Faculty of VCA and MCM statement on CCP

The Faculty of the Victorian College of the Arts and Melbourne Conservatorium of Music can confirm it will cease offerings in all programs and discontinue operations managed at the Centre for Cultural Partnerships (CCP) by the end of the year.

All students currently enrolled in academic programs offered by the CCP will be able to complete their programs of study, pending Academic Board approval of the proposed teach-out plan. The closure will not affect the research degree programs related to this domain.

This is not a decision the Faculty takes lightly, and comes after an extensive period of consultation and discussion with stakeholders across the University and the arts industry more broadly.

The Faculty remains concerned that the sustainability of programs at the Centre has not been achieved in almost a decade of operations, and with very low take-up of the programs on offer. Currently, the Centre has 33 Masters by Coursework students and 16 Graduate Certificate students studying either part-time or full-time in its programs.

The Faculty remains committed to both interdisciplinary practice and social practice of the type promoted by the Centre, and all discipline areas at the postgrad level have these options embedded within the course.

Attributable to: Professor Barry Conyngham, Dean of the Faculty of the Victorian College of the Arts and Melbourne Conservatorium of Music

Thursday, September 29 update:

The University can confirm that a small number of protesters briefly took the stage at a Faculty of VCA and MCM forum today that involved the Vice-Chancellor, and left the stage at the request of security.

Both the Dean of the Faculty and the Vice-Chancellor responded to questions around the closure of the CCP from audience members as part of a planned Q and A at the end of the forum, and the Faculty will be providing further opportunities to discuss the move in the coming weeks.