First setting foot in the Edinburgh College of Art’s beautiful campus, I felt a curious sensation of rightness, that I was exactly where I wanted to be for my introduction to becoming an art historian. That optimism lingered for exactly one week of study, during which I was acquainted with the relentlessly fascinating world of Premodern Mesoamerican art, in lectures that transported us to the ancient cities of Teotihuacan and Yaxchilan. The following week, staff industrial action began, and I, along with the rest of my cohort, was left at a loss.
As is well-reported, several University of Edinburgh staff members took part in a five-week strike at the commencement of the semester. The ECA, being particularly impacted by the university management’s cuts as they face the closure of ninety cherished courses, saw a significant loss of contact hours during this term.
Being a newly-matriculated first year student, or ‘fresher,’ I heard rumours of these strikes first from other students even before the dreaded email hit my inbox. Despite this, the news still came as something of a shock. The idealised picture I had formed of my start to university, of lectures and tutorials and academic rigour, had been well and truly tarnished. Though many might consider an education the last thing they came to university for, even the choice of whether or not to wake up for a 9AM commitment had been taken from me. Instead, much of the last month has been spent willing the hours away in coffee shops, and the occasional jaunt to the library, where I might do the reading for lectures I wouldn’t attend, or hit play on a (hopefully) art-related podcast.
However, as I’m certain anyone in the humanities is well-aware: some of the best art has come from resistance. Following in the footsteps of our favourite artists, the History of Art department has found community in the face of injustice. Using my newfound free time, I visited the picket line at Lauriston Place, in front of the College’s new Fire Station building, where professors held ‘teach-outs’ in place of formal lectures. Staff and students also came together to march in protest from the ECA campus to Scottish Parliament on the 1 October. Though I may have missed out on a traditional fresher experience, the industrial action this semester has given me the opportunity to be part of something bigger than myself. After all, what could better befit an art student than to stick it to the establishment?
“Boardroom at Edinburgh College of Art” by Karen V Bryan is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0.
