Below is a petition i ask you to consider pledging allegiance to for the benefit of the NSW fine arts community. The National Art School (NAS) has been an institution of artistic excellence since its establishment in 1859.

'It is now, and always has been, a place of rigorous artistic instruction and by virtue of this seriousness has always been the art school of choice for both major artists to teach and ambitious students to study.'

It is entirely necessary that the NAS remain independent to maintain its degree of scholary excellence and artistic virtue. As outline below, negotiations have been undertaken by parties primarily concerned with goals of economic and bureaucratic efficiency, quite obviously their priorities are far removed from benefiting Sydney's cultural life. The approval of the proposed merge would prove detrimental to Sydney's fine art culture. So please, all i ask is your name be commited to this worthy cause, spread the word, power in numbers people.

In good faith,
Daniel Small


PETITION TO THE HONOURABLE, THE PRESIDENT AND MEMBERS OF THE LEGISTATIVE COUNCIL AND THE LEGILATIVE ASSEMBLY OF NSW

The Petition of the membership and supporters of Friends of the National Art School (FONAS) give support to an independent National Art School.

1. We protest against the threatened amalgamation of two institutions whose differences are necessary to the vitality of each.

2. We protest against the manner in which negotiations have so far taken place in complete secrecy, and we have grave concerns that decisions may be taken for reasons of bureaucratic and economic expediency rather than for the long term benefit of Sydney’s cultural life.

3. We therefore ask for greater transparency and participation in the current negotiations.

4. We demand that all educational models be considered and not just one.

5. We also wish to be considered for funding and support from the Commonwealth Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, in the same way that NIDA and AFTRS are.

6. In recognition of its unique historical and educational identity, nine years ago, the government and state of NSW pledged its continued support for the schools independence.

7. The past decade has seen all the courses on offer at the NAS become fully developed and students receiving a degree which is an accredited advanced education course approved under section 7, under the NSW Higher Education Act, 2001.

8. We wish to preserve the environment within which NAS students currently learn the tradition’s of artistic practice and the personalised mode of learning that corresponds to life in the Atelier (studio).

9. The success of this unique education is reflected most visibly in the many nationally and internationally recognised alumni and the many prizes awarded to our alumni.

Please give your support to an independent National Art School by signing the Petition below:

NAME (please print) ADDRESS EMAIL SIGNATURE















When completed please forward this petition to:
Friends of the National Art School Forbes Street Darlinghurst NSW 2010

Any further queries or offering of support please contact them;

National Art School
Forbes Street
DARLINGHURST NSW 2010

tel: +61 2 9339 8744
fax: +61 2 9339 8740
email: nas@det.nsw.edu.au