Cleave
FESTIVAL
July 7-10

As always, this year’s dissertation projects by our international graduating artists are eclectic in both form and content, not least that this year our artists are working within the constraints imposed by Covid-19.  Our Festival is always special, not only because of the diversity of work presented, but because it is the students themselves who put the programme together and run the whole project as a Production Team in consultation with staff. 
Our unique MA programme provides students with an interdisciplinary laboratory environment in which to explore, take risks, plunge into new collaborations, get a hands-on grasp of many skills both creative and technical, and work under the guidance of some of the most exciting and distinguished practitioners. We avoid either house-style or tutor-direction. Instead, we take the artistic concepts and formal choices of each student and help them develop these within their own frame of reference. That is why we end up with such a range of work and approach to contemporary, hybrid, live practice. 
According to tradition, our cohort this year is very international, with students from Europe, Chile, Finland, Iran, South Korea and USA. This mix of nationalities as well as artistic backgrounds adds many flavours to a unique learning environment and the opportunity to exchange knowledge across a range of experiences from classical techniques to the most experimental Live Art practice. 
 
Cleave means both to cut apart and to draw together and this year’s cohort has weathered confounding forces in this pandemic year, yet they have produced live performances, despite all, that have relied on autonomous imagination and collective strength and vision. 
 
We hope you enjoy the work!

Programme Director 
Professor Anna Furse 
 
Associate and Convenor of this year’s Festival
Graeme Miller