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The College of Fine Arts, UNSW on Oxford St Paddington has not always been known as COFA. Since the 1960s we have evolved from Alexander Mackie College, through an amalgamation in 1975 with the staff and students of the National Art School from ‘East Sydney Tech’ to become the City Art Institute in the 1980s and now, post 1990, the College of Fine Arts as a faculty of the University of New South Wales. This web site is home for graduates across this lineage.
Artists,
designers,
digital media gurus,
leaders in the crafts,
film and video producers,
art and design educators,
writers on art history and theory,
curators and managers of leading Australian
and international galleries, even our graduate who
created and runs the Big Day Out, individually and collectively
you have made an astonishing contribution to Australia’s artistic, cultural
and economic life over the last 40 years. Congratulations to you, one and all.
The COFA Chapter of the Alumni Association of UNSW has been active for more than a decade running events and programs to suit the needs and interests of members. We are however gearing up for much more active engagement. Firstly we are capturing for the first time the full lists of graduates from COFA and our preceding institutions. Secondly, we will continue with our publication project that identifies and celebrates our graduates, as local, national and world leaders in their fields. Thirdly, we are putting additional resources into assisting the voluntary work of your Alumni Executive. And finally, we have a very exciting range of programs in store that I know you will want to be part of.
Perhaps the biggest news is the progress we have recently made with the proposed development of our Paddington site. For some years UNSW has supported COFA in ‘working up’ a site development project worthy of this great location. The City of Sydney has approved a Development Control Plan, we have run an architectural competition, and the winning entry is nothing short of stunning. When completed, you wont recognise your alma mater!
But we would want you to be actively involved right away, now! So by joining up we can start out on this exciting journey.
Again, welcome to the COFA Alumni Association. I look forward to meeting you soon.
Warm regards,
Professor Ian Howard, DEAN
