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The Ontario College of Art & Design (commonly referred to as its acronym, '''OCAD''') is Canada's largest and oldest University for art and design. It is located in Toronto , Ontario , Canada on McCaul Street beside the Art Gallery Of Ontario . OCAD has one of the most in depth programs in visual arts and design of its kind in Canada. The school combines an experiential, studio-based education with liberal studies, which are recognized with a Bachelor Of Fine Arts (BFA) or a Bachelor Of Design (BDes) degree. The school has a student body of approximately 3,500, with a student-faculty ratio of 16:1.http://www.ocad.ca/about_ocad/facts_indicators.htm OCAD has a large research profile. It includes an institute for art and design education, as well as the Beal Institute for Strategic Creativity at OCAD — an institute in design, creativity and innovation. Graduates of OCAD are also well known for their creative skills. The work they bring continues to enrich Canada's culture in many areas. HISTORY Founded in 1876 by the Ontario Society of Artists, the Ontario College of Art & Design was originally known as the Ontario School of Art. In 1912, after various name changes, the school finally adopted the name '''Ontario College of Art'''. The school retained this name for another eighty-four years before changing to its present incarnation in 1996. The change was made in recognition of the integral role design plays in a visual art education. Throughout its history, the OCAD community has been home to many of Canada's premiere artists and designers, including Arthur Lismer , and Michael Snow The school has often found itself at the centre of Toronto's cultural and artistic nexus. In 1969-70, during his brief period of tenure, the President, Roy Ascott , radically challenged the pedagogy and curriculum structure of the College. The Ontario College of Art, OCA's open door culture of the mid-seventies' era, influenced science fiction/cyberpunk novelist William Gibson 's years as he was dreaming up Cyberspace . At the turn of the 1980s, OCAD was a major participant in the Queen Street West scene. A new generation of artists such as General Idea , Jeremiah Chechik and Isobel Harry helped transform the run-down neighbourhood into a "Toronto's Soho ". The scene evolved its own version of punk/new wave, featuring acts such as Parachute Club , Molly Johnson , and alumni Martha And The Muffins and Mary Margaret O'Hara . Sound and video artist David Rokeby 's Very Nervouse System, relized Unincumbered Reality. In the nineties, OCAD saw an explosion of creative talent in its design faculty. Its award-winning student periodical, ''White Space'', drew city-wide attention. OCAD received official status to confer the degrees of Bachelor Of Fine Arts and Bachelor Of Design in 2002, via the new Ontario College of Art & Design Act, passed by the Government of Ontario. With its new university status, OCAD has made a number of significant changes. These include such things as a renewed curriculum, a new professorial structure for faculty, a research mandate, a new system of governance, and preliminary groundwork for future graduate programs. The aim of OCAD's educational experience is for students to gain an in-depth knowledge of the history and theory of visual culture, as well as the analytical skills to execute powerful ideas within the studio context. In 2004 work was completed on a new expansion. The "Sharp Centre for Design", designed by architect Will Alsop , of Alsop Architects, in a joint venture with Toronto-based Robbie/Young + Wright Architects Inc., has been called the "floating shoebox" or "tabletop". It consists of a box four storeys off the ground supported by a series of multi-coloured pillars at different angles. The controversial, yet critically-acclaimed, $42.5 million expansion and redevelopment has received numerous awards, including the first-ever Royal Institute of British Architects Worldwide Award, the award of excellence in the 'Building in Context' category at the Toronto Architecture and Urban Design Awards, and was deemed the most outstanding technical project overall in the 2005 Canadian Consulting Engineering Awards. The College Street building, which was part of the campus until 1997 , was once a Toronto Police station house. POSSIBLE NAME CHANGE On August 2 2007, it was announced that OCAD is considering changing its name to reflect its status as a degree granting university. The term College in OCAD's title often causes confusion amongst the general public and potential students. Popular suggestions are: The Ontario University of Art & Design (OUAD) or the University of Art & Design (UAD). A series of public meetings are planned to discuss the issue. Any name changes to OCAD must be approved by the Ontario Government and granted Royal Assent . ACADEMIC PROGRAM OCAD has various programs leading to Bachelors Of Fine Arts (BFA) and Bachelors Of Design (BDes) degrees. Courses are offered through the following faculties. Faculty of Art
