2/23/22, 7:19 PM
Western News - Western launches new creative arts and production program
Western
launches new
creative arts
and production
program
Creativity, collaboration,
community cornerstones of
new BA major
Talbot College recording studio (Frank Neufeld)
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CAMPUS & COMMUNITY
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Western News - Western launches new creative arts and production program
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By Keri Ferguson
February 17, 2022
A new interdisciplinary program at Western aims to broaden
students’ awareness of the role creativity plays in the world,
their communities, and as an essential job skill for the 21st
century.
Creative arts and production (CAP) is a four-year program
centered on three Cs — creativity, collaboration and community
— and offered across three faculties: arts and humanities,
information and media studies, and music.
The module responds to students’ expressed desire for
learning opportunities that challenge them to think both
critically and creatively.
“Students have been looking for ways to incorporate creativity
into their studies,” said Jo Devereux, a professor in English and
writing studies and interim director of the CAP program. “They
enjoy the intellectual exploration of subjects, but so many of
them also want to bring their creative talents to bear on their
coursework, and in courses outside their home faculty. This
program provides them with an integrated way to do that.”
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Western News - Western launches new creative arts and production program
The program comes just a year after the United Nations
General Assembly declared 2021 as the International Year of
Creative Economy for Sustainable Development, underscoring
the increasing role creativity plays in addressing global
challenges.
Registered in one of the three home faculties, CAP students
will work toward a degree that integrates both theory and
production from a broad range of elective courses within arts,
media studies and music. The electives will be taught by
experts, including Devereux from the faculty of arts and
humanities, and Basil Chiasson and Sally Kewayosh from the
faculty of information and media studies.
Creative Arts and Production …
Critical creativity
The course introduces students to critical ways of thinking
about creativity and creative practice across a range of
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Western News - Western launches new creative arts and production program
disciplines in the arts, music and media. Through collaboration
and conversation, they explore what creativity looks like; where
creativity comes from; who can be creative; and why creativity
matters.
Together, we engage in a great deal of
myth-busting. Is creativity innate? To
what extent is it a matter of individual
genius or reliance upon traditions and
other networks? — Basil Chiasson,
professor, faculty of information and
media studies and the creative arts and
production module
The program also incorporates and encourages diverse,
inclusive perspectives.
“As our students start their adult lives, they’re concerned about
a lot of social and political issues. We are looking at topics like
decolonization and from areas such as gender studies to foster
as much engagement as possible,” Devereux said. “We aim to
bring diversity to the program not only through the subjects we
study, but through the students and faculty we welcome.”
First- and second-year CAP courses have been running this
past year ahead of the official launch of the degree in the fall.
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Western News - Western launches new creative arts and production program
Current students in the pre-requisite course, introduction to
creative arts, can now apply to this program with an intent to
register for the September 2022 start date.
Immersive learning
The collaborative and conversation-based delivery of the
introductory courses has been a welcome surprise to arts and
humanities student Sara Luchak.
“It is just such an
immersive and
interesting learning
environment, and one I
wasn’t expecting to have
in university,” the theatre
major said. “Rather than
Sara Luchak
the traditional way of a
professor teaching the
content, with students observing and learning from them,
students are constantly learning from each other. It really gives
you the opportunity to listen and have your own ideas be
heard.”
Luchak plans on continuing with the program for the rest of her
degree, noting the content applies to all students, regardless of
their major.
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Western News - Western launches new creative arts and production program
The program is really opening my eyes
to my own creative process, as we
explore what creativity means within
many industries and from different
perspectives.- Sara Luchak, theatre and
CAP student
Engaging the community
Devereux and her colleagues from FIMS and music will expand
the course, as public health guidelines permit, to include
workshops and a variety of interactive activities from members
of the local arts community.
“We are working towards capstone courses where students will
be paired with an arts professional, in film, theatre, visual arts
or music, blending an academic and professional approach to
their understanding of what it means to work in creative
industries,” Devereux said.
Andrew Dodd, manager
of Film London at the
London Economic
Development
Corporation, is among
the program’s potential
community partners. He
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Western News - Western launches new creative arts and production program
said the timing is right
Andrew Dodd
for engaging students in
London’s vibrant arts community.
“With the Grand Theatre reopening and London receiving
UNESCO’s designation of Canada’s first City of Music, the CAP
program fits perfectly with our vision of establishing London as
a cultural and creative hub,” Dodd said. “We are pleased to see
Western further their support of the creative industries and
look forward to helping graduates take advantage of new film,
performance and media opportunities as the industry in
London grows.”
Devereux looks forward to guiding the first cohort and
watching them grow, too.
“We’re just facilitators, helping students do their best in their
creative field,” she said. “I’m excited to see what happens as
theyNext
become
Up
… more confident in their ideas, their vision, and as
they develop their talents and abilities to do creative work when
they graduate. I keep envisioning how years later, these
students will do amazing things.”
***
Learn more
Western outlines COVID-19 updates following Ontario
announcement
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CAMPUS & COMMUNITY
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