Lane 1 Assessment
Students create original work and develop professional presentation skills, learning to communicate creative ideas in industry contexts.
Professional Showcase assessments prepare students to work as creative professionals by combining original creative work with real-world presentation and communication skills. Students develop creative projects while learning how to write artist statements, plan exhibitions, create promotional materials, and engage with audiences – mirroring what contemporary creative practitioners actually do in their careers.
This assessment recognises that today’s creative professionals need both creative skills and business communication abilities. Students work with archival materials, experiment in makerspaces, then learn to present their work professionally through public exhibitions and comprehensive documentation.
“This assessment challenges students to think like professional artists and designers who must communicate their ideas to the world. When students see their work installed professionally and engaging real audiences, they understand what it means to be a contemporary creative practitioner.”
Faculty of Humanities
About my unit: Faculty of Humanities | Under 50 students | In-person | Individual work
I created this assessment because I wanted students to understand that being a creative professional today means you can’t just create great work – you also need to communicate about it effectively. Too often we treat these as separate skills, but they really go hand in hand.
The Week 1 visit to the John Curtin Prime Ministerial Library Special Collections is always a highlight – there’s something magical about students handling original historical documents and suddenly seeing creative possibilities everywhere. We make sure they approach these materials respectfully, and it’s amazing how these archives become launching pads rather than constraints for their thinking.
The weekly Curtin Makerspace sessions are where the real experimentation happens. It’s incredible to see students who might never have touched professional equipment suddenly feeling confident to push creative boundaries. The space really levels the playing field and lets everyone find their own approach.
When we get to the public exhibition in the Library’s Level 3 space, everything changes. Suddenly they have this incredible opportunity to share their work with real people – library visitors, staff, community members. This authentic audience gives them valuable experience in professional presentation and helps them learn how to write proper artist statements, plan installations, and actually promote their work.
Students develop essential professional skills including:
What I love about this assessment is how it embraces the reality that creative practice today is completely interdisciplinary. My students work across photography, illustration, object-making, zines, textiles, and speculative documents – often in the same project. That’s exactly what professional creatives do now, mixing mediums and approaches to tackle the complex questions they’re passionate about.
My advice
The main thing is helping students see that being creative and being professional aren’t opposites – they actually work together really well. I love showing them examples of contemporary artists and designers who are doing both brilliantly, so they can see how you can stay true to your creative vision while still presenting it professionally.
Strong scaffolding throughout the semester prevents overwhelming students with the dual requirements. I recommend breaking down the communication strategy components and providing templates while encouraging creative approaches. The exhibition installation can feel daunting, so practice sessions and peer support make all the difference.
Note: Marking criteria and weighting are suggested guidelines. Specific descriptions should be adapted to relevant content and learning objectives.