Be inspired: 4 UK Schools that nurture creativity

28 Apr 2017

There’s never been a better time to be a creative student.

Artistic potential is proving increasingly attractive to employers as they recognise the value creativity brings to their companies. The influence of those with creative training now stretches far beyond the traditional artsy sector, with graduate recruiters recognising that creativity and innovation is at the heart of any thriving organisation.

At a time when creative degrees are opening more doors than ever, the UK is undoubtedly one of the best places in the world to embark on your creative journey.

Firstly, the UK creative sector is positively booming. According to the latest figures from the government Department for Culture, Media & Sport, the industry is now just as valuable as the nation’s financial sector, generating more than £84 billion a year, or £9.6 million per hour.

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Creativity is undoubtedly big business, and the UK government knows just how lucrative it is. Recognising the substantial impact of the sector, authorities are throwing their full support behind the business of creative visionaries.

“We are working with Government on developing a growth strategy for the sector which will identify how all involved can ensure the creative industries continue to go from strength to strength,” says Nicola Mendelsohn, Chair of the Creative Industries Council Chair.

In recent years, British creativity and artistic talent has seen a resurgence and is now recognised as a worldwide pioneer. Last year broke records in terms of UK Creative Industries, seeing top-grossing films gain global recognition and foreign markets clamour over the nation’s fresh artistic content.

This roaring success cemented the UK’s reputation as a hub for attracting, producing and retaining world-class creative talent.

If you’re looking to let your creative impulse flourish and learn the indispensable skills needed to enter this fruitful business, you can’t get any better than one of the UK’s homegrown arts universities. Each offering provides a nurturing environment that goes far beyond the classroom, equipping you with the skills that are so valuable to employers in a modern world enriched with originality and innovation.

Here are 4 Schools you should take time to consider…

BATH SCHOOL OF ART AND DESIGN, BATH SPA UNIVERSITY

Image courtesy of Bath Spa University

Bath School of Art and Design believes in the power of the individual. Here, Faculty strive to offer a space for people to nurture their unique talent and expand their understanding through exploration and experimentation. With a campus as wonderfully inspiring as their course selection, there’s no doubt that the School has achieved this.

With an impressive range of postgraduate courses, including Curatorial Practice, Ceramics, Fine Art, Design for Fashion and Textiles, and Visual Communication, plus undergraduate offerings to include Contemporary Arts Practice, Fashion Design, Photography, and History of Art and Design, Bath Spa allows you to explore your passions under the expert guidance of real-life artists, designers and dedicated lecturers. They also encourage a breadth and depth of knowledge, ensuring students are exposed to a wide range of workshops and seminars on every element of the creative world, including 3D printing, wood, metal, textiles, printmaking, photography, plastics, casting and paint.

To ensure your journey after graduation is just as fulfilling as your studies, Bath Spa works with an extensive range of industry partners to allow each student to pursue placements, form innovative collaborations and meet with industry leaders to develop solid expertise and valuable workforce connections.

At the Bath School of Art and Design, you’ll feel both confident and inspired at the core of a real-life creative hive, driven to uncover your greatest talents as you set out on the path to a rewarding artistic career.

FALMOUTH SCHOOL OF ART, FALMOUTH UNIVERSITY

Falmouth University is one of the world’s leading international specialist creative institutions, and one of the few to offer the full range of creative disciplines.

The University is closely aligned to the creative industries, striving to offer the latest innovative courses to ensure graduates get great jobs, not only within the creative sector, but in other industries where these skillsets receive increasing demand.

Falmouth specialises in creative degrees with courses including Graphic Design, Interior Design, Creative Music Technology, Photography, Sustainable Product Design and Theatre and Performance.

Degrees are intensely practical and structured around real-world industry demand. Many courses offer the chance to work on live briefs with real clients and collaborate with industry leaders.

Based across two campuses, the environment in and around Falmouth University couldn’t get any better. The Campus meanders through a valley garden and provides the perfect venue for thinking, making and doing, while the Penryn Campus, shared with the University of Exeter, houses a fusion of arts and sciences in modern and professional facilities.

SCHOOL OF ARTS AND CREATIVE INDUSTRIES, EDINBURGH NAPIER UNIVERSITY

Image courtesy of Edinburgh Napier University

Where better to start your creative journey than the home of the world’s largest arts festival – the Edinburgh Fringe. Internationally-recognised for its artistic, creative and cultural excellence, Edinburgh is up there as one of the best places on the planet to be an arts and creative student.

At Edinburgh Napier University, you’ll find an environment that places the utmost importance on nurturing your creativity to join the creative swell of the city.

Courses cover a range of arts and design-related subjects, including Acting, Creative Writing, Film, Photography, Journalism and Music. With incredible facilities like the digital newsroom, plus industry-standard music and photography studios, to aid the learning experience.

If your passion lies in filmmaking, Napier has the perfect set-up. The University forms part of Screen Academy Scotland, a programme dedicated to fostering the future of film makers through teaching film, TV, animation, photography, journalism and acting. This collaboration with Edinburgh College of Art encourages talent to thrive while equipping students with the knowledge and hands-on experience they need to become skilled, confident and employable graduates.

Students are also heavily-involved with STV Edinburgh, a local television channel that was launched in 2015, and guaranteed an opportunity to work within the industry while studying.

WESTMINSTER SCHOOL OF MEDIA, ARTS AND DESIGN, UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER (UW)

In the outskirts of London, the arts capital of the UK, you’ll have no shortage of inspiration at this purpose-built campus and home of Europe’s first photographic studio.

The School of Media, Arts and Design at Westminster offers a range of creative courses at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels, including Art and Design, Fashion, Television, Film and Moving Image, Journalism and Digital Media, Music and Photography.

UW places a strong focus on research with both the Communication and Media Research Institute (CAMRI) and the Centre for Research and Education in Arts and Media (CREAM) being considered leaders in visual and media arts, design and music research. In fact, the latest Research Excellence Framework listed CREAM as the UK’s leading research centre in art and design, with 95 percent of research judged as either world-leading or internationally-excellent.

Researchers at the centres have curated and exhibited work at some of the top galleries in the world, including the Tate Modern, the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the World Ceramic Exposition in Korea, just to name a few.

The recently-launched Creative Enterprise Centre strives to integrate graduates to the workforce by matching students and alumni to external employer projects, offering invaluable work experience opportunities that increase employability.

*Some of the institutions featured in this article are commercial partners of Study International