Task Force. The Task Force was assembled in September 1995 by Acting President Brad Campbell with a mandate to devise local strategies to cope with the long-term impact of reduced public funding for post- secondary education. ‘The impetus to offer student work to the publi either forsale or for display has many precedents. The Print and Ceramics Sale and the Graduating Cass Art ‘Auction have become important other paraphernalia that can be ECIAD events. Exhibits in the ‘emblazoned withthe ECIAD logo. Concourse Galley the Fist Year While not opposed to the Students Show and the Grad Show store per se, Dean of Fist Year are fixtures inthe life ofthe Monique Fouguet has reservations Institute. with the ‘commodification of student ‘These precedents are being work within a teaching environment” reviewed bythe Task Force as itcon- Monique stresses the need for very siders how to structure an appropri- careful examination of the ramifca- lta t Sw See eee ee Sema ce pare eer eNeS Fn paral br tl haa BUDING . according to Gary Coward, First Year (including this writer) as a productive ef Technical Adviser and coordinator of opportunity as much in terms of non- the Store study group. market objectives as for market ec ereay acne oe = pH ie te na } Ser erie reting Saigo ameter oe & choices about what to produce for a sale would benefit from ECIAD's non-classroom audience, how to pre- diverse programmes of study. Visitors Sent ther work, and how to price tothe store would have ongoing Scand Yar Design student acess tothe uta peso MEETING ON THE LOUNGE en Eby concurs with Garyssese of high eel and high ele of euicu= : enthusiasm. This isa great dea, and lar diversity Unie strict commercial = Tong over? operation, te manner in wich MONDAY MARCH AT S “Why wasn't a store sling goods and services are displayed in I2319 - 3p PM. students work setup Years 350° the store could ake ample account Room 261 Jeon wonders of arts biographies, working meth- Jen's endorsement ofthe ods and aesthetic perspectives, store concept seems tobe typical oF EQIAD store coud mate the responses othe questionnaire f stintve by the way it ‘rculated by Gary Coward and his informs customers about the nature NLOIDENG, ORFF AND study group. Negative comments and purposes f the tems ofa and were quite rare among the aproxi-_ design i offers forsale. It could 244 FRONT Moe INTED mately 70 questionnaires retuned by 2 frter bridge into the at word to KEND NOD oF Fem ‘students, staff and faculty. “There ECIAD students, make the Institute's Nob was oly one person resolutely presence on Grail land more Tem Wows. ‘opposed to the store who handed in Gynam, and yes - even sel = a questionnaire” Gary reports tins Suppor forthe store i not ‘Areporton the stores due unanimous At the February th by Api Sth. The report wl include meeting ofthe Budgetary Task Fore a market anal, busines plan, PreeoetToNS WuLNabe: uth Beer, a faculty member in ‘non-market objectives, and a general UIINGG AURONEY Reco Sculpture an Fist Year, voiced description of design requirements ‘opposition othe store on the Further input fom the ECIAD com 2 INNQNE RoCaioeaent® Fore EON 4 (aie ‘grounds that it would ereate tension munity will be solicited. ~®. B PRoOD# ND Con OF GEROMINE NaVioRD, Between thse who sueced in sling thee work and thas who donot 4 00ND CIDRON_ ProocroMMniNe Foosieillbe 2. Desian rossipilite WIGHT CoNCOIRDGE Mees FoR [ect BeANe fam loco Toltite ONT TRC OF Te laine \ FeN DIYS BéroRe Fe MEAING