The Association

The Art History and Visual Studies Graduate Association (AHVSGA) was created in 2015 to provide an enhanced academic experience for all graduate students enrolled in the Department of Art History and Visual Studies (AHVS). The association is comprised of graduate AHVS students and we provide a voice for graduate student representation at both the departmental and university levels.

We organize regular social and academic events throughout the academic year. With the formation of the AHVSGA, the Graduate Student Orientation for incoming students takes place in the first week of September. In addition, the association publishes the newsletter ARTbeat twice annually for current and prospective AHVS students, the AHVS faculty, staff and alumni. In each issue, regular features include student research highlights, conferences, a rotating spotlight on members of the AHVS faculty and instructors, recent Alumni, and current exhibition reviews.The AHVSGA also publishes the graduate art history journal, ARTiculate. This peer-reviewed on-line journal focuses on scholarly research from our graduate students.

With an interdisciplinary focus, the AHVSGA promotes the affiliation with other academic faculties on campus. This is particularly evident with the department’s annual two-day graduate symposium, Visual Impetus. Held in January, Visual Impetus continues to be a signature event for our graduate department and it provides a number of opportunities to attend workshops and social gatherings and to explore new and collaborative research opportunities. The AHVSGA encourages participation from other departments within the Faculty of Fine Arts and across other UVic faculties and universities from across the Pacific Northwest. Our 2019 symposium, “The Sensorium: Activating Art through the Five Senses and Beyond” featured presenters from the departments of Visual Arts, Environmental Studies and Art History and Visual Studies (UVic and UBC), and focused on multiple forms of spoken, audio-visual and innovative media. Prior conferences have represented the work of graduate students from the departments of Music, Visual Arts, Theatre, and English.

The AHVSGA is encouraged and supported by the University of Victoria’s Graduate Student Society (GSS,) the Department of Art History and Visual Studies, and the Faculty of Fine Arts.