This document summarizes an Outdoor Vision Fest (OVF) that takes a new approach to facilitating interdisciplinary collaboration between departments at the Santa Fe University of Art and Design. The OVF began in 2011 with film, graphic design, studio art, and photography departments working on focused projects without mandates. This has led to faculty truly mentoring students and department boundaries dissolving. The OVF serves as an "innovation lab" where new ideas and global collaborations can emerge through bonus projects. The fest enhances civic engagement and the document argues collaboration should be about specific projects, not mandates, and is key to 21st century art.

1. Outdoor Vision Fest: A New
Approach to Innovating
Interdisciplinary Collaborations
Terry Borst
Professor of Screenwriting, Film@SFUAD

2. Santa Fe University of
Art and Design

3. Outdoor Vision Fest (OVF)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVTYQroQ5zk

4. The Academic
Interdisciplinary Trap
● Collaboration in academia:
○ often defined as being "interdisciplinary"
○ often a "top-down" initiative
● "Interdisciplinary" becomes a "name only"
pursuit: descending into turf battles, fuzzy
mandates and poorly defined, shifting
objectives
● Nevertheless, the boundaries between
"disciplines," especially in art schools, are
crumbling around us

5. Beginnings

6. Initial Vision

7. OVF 2011

8. OVF 1st Year Departments
● The Film School
● Graphic Design
● Studio Art
● Photography

9. OVF 2012
https://vimeo.com/channels/sfuadoutdoorvisionfest/37994714

10. OVF 2013
● The Film School
● Graphic Design
● Studio Art
● Photography
● Digital Arts
● Contemporary Music
● Creative Writing

11. Faculty-Driven
● No mandates or
abstract goals
● Focused on
delivery of product
● How can we wow?

12. Mentor-Apprentice
● Faculty truly serve as
mentors
● Department
boundaries dissolve
● Interdepartmental
communications
enhanced

13. An "Innovation Lab"
● New ideas, new
approaches
● Bonus: specific
projects drive
equipment buys

14. Global Collaboration I
Legoretta Alive

15. Global Collaboration II
wearethefrontier.com

16. Enhanced Civic Engagement

17. Summary
Collaborations as projects, not mandates

18. Summary
21st century art is about convergence and
collaboration

19. Summary
Faculty collaboration creates its own "wake" in
the academic seas

20. To Keep Up With OVF
facebook.com/outdoorvisionfest
terry.borst@santafeuniversity.edu