School's Exchange with First Nations University, Canada

The Prince's School of Traditional Arts is delighted and honoured to have been able to host teacher and artist Judy Anderson from First Nations University as part of an exchange programme.

The School's President, HRH The Prince of Wales, visited FNUniv in May 2012 and it became clear that our two institutions share considerable affinity for traditional art as an agent for understanding heritage and conservation.

Through funding from the Prince's Charities Canada, in April 2013, two alumni of the Prince's School visited FNUniv, which is based in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, and undertook a programme of study that gave them a rare insight to the traditional arts of this indigenous community. This included a lesson in procuring quills directly from the body of a dead porcupine!

In September 2014, a member of FNUniv's academic staff arrived at the School's London centre by way of exchange. Judy Anderson (pictured above, fifth from the left, with students on the School's M.A. Programme) is Associate Professor of the Indian Fine Arts Unit and, during her two months here, has found it a very moving and informative experience.

"I was pleasantly surprised to find that the teaching is rooted in a deep spiritual message," said Judy. "I have really enjoyed learning about Geometry, which isn't a core part of the teaching at FNUniv. It is something I find very intriguing and I'm looking forward to exploring it further in the future."

"I feel that the message of the School, like the message at FNUniv, is one of love and acceptance. The message stands up for a universal humanity that counteracts racism and prejudice."

"Fundamentally," said Judy, "both of our institutions suit who I am as a traditional arts maker."

The Prince's School would like to extend its thanks to FNUniv, to Prince's Charities Canada and to the Saskatchewan government.

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