Civic University @ Tate Exchange

The Civic University is a pedagogical experiment that tests alternative modes of knowledge transfer at work in civic city making, challenging traditional urban teaching and disciplinary restriction. The Civic University manoeuvres across disciplines that complement one another, implementing new ways of knowing and acting. Teaching and learning at the Civic University is symbiotic; by situating its curriculum within live projects in the city, it can mutually provide a support structure back to the local communities, the sites they occupy and for the individuals enrolled.

The Civic University draws together a network of local and international 'civic classrooms' – physical rooms situated within specific areas in a city – where knowledge about hands on city making is produced and disseminated on various topics such as social housing estates, high streets, community gardens, parks and other. 'Civic classrooms' are already set up across London with potential to grow to other sites, forming new partnerships and supporting existing neighbourhood initiatives.

The emerging curriculum is driven by the needs and desires of local citizens as its base, which is being developed and now brought to the Tate Modern in the course of a three-day program. During this residency, the Civic University continues to develop and grow outside the walls of Tate Exchange.

The Civic University builds on a rich tradition of artist lead initiatives of re-imagining educational models. It will reflect on such traditions, recognising itself as part of a larger movement towards more democratic forms of knowledge production. To map out this history, a growing 'Archive of Alternative Schools and Academies' will be launched during our stay at Tate Exchange.

The Civic University is facilitated by public works in collaboration with the initiatives, R-Urban, The Old Tidemill Gardens, Interact Roman Road, Loughborough Farm and their associated local groups and networks.  
It is an ongoing collaboration with Professor Robert Mull and his initiative Global Practice Programme.

In its current form the Civic University draws from the students work produced as part of Architecture and Activism, the Civic University Live Project at the Sheffield School of Architecture (SSOA), as well as the ECODA research project on co-designing resilience.
 
The Civic University is currently supported by UMA School of Architecture in Umeå, Sweden, as part of their ongoing research into alternative models for community engaged city making.

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