Joanne Garner, Edinburgh based jeweller and ex pupil at Annan Academy, launches campaign to appeal for support towards studying a Masters in Jewellery and Metal at the Royal College of Art (RCA) in London this August.
The Royal College is a highly competitive institution with many graduates from around the world applying for just 20 places on the MA Jewellery and Metal course. To be awarded a place there is a huge achievement and a once in a lifetime opportunity to study amongst some of the most talented artists and makers in Britain today.
Originally from Brydekirk a small village in Dumfries and Galloway, Jo is a graduate from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design in Dundee in 2007 and now lives in Edinburgh. She has built a significant profile within the Scottish craft sector. In 2014 aged just 28 Jo became Chairperson of national organisation Applied Arts Scotland and has been on the board of directors for the Association for Contemporary Jewellery since 2013. Jo is a passionate advocate for creativity and crafts and has built an exemplary portfolio that includes teaching, delivering arts workshops, curating high profile exhibitions which included international participants, as well as exhibiting her own jewellery across the UK and as far afield as Beijing and Shanghai. Jo was awarded funding from Creative Scotland in both 2012 and 2014 towards professional development activities including courses at the Alchimia Jewellery School in Florence (2012) and the Salzburg Summer Academy (2014) in Austria.
In April this year she was awarded a place at the Royal College of Art and now faces the gruelling task of raising the money needed to pay the tuition fees. Annual fees for her MA course are £6,500 each year for two years. Reluctant to forego such an incredible opportunity to further her career, Jo has decided to use her creativity to help in raising the funds required. Alongside sales of her jewellery and working a part time job Jo will launch a crowd funding campaign at the beginning of August.
Her campaign is already gaining momentum on social media sites such as Twitter and she has had a variety of rewards donated from award winning crafts-people from across Scotland, meaning that there are many original artworks on offer. Jo is also offering some of her own unique designs. Through her crowd funding page on Indiegogo you can choose what level of support you would like to give and with rewards ranging from £3 – £1000 every donor has the opportunity to take away something original and handmade.
Jo says “The support has been amazing so far. It’s great that so many people are willing to help and really want to see me succeed. There is no government support for Scottish students who want to study an MA course and so getting myself to London in September will be no easy task. Crowd funding is an opportunity to ask for little bits of support from lots of people whilst building a community around it. The great thing is that people are rewarded for every donation made so no one walks away empty handed.”
By Crowd funding to help her with her MA studies Jo is taking a pro active approach to her future career development and hopes to be able to raise a minimum of £3,500 through her campaign on popular crowd funding site, Indiegogo. Jo’s campaign will launch at the beginning of August. If you would like to check out the amazing rewards and donate to the campaign just use this link.
