Curriculum
Arts
Compiled by Gabe Webb
Scotland’s capital city,
Edinburgh, is well over a
thousand years old, and its
long history means students
have a plethora of historical
and heritage sites to visit.
The city today is a place of
vibrant, multicultural festivals
and attractions that have a
heart for the past and an eye
toward the future.
“Our annual festivals
are extremely popular
among younger visitors and
students,” says Maggie
Anderson, assistant marketing
manager, Americas, for
VisitScotland. The Edinburgh
Festival Fringe (Aug. 4–28)
celebrates performance
in all forms and draws
internationally recognized
acts and emerging talent. The
nearly month-long celebration
is the largest of its kind in the
world, and the 2016 event included more than 50,000 performances of
nearly 3,300 shows.
The Edinburgh International Festival, also held each August, brings
dance, theater, opera and music from around the world to Edinburgh
for more than three weeks of innovative performances. Programs range
from massive public spectacles and fireworks displays to educational
workshops and seminars.
“Interesting for student travel is that Scotland is home to four
medieval, prestigious universities that continue to exist today.
Performers at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe
The Glasgow School of Art’s student-led tours specifically focus on
art, architecture and the legacy of Charles Rennie Mackintosh,” says
Anderson.
Some of Edinburgh’s universities offer accommodations for visiting
groups. Anderson recommends travelers look into Edinburgh First,
Strathclyde University, the University of Stirling and the University of
Aberdeen for year-round lodging options.
For more, contact Anderson at [email protected]
or go to visitscotland.com.
FETING THE FLEMISH MASTERS
The Royal Museum of Fine Arts of Belgium
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NTA Trip Planner for Student Travel
Belgium is gearing up to pay tribute to its renowned artists through
the “Flemish Masters: 2018–2020” program.
The three-year celebration focuses on the life and legacies of
famous native sons Jan van Eyck, Pieter Bruegel the Elder and Peter
Paul Rubens, who were active in the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries,
respectively.
“For over 250 years Flanders, Belgium, has been a melting pot
of art, creativity, science and invention,” says Marco Frank, trade
manager with the Tourist Office for Flanders-Brussels. “The ‘Flemish
Masters’ project has been established to help inquisitive travelers
learn about our artists and about themselves.”
The program kicks off in 2018 by highlighting Rubens and the city
of Antwerp. Both Brussels and Antwerp were influential to Bruegel,
who will be featured in 2019. The event closes in 2020 with an
emphasis on van Eyck and the city of Ghent.
A wide range of programs, exhibits, special events and lectures
are part of the commemoration, and Flanders will be the hub for
many of the activities. During a visit to the northern Belgian region,
students can walk through the actual house where Rubens lived and
worked, see the landscapes that inspired Bruegel, and discover many
locations depicted in van Eyck works.
To find out more, email Frank at [email protected] or
go to visitflanders.com.
ANCIENT UNIVERSITIES AND FORWARD-THINKING FESTIVALS IN EDINBURGH