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WHAT VSU MEANS TO WATT SPACE

This text with slight editing was submitted to the Senate Select Enquiry as part of the combined student university unions submission of Australia on the effects on cultural activities of proposed Voluntary Student Unionism. Legislation to make student unionism voluntary (VSU) will be brought to Federal Parliament by the Federal Government of John Howard in the next parliamentary session beginning in August 2005.

Watt Space, the student gallery of the University of Newcastle, held its first exhibition in September in 1989 with funding from the Students Representative Council of the University of Newcastle. The shop front gallery in Watt St Newcastle moved to University House, King St Newcastle in 1996 with 5 separate exhibition spaces.

Over the past 16 years the UoN Services Limited has been the prime sponsor of the gallery using funds sourced from the General Service Charge paid by all students upon enrolment as well as providing valuable infrastructure and logistical support. The School of Fine Art also contributes to the modest annual running costs of Watt Space.

From 1989 to the beginning of 2005 over 3,800 students of the University of Newcastle have exhibited their artwork at the gallery across over 600 solo, group, curated, graduating, invitation, prize and open shows. Between 1989 and 2005 there has been an annual average visitation of 12,000 per year totalling 180,000 overall, with sales of student artworks for the same period totalling aproximately $288,000.

Watt Space exhibits the work of current students of the University of Newcastle and aims to capture a diverse range of current and emerging arts practice in its exhibition program including sound, film, installation, performance and all forms of 2D and 3D work. Residencies, collaborations, multi media performances and community based events all form part of the Watt Space exhibition program linking the gallery with the Newcastle and Hunter arts communities. Since 1989 the gallery has established a deserved national and regional reputation as a premier student art gallery.

The UoN Services Limited has contributed annually to a range of prizes for students at the gallery, most notably the Annual Student Acquisitive Art Prize since 1991.

Students who exhibit at Watt Space experience important and relevant
professional arts practice in their involvement in the submission of their exhibition proposal, the selection process, induction for exhibition hanging and gallery management including invitations, press releases, opening night organisation and exhibition de-mounting. Students also contribute to the costs of their exhibition by paying gallery rental, printing their own invitations and sharing the cost of food and drink for the opening night.

Students are also able to build on their exhibition experience through curating exhibitions, becoming student representatives on the Watt Space Management Committee, being a Watt Space Volunteer or applying for the annual part-time position of Watt Space Gallery Assistant.

Many Watt Space students who have taken advantage of these opportunities have gained valid and worthwhile art gallery work experience which has led to professional positions and employment in the gallery sector in both artist run spaces and regional galleries.

Without funding and infrastructure support provided by the UoN Services Limited the future of Watt Space is extremely bleak with the gallery being forced to consider enormous cutbacks and to cease functioning at its current high level of success. This funding sourced directly from compulsory student union contributions has provided the continuity of the operation of the gallery as a site of professional arts practice solely dedicated to emerging and developing artists of the University of Newcastle. As such Watt Space plays and has played a unique, vital and integral role in the first steps of many artists and arts sector practitioners past and present.

Anne McLaughlin
Director
June 2005