The MA Art & Ecology is a fifteen-month studio-based post-graduate programme for emerging artists who want to engage in meaningful and transformative ways with the most pressing ecological questions of our time.
This is a unique programme located in the urban environment of South East London that seeks to develop new ways in which contemporary art practice can make interventions in a wide range of ecological contexts and extend the ways in which ecology is understood. During this MA we support artists to develop art practices in diverse sites and scales dedicated to imagining and shaping liveable futures.
Link art, ecology and social justice
The MA invites artists to develop innovative art projects grounded in rigorous artistic research and a profound understanding of how ecological challenges such as climate breakdown, pollution, and biodiversity loss are inseparable from questions of social justice.
Alongside media including painting, sculpture, printmaking, installation, performance, art writing, textiles, digital media and video, this course supports artists who engage with forms of practice such as food production, sustainable data, citizen and expert science, re-wilding, inter-species care and co-dependence, somatic work, and ritual.
This is one of very few postgraduate degrees specialising in art and environment, or art and nature. We actively encourage applications from students interested in working in all manner of ecological contexts, from rural settings to ocean habitats, and from social movements and to scientific institutions.
As this is a programme is taught in South East London, there is also a unique opportunity to focus on urban ecology.
Learn real-world skills, and develop practical abilites
Through the development of a year-long artistic project, students learn skills and build networks essential to pushing the boundaries of art’s engagement with ecology, for sustaining their artistic practice after graduation, for developing as educators, producers and leaders in a wide range of fields, or for pursuing doctoral research.
While on the programme, students participate in an experimental laboratory, attend lectures and seminars in the history and theory of art and ecology, and learn best professional practice through talks and workshops.
You will also have access to workshops on how to develop your artistic practice after graduation, including on topics such as the ethical and legal dimensions of working in particular situations and environments, which will give you real-world insights into the kinds of negotiations and realisations that are part of having an expanded practice.
Study in a cutting-edge environment
Goldsmiths as an institution has a strong understanding of specific issues such as environmental racism, climate justice and indigenous sovereignty, and approaches such as ecofeminism, black studies, queer ecologies, anti- and postcolonial theory and science and technology studies.
These are topics that can be really important for any artist engaging with ecological and climate activism and academia. You will be surrounded by and have access to a great body of theoretical knowledge and criticality, allowing you to better situate your work in a self-reflective and expanded way.
(Image: Emily Murayama, Sofa, So Food, 2019)
Contact the department
If you have specific questions about the degree, contact Ros Gray.
What you’ll study
Overview
Over the 15 months, you will work on developing the project idea you have applied with. You will be supported to develop it, possibly in collaboration with external partners or particular ecological sites. You will learn key skills that will allow you to realise an ambitious body of work, and teach you how to work with different kinds of partners, sites, and communities, from community gardens to science laboratories.
The course will be taught through student-centred learning, where your practice is at the heart of the learning experience. Individual tutorials, group crits, the experimental laboratory, lectures, seminars, workshops and study visits provide lots of engagement from staff, tutors, and seminar leaders. The visiting tutor system we have on this programme will allow you to have contact with leading artists, curators, theorists, activists, and NGOs. This will enable to you develop self-reflection and criticality about your practice and introduce you to an expanded professional network and a wide range of approaches to addressing ecology.
Compulsory Modules
Over the course of this programme, you will take the following compulsory modules.
- Methodologies of Art and Ecology
- Experimental Laboratory
- Histories and Theories of Art and Ecology
- Professional development
You will also complete an Artistic Project and Critical Studies dissertation, and participate in an Experimental Laboratory.
Artistic project
A year-long individual project in which you conduct artistic research within a defined field of inquiry that may involve sustained engagement with a particular site, institution, or community. The Artistic Project is supported through individual and group tutorials, degree show exhibition, and compilation of a project journal which will be published online.
Critical Studies dissertation
A 5,000 word dissertation with staff supervision that is intended to support the development of the artistic project.
Experimental Laboratory
This 4-week artist-led laboratory will involve practice-based research into a particular theme drawing on the artist’s field of research, in which students will be involved in producing a tangible output.
Download the programme specification.
Please note that due to staff research commitments not all of these modules may be available every year.
Entry requirements
You will need to hold a BA in Fine Art or other relevant discipline, or equivalent experience (e.g. photography, architecture, performance, creative writing, and environmental humanities and sciences), if there is sufficient evidence of a strong artistic practice.
Applicants will also be asked to propose a project. Admission is by interview only.
International qualifications
We accept a wide range of international qualifications. Find out more about the qualifications we accept from around the world.
If English isn’t your first language, you will need an IELTS score (or equivalent English language qualification) of 7.0 with a 7.0 in writing and no element lower than 6.5 to study this programme. If you need assistance with your English language, we offer a range of courses that can help prepare you for postgraduate-level study.
Fees, funding & scholarships
Annual tuition fees
These are the fees for students starting their programme in the 2024/2025 academic year.
- Home – full-time: £14120
- International – full-time: £26360
Please note, the fees above are for the entire 15-month programme.
If your fees are not listed here, please check our postgraduate fees guidance or contact the Fees Office, who can also advise you about how to pay your fees.
It’s not currently possible for international students to study part-time under a student visa. If you think you might be eligible to study part-time while being on another visa type, please contact our Admissions Team for more information.
If you are looking to pay your fees please see our guide to making a payment.
Additional costs
In addition to your tuition fees, you’ll be responsible for any additional costs associated with your course, such as buying stationery and paying for photocopying. You can find out more about what you need to budget for on our study costs page.
There may also be specific additional costs associated with your programme. This can include things like paying for field trips or specialist materials for your assignments. Please check the programme specification for more information.
Funding opportunities
Find out more about postgraduate fees and explore funding opportunities. If you’re applying for funding, you may be subject to an application deadline.
Scholarships
Lisson Gallery Scholarships
The Lisson Gallery Scholarships will be awarded annually to support Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic students enrolled or offered a place on the MFA Fine Art and the MFA Curating.
How to apply
Applicants should apply with a proposal for an artistic project that engages with any aspect of ecology. Applications should include a CV, a portfolio of completed works (12 images and/or five minutes of moving image), a project proposal (300 words max) outlining the project you wish to develop during the programme, and a statement explaining your motivation for joining the programme and how you expect to contribute to and gain from it.
You apply directly to Goldsmiths using our online application system.
Before submitting your application you’ll need to have:
- Details of your academic qualifications
- The email address of your referee who we can request a reference from, or alternatively a copy of your academic reference
- Copies of your educational transcripts or certificates
- A personal statement – this can either be uploaded as a Word Document or PDF, or completed online. Please see our guidance on writing a postgraduate statement
You’ll be able to save your progress at any point and return to your application by logging in using your username/email and password.
Find out more about applying.
Website link: https://www.gold.ac.uk/pg/ma-art-ecology/