THE ART AND PERFORMANCE OF PLACE - 2019/0

Module Overview

This module introduces critical issues and practices in work in and between the ‘art’ and ‘performance’ of place. It identifies and invites reflection on key practitioners and theories from art and performance, to inform analysis of work by recent practitioners and theorists. In so doing, it considers the ways in which art and performance speak to critical contemporary issues affecting place, notably environmental change and mobility. Conversely, it asks what engaging with place reveals about art and performance practice.

Module provider

Guildford School of Acting

Module Leader

SLOAN Cathy (GSA)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 5

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 2

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

N/A

Module content

Indicative content includes:

Land art

Environmental art

Performance and everyday life

Site-specific performance

Performance of home

Mobile performance

Socially engaged art

Performance, art and architecture

Autobiography/autotopography (Heddon)

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

Essay (3000 words)

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate

• informed analysis of art/performance practice that engages with place


• knowledge and understanding of theories and practices relating to place in art/performance


• confidence and ability in forming, structuring and articulating coherent and informed ideas

• A presentation at the end of the module

• Abstract and indicative bibliography in preparation for the summative presentation.

• Oral or written feedback on formative material,


• Written feedback on summative assessment.

Module aims

• Introduce critical theories and practices of art and performance that engage with place (a, b)
• To question, theories, practices, experiences and politics of place in art/performance (d, f)
• To enable students to articulate their ideas through informed enquiry to a deadline (c, e).
• KEY: Letters in parentheses (a, b, etc) correspond to the Educational Aims of the Programme (see Programme Specification, Section 18)

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:

Prepare students to locate themselves as independent researchers within the field(s) of art and performance of place. The module will both introduce students to practitioners, theorists and to analysis of existing practice, and provide time and opportunity to discuss and apply analysis of art and performance. As such, this module provides a critical engagement in a specific seam of research that will prepare students with a rich approach to place, a key concern in arts discipline and this degree.

The learning and teaching methods include:

• Lecture/seminars


• Place-based visit and/or workshop


• Student research groups (reading/responses to tasks)

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: THE2032

Other information

Under the three term structure that commences from academic year 2019/0 – this module’s delivery falls in Semester 2 due to the teaching occurring in Teaching Block 3.

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2019/0 academic year.