Mentoring the contemporary arts student in the university

Abstract

The roles of professional artists and educators are established and defined by mentors in the field. In addition, they have a large impact on students, and can have a powerful influence on future artists. Our position as mentors becomes one of furthering the knowledge base of the field and passing it down to the next generation. However, we know mentorship to be essential but it is also often misunderstood. Educating, motivating or helping others to become more effective are characteristics that can be developed in university art and art education programmes through the process of mentoring, whether in the classroom, studio, online, or institutions like museums or galleries. Despite the process of mentorship trending outside the traditional classroom, this was not always the case in the history of art education and much can be done through collaboration and effective communication to develop the mentoring process. This article explores the changing landscape of mentoring in the university and considers the deskilled context that favours developing competencies through the concepts of accidental mentoring and mentoring through collaboration.