14 January 2016
Times Higher Education (p.4)
A university lecturer has defended a controversial arts project that consists of her not setting foot outside Glasgow for an entire year. Ellie Harrison, lecturer in contemporary art practices at the University of Dundee, told activism blog Common Space that she had faced a “barrage of personal attacks” since she was awarded £15,000 by Creative Scotland for the “Glasgow Effect” initiative, condemned by many as patronising, classist and a waste of money. Ms Harrison told the site that she had become something of a “middle class punchbag” but did not regret the title of the research, which she hoped would raise awareness about social and health inequality. “I sincerely hope that the discussion provoked by ‘The Glasgow Effect’ will be constructive for our city, if it helps in any way to highlight and address persistent inequalities and to democratise the artworld,” said Ms Harrison.