Degree Shows preview

For the students, it's a time of abject terror, teetotalism, and the realisation that four years of 'work' has to be compressed into the space of two weeks and then presented to the public

Article by Lucy Faringold | 10 Jun 2007
The annual degree shows of Edinburgh College of Art and Glasgow School of Art are almost upon us once again. For the students, it's a time of abject terror, teetotalism, and the realisation that four years of 'work' has to be compressed into the space of two weeks and then presented to the public. For us, the viewer, it's a time of heightened anticipation in the knowledge that even the grandest gallery in the land couldn't match the degree shows for diversity, entertainment value and sheer off-the-wall-ness. If you've never been before then you should prepare for sensory overload: just about every room in each institution is transformed into an exhibition space – you could (and should) spend days just trying to take everything in. Ceramics, furniture, glass, animation and numerous other disciplines are all represented, with each student showing their best work – a dizzying breadth of talent, with much of the work available for sale. Painting and sculpture will steal the headlines as usual, but really, such boundaries are academic. The highlight of the creative calendar.
ECA degree show: 16-26 June (Architecture and Landscape architecture 23 June to 6 July)
GSA degree show: 16 June to 23 June (MFA at Tramway gallery)