Though I’ve been dialling back the blogging this month to better focus on my own studio work for a change, I’m happy enough to crawl out of my ink-splattered hibernation for a good cause, such as that brought to my attention by the inimitable Dr. Alison McQueen, Associate Professor of Art History at McMaster University, which has recently been foolhardy enough to contemplate phasing out its Art History program.
Thankfully, the program has since been saved from the chopping block in a second defeated motion at the university’s Senate, though this doesn’t remove the need to educate the wider community on the value of Art History as an academic discipline that speaks uniquely to human society and progress and continues to inform art-making practices today. To this end, the Friends of Art History at McMaster are aiming to expand an appreciation for Art History to the wider public as well as support the on-going efforts of the program’s students, many of whom continue on to graduate studies in their field:
McMaster was the first university in Canada to offer Art History courses and these began in the 1930s with a Carnegie grant. As is the case for many universities today, it is not possible for budgets to sustain activities in all areas. The Friends of Art History seeks to offer support for education in the discipline and to foster Art History events for students and the community. Our goal is to promote the appreciation of Art History at McMaster and in its broader community. Donations will support the following: a visiting speaker’s series, visiting professionals who foster career development for students of Art History, and an informal program of Art History lectures for a general audience.
This is an excellent opportunity to validate all those efforts to keep Art History alive as an important instrument for dialogue in our creative community. Click here for more information about The Friends of Art History at McMaster, complete with downloadable files detailing how to join by donation starting at $10, and keep tabs on their efforts via Facebook.
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