Speaking afterwards she said she’d found the event very welcoming, “I even got the chance to have a little snoop around the art studios after the talk. Students have so much space and there is so much going on! I haven’t been in a studio for ages, so it was a lovely little treat for me.”
Graphic design student, Camilla Serrini, said she’d gained a lot from attending, “It is a huge opportunity for students to explore different practices, creatives and practitioners that are in the industry. This year it’s been very inspiring, especially for developing my final year project.”
Detour Ahead has been running every February at UEL for a decade, with the event open not just to artists, critics, and students but to the general public as well. Each year sees new events at the symposium, but the focus is primarily on opening up the mechanics of the visual art world. Organisers say the aim is to provide a space where artists’ professional practice and the varied routes from art school to professional success can be shared with the audience.
Find out more about UEL’s many art courses.
The Visual Arts cluster also hosts guest lectures which include talks by 2004 Turner Prize winner Jeremy Deller and Jungian art therapist, Joanna Parker.