Keith Bruce argues that art is not just for Christmas.

What I want to know, and what Alex Salmond should definitely want to know, is: what is it that is making a generation of Scotland’s artists the ones to watch if you care about the cutting edge of the contemporary scene? Groom went on to make a suggestion. “You cannot ignore the quality of the teaching at Glasgow School of Art and Duncan of Jordanstone,” he said. Yet the provision of tertiary education to those who have the ability, but possibly not the trust fund, has never been more under attack than is at the moment, and schools of learning are having to contemplate severe cuts and fill an increasing number of places with cash-generating overseas students. The Herald Scotland

Susan Philipsz: Sonic boom

Susan Philipsz has won the Turner prize – using just her own voice. So was her night marred by the student protests? How did she get into sound art? And what's this about a run-in with Stephen Fry? the Guardian

Scots celebrate latest Turner success

Simon Groom, director of modern and contemporary art at the National Galleries of Scotland, said there must be “something in the water” in Glasgow and Scotland to account for its consistent success, or a way of both working and living in the city and country which led to artistic excellence.

“It is such a haunting and beautiful work, and like Richard Wright before her, it is about finding the right place and space and working with it,” he said. “You have to look at all kinds of things, but you cannot ignore the teaching at Glasgow School of Art and, in Philipsz’s case, Duncan of Jordanstone: it’s been a great legacy.” Herald Scotland

Institute for Art and Design / TU Vienna: Call for Contribution

www.urban-matters.org invites (public)art projects, programs and organisations of diverse cultural and geo-political backgrounds worldwide to contribute to this new platform for locating and connecting urgent urban issues and discussing critical and innovative approaches.

In particular, urban-matters.org investigates the potential of 'unplanning' as a possible new strategy for dealing with today's urban challenges. 'Planning' seems no more an adequate response to today's challenges of a multilayered society permanently on the move. Yet, critical projects developed during the last decade by architects, urbanists and artists continue to be a parallel production to the conventional planning methods which are predominantly investor-orientated. How can we develop new visions for urban and regional matters – counteracting the dominant pragmatics of neoliberal economy?

urban-matters.org is seeking for a new positioning of artistic practices, exploring the diverse and often conflictual interests as potential for a new role: the urban practitioner.

Student protests: Turner prize awards day sees Tate Britain invaded

Tate director Sir Nicholas Serota acknowledged their presence and said "all" were concerned by proposed cuts to arts budgets.

He said: "Art should continue to be accessible to all no matter where you live or indeed whatever your wealth."

Philipsz gave them more direct support as she accepted the prize, saying: "I support artists against the cuts." The Gaurdian

Turner prize won by Susan Philipsz for a sound installation

The winner of this year's Turner prize has created nothing you can see or touch – not even the lights famously turning on and off, which was Martin Creed's winning turn in 2001. Susan Philipsz is the first person in the history of the award to have sculpted her prizewinning work in sound – indeed from the sound of her own frailly beautiful voice singing a Scottish lament over the black waters of the Clyde in her hometown, Glasgow. The Guardian

Magician Space: Micro-Intervention | Celsius 36.5

Contemporary art, as a cultural characteristic of the post-totalitarian era, has become the accomplice for state capitalism’s cultural and strategic capital, meanwhile, it is also the herald for a new wave of capitalist economic expansion. As the other ideology in a context of conflict, contradiction and instability, it aims to establish democratic rules of survival in a wide public.

We are exploring art as a medium, and call for proposals from artists, on artworks that are suitable to be disseminated widely, and thereafter to redefine the social functions of artworks and its importance, and re-interpret actual significance of art consumption.

Mierle Ukeles: Excerpt from Not Just Garbage

RSA Residencies for Scotland

The Royal Scottish Academy of Art & Architecture Residencies for Scotland programme 2011 in collaboration with Creative Scotland, the Friends of the RSA and The Barns-Graham Trust. Funded residency opportunities with partner venues across Scotland, enabling contemporary artists a period of research and production.

Application details for the 2011 programme are now online

Deadline for applications: Thursday 20 January @ 5pm

Natalie McIlroy: Shard and Tunegar

The Mutual Members Show