The exhibition was a highlight of the Creative Industries Faculty’s NYC Creative Cities Study Tour, an elective unit offered to all Creative Industries disciplines that introduces the students to the world’s largest creative city. Seven visual arts students from QUT’s Creative Industries Faculty were involved in the program, which allowed the students to choose only one communication channel through which to collaborate with their New York peer. The aim of the project was not only for the students to have the opportunity to exhibit their works, but also to collaborate with an external party and develop their communication skills. The artists’ resulting works explored how long-distance correspondence can help, but also hinder, the creative process. Before they have even graduated, the seven students and their peers had the opportunity to exhibit their work in New York, as part of an exhibition titled Suspension Points, which will show in Brisbane this year.

QUT incorporates overseas experiences into a number of its courses, as part of its dedication to producing career-ready creatives. Last year also saw students from QUT Dance perform in France and China, leading to an invitation for top third-year students Natalie Kolobaric and Cloudia Elder to perform excerpts from QUT’s DANCE14 show at Singapore’s M1 Contact Contemporary Arts Festival. Such experiences are made possible through the Creative Industries’ suite of CI Project Units.