Faculty of Design
Faculty of Liberal Studies
Alternative programs CAMPUS The Ontario College of Art & Design campus is located on McCaul Street in downtown Toronto, just south of Dundas Street. The campus comprises six buildings all located in the McCaul and Dundas area. Main building The central main building of OCAD is located at 100 McCaul Street. It contains the Great Hall, OCAD's central gathering and orientation space. The building also features a mixed use space that includes lecture theatres, exhibition space, and e-classrooms and studios which are primarily for programs in the Faculty of Art and Faculty of Liberal Studies. The Administrative offices of the Faculty of Art, the Faculty of Liberal Studies are located in this building as well. Sharp Centre for Design The award winning new facility houses classrooms and studios primarily for the Faculty of Design, with some mixed-use space as well. The administrative offices of the Faculty of Design are located in in this building which is accessed through the 100 McCaul Street main building. Unlike the main OCAD building, the Sharp Centre for Design has no natural ventilation and limited natural light. Annex Building The Annex Building is located directly across the street from the main building. This facility, at 113 McCaul Street, is accessed through the Village by the Grange commercial complex. This building houses the Dorothy H. Hoover Library , as well as studios and classrooms for the First-Year program and Liberal Studies. The Writing & Learning Centre, the Centre for Students with Disabilities, and the new Centre for Advising, First-Year and Campus Life are also located in the Annex Building. Rosalie Sharp Pavilion The majority of OCAD's administrative operations and offices are in this building. The offices of the President, Vice-President Academic, Vice-President Administration, Communications, Development & Alumni Services, Human Resources, the Scotiabank Student Services Centre, Admissions and Recruitment, Finance and Plant Services are all located in the Pavilion at 115 McCaul Street. Student Gallery The Student Gallery hosts a continuous rotation of student exhibitions. Aboveground Art Supplies The current tenant of OCAD's oldest campus building, located just south of the main building. OTHER BUILDINGS Butterfield Park The campus' newest outdoor area. It is located underneath the Sharp Centre for Design, and provides informal meeting space for the OCAD community and general public. In the near future, walkways will lead directly to Grange Park as well. 49 and 51 McCaul Street These buildings were recently acquired properties. While 51 McCaul is still under construction, 49 McCaul is currently serving as studio space for Drawing and Painting Thesis students. STUDENT LIFE OCAD's Centre for Advising & Campus Life develops programs while working with students to enhance the student experience at OCAD and the overall quality of campus life. Student groups The Student government is headed by the Ontario College of Art & Design Student Union (OCADSU). It brings students together through community building and collective political action. They provide support of various kinds to student based initiatives that benefit the student population. OCADSU also supports a student-run independent gallery and social space called XPACE . OCADs' largest student group, with over 3000 members, is a nonpartisan student-run website called MYOCAD . There are also several student clubs including The Korean Students' Association (KASA), Green Palette, OCAD Dance, OCAD Film Society and OUT at OCAD. Student housing OCAD does not have on campus housing but provides links to off campus housing. Some of these services are provided by the University Of Toronto ’s Student Housing Service as well as the OCAD website NOTABLE FACULTY MEMBERS Faculty of OCAD have included Arthur Lismer , J.E.H. MacDonald , Jock Macdonald , Gordon Rainer , Colette Whiten , Lisa Steele , Ian Carr-Harris , Robin Collyer , Victor Papanek , Johanna Householder , Richard Fung , Carl Dair , Allan Fleming , Doug Back , Maurice Vellekoop , Mary Margaret O'Hara , Scott Laughton, Paul Epp, Patti Johnson, Judith Doyle and Norman White . EXTERNAL LINKS REFERENCES |
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