There is excitement at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design today after Oscar winner John Kahrs said the school is “one of the great art schools in the world.”
When Kahrs won the Oscar for Best Animated Short for his film Paperman, it was also a win for NSCAD, his alma mater.
Both students and faculty hope the publicity will help with the school’s financial troubles.
“I think it's one of the great art schools in the world,” says Kahrs. “I got a phenomenal education there. I think it was excellent to let you be a total cross-disciplinarian. You could go to the metal shop, you could do print-making, print photographs.”
Current student Dylan Fish agree..
“I chose NSCAD largely because it has a phenomenal reputation,” says Fish.
The school’s reputation is perhaps more widely recognized than ever before, thanks to Kahrs’ big win.
“I think people are pretty excited,” says Fish. “It's definitely great publicity for the school at a time when the school really needs publicity.”
It no secret NSCAD is in financial trouble.
This year's deficit is $1.2 million. It's a real concern for both students and faculty and they're hoping John Kahrs’ win will help.
“We've been talking already with John and we're really hoping he's going to come up,” says NSCAD spokesperson Linda Hutchison.
“So, we've planned a whole new series of alumni speakers, so we’re going to have John come up as one of our inaugural speakers, which would be quite exciting.”
Nova Scotia Minister of Communities, Culture and Heritage Leonard Preyra was also pleased to hear Kahrs’ comments about the school.
“Certainly, we know that NSCAD is a great school and it’s nice for the rest of the world to discover that,” says Preyra. “I think it’s great publicity for the school and it’s a great honour for the program.”
And in the film world, there is no greater honour than an Oscar.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Kayla Hounsell
