Queensland College of Art and Design

The Queensland College of Art and Design (QCAD), established as Brisbane School of Arts and formerly known as Queensland College of Art or (QCA) after other name changes, is a specialist visual arts and design college located in South Bank, Brisbane, and Southport on the Gold Coast of Queensland, Australia. Founded in 1881, the college is one of the oldest arts institutions in Australia, and has been part of Griffith University since 1991. It is co-located with the Queensland Conservatorium, the Griffith Film School, and the Griffith Graduate Centre.

The Griffith Graduate Centre at Queensland College of Art and Design

History

Early days and name changes

The college was founded as Brisbane School of Arts (in a now heritage-listed building^[1]) in 1881. Over the years it underwent a series of name changes, including Technical School of Visual Arts; the Art Branch within the Central Technical College; Seven Hills College of Art (1974); before being renamed Queensland College of Art (QCA) in 1983.^[2] It has also frequently been referred to by other sources as Queensland College of the Arts.^[3][4][5]

Merger with Griffith University

The college became part of Griffith University in the early 1990s.^[5]

Film studies

In 2002, it offered courses in animation, screen production, Australian Indigenous art and, from that year, a new bachelor of digital design. The film school at the college had forged links SBS Independent, leading to the production of five films over seven years. It offered an atelier-style 16 mm film course, separate from the much bigger courses offered by the humanities department of the university, which focused on video and media theory. There was an intake of 30 students per year, and graduates were very successful in finding jobs in the industry afterwards.^[5]

Griffith Film School was established in 2004,^[6] and students at QCAD collaborate with students at this school who are studying film and screen media, animation, and games design.^[7]

QCAD (2024)

From 1 January 2024 it was officially renamed Queensland College of Art and Design (QCAD).^[2]

Description

South Bank building

The college is specialist visual arts and design college located within the South Bank parklands, along with the Queensland Conservatorium, the Griffith Film School, and Griffith Graduate Centre.^[8] The college delivers programs across both South Bank and Gold Coast campuses. At South Bank the focus is on Contemporary Australian Indigenous Art, Visual Arts, and Design. The Gold Coast campus focuses specifically on design degrees.

The Queensland College of Art and Design at South Bank campus is co-located with the Griffith University Art Museum (GUAM),^[9] formerly known as Griffith University Art Gallery (GUAG),^[10] as well as a collection of galleries known as the QCAD Galleries.^[11]

GUAM houses the Griffith University Art Collection, the second largest public art collection in Queensland.^[12] The museum organises exhibitions, educational and public programs, as well as conducting "research, teaching, publishing and dialogue among communities of Griffith University students, faculty, artists, scholars, alumni, and the wider public".^[13]

QCAD is within walking distance of QAGOMA, State Library of Queensland, and the Queensland Museum.

Galleries

There is a collection of galleries known as the Queensland College of Art and Design Galleries (QCAD Galleries) located on the campus. QCAD Galleries include:

• (i) Webb Gallery
• (ii) Grey Street Gallery
• (iii) Project Gallery
• (iv) PoP Gallery
• (v) White Box Gallery

Courses

The college offers a range of degrees and qualifications, awarded by Griffith University, ranging from diplomas to doctoral studies.^[14]

Notable people

Notable people associated with the college, past and present, include:

Alumni

• Anthony Bennett^[15]
• Gordon Bennett^[16]
• Tracey Moffatt^[17]
• Michael Zavros^[18]
• Bianca Beetson^[19]

Staff

• Justene Williams, Head of Sculpture, Performance and Installation
• Carol McGregor, Program Director (Contemporary Australian Indigenous Art)
• Julie Fragar, Program Director (Visual Arts)
• Sue Best, Art Historian and Deputy Director (Research)
• Frances Wildt Pavlu, Gold and Silversmithing Department
• Jennifer Herd, convenor, both the Bachelor of Fine Art and Bachelor Contemporary Australian Indigenous Art, 1993–2014