The Glasgow School of Art

‘Art Making for Earthly Survival’ is a series of workshops and a resulting exhibition curated by Rachy McEwan and supported by GSA Sustainability, GSA Exhibitions and Box Hub.

The workshops aim to help participants question their own practice and ideas by offering future solutions and inspiration to create art in a more ethical, environmental and sustainable way. The workshops on offer range from book-making; to discussions of art practices in community settings; group drawing whilst travelling on the ‘Clockwork Orange’; to gaining inspiration from a guided walk in The Botanics, identifying trees and lichen.

The workshops are led by Vita Lerche, Emma Lawrance, Robert McCormack, and Rachy McEwan & Raya Gray. There will be an opportunity to see work made from the workshops in an exhibition in Reid Gallery, The Glasgow School of Art on 28 & 29 April.

‘Art Making for Earthly Survival’ is part of GSA’s yearlong programme ‘Close of Play: Climate Emergency and Creative Action’, which explores the ways in which creative actions and multi-disciplinary practice can address the climate emergency, sustainability and climate justice.

Booking Information:

Free tickets should be booked via the Eventbrite links below. Tickets for these workshops are prioritised to students of The Glasgow School of Art, but are open to the public as all places may not be filled by students. Please note: Book/Plant/Archive workshop led by Vita Lerche is only open to GSA students.

Meet the workshop facilitators and Q&A
10am to 11am, 4 April 2022, Online

Hear from some of the Close of Play: Art Making for Earthly Survival workshop facilitators: Raya Gray, Vita Lerche, Emma Lawrance, Robert McCormack, and Rachy McEwan and ask any questions you have before you book to attend the sessions in April and May.

Book online via Eventbrite

Commingling, Production and Reproduction led by Rachy McEwan and Raya Gray 
1pm to 4pm, 19 April 2022 & 11am to 2pm, 20 April 2022, Botanic Gardens & Reid Gallery

Rachy McEwan and Raya Gray lead a joint two-day workshop that will consider new modes of knowledge production, collaboration, and art-making. Over the course of the workshop, the guided walk through the Botanical Gardens, and the physical work making in the Reid Gallery, the workshop will mediate between research and activities developed in the space, and the built environment of Glasgow.

Book online via Eventbrite

Book/Plant/Archive (actions for the climate and other emergencies) led by Vita Lerche 
9am to 4pm, 21 April 2022 & 9am to 4pm, 22 April 2022, The GSA campus

Using digital editing, drawing, collage, and book binding make a 15 page booklet that visually explores themes surrounding climate action or other current emergencies.

Participants will have an opportunity to share work made from the workshops in an exhibition in Reid Gallery, The Glasgow School of Art on 28 & 29 April. Following the exhibition, each participant will be given the task of ‘planting’ their book in a local public space. These books and their messages will be left in the public's hands to circulate, affecting those who happen across them. Their trace will be left up on a digital archive, linking the publications and any new book plants together.

Book online via Eventbrite (please note this workshop is open to GSA students only).

Art Practices in Community Settings led by Emma Lawrance
10am to 4pm, 25 April 2022, Reid Gallery

This workshop will look at how artist practices can be applied to working with and strengthening community groups. If you are an artist interested in working with community groups or you have an art practice you love but feel as though you’re just not getting out enough, you’re tired of the studio and curious about arts and culture outside the gallery, you’re passionate about social justice and interested in disrupting the everyday then come along to this workshop.

Book online via Eventbrite

Art Making for Earthly Survival Exhibition
28 April & 29 April 2022, 10am to 4.30pm, Reid Gallery

A pop up exhibition sharing new work, and work in progress, made by participants at the 'Art Making for Earthly Survival' workshops.

Book online via Eventbrite. GSA staff and students are welcome to drop in without booking as long as space allows.

Train to Draw, led by Robert McCormack and Council Baby
Date to be confirmed
Meeting point Cowcaddens subway station (end point Partick subway station)

‘Train to Draw’ is an experiential workshop where participants will learn drawing techniques at each stop and carry them out while in transit. In addition to practical skills participants will be introduced to contemporary artist Council Baby who will speak about her new work ‘The Best Thing to Come Out Of Edinburgh is the Train to Glasgow’.

Booking will be released via Eventbrite in due course