Art and Design at university; for past, present, and future students and parents

[PhotoDad]

I've been on a wonderful thread about applications for art/design applications for the coming academic year, and I thought it might be useful to have a more general place for people at different stages of the process to share advice and hints. The normal MN advice about universities is often not applicable to these subjects!

I'll keep this short because I personally don't like huge posts that appear at the top of each page, but I'll add some starting thoughts below. I know that there's a huge range of experience here and a lot of support, so please do ask questions, or share triumphs and disasters.

The original thread is here:
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/higher_education/4626697-2023-uni-applications-for-those-pursuing-art-and-creative-routes

Really exciting to think about degree shows. As DD1 has been doing her industry year her finals aren't until next year. She's just had her evaluation at work and it was great, so hopefully it will help when she applies for graduate jobs.

So exciting to hear about students approaching the ends of their courses and preparing for shows. Dd has firmed her offer for Edinburgh College of Art so hopefully should be starting there in September. If anyone has a dc who’s on the Fine Art course there, feel free to advise on anything you think would be useful, ie we’re thinking about getting her a new iPad,,,

So that's it for DS! Last submission made last week, degree show installed, awaiting 2 final marks to see what class degree he has achieved.
Today he sent their 'year book' publication to the printers. 5 of them have fund raised a grand, organised a head shot photo shoot, collated a double page spread of each student's art, designed the overall look and done the IT to get it to the printers, ensured deadlines were hit. They are super proud of it, and what a momento to have.
They got 60 entries from a year group of 86, which is pretty good going.
My boy has project managed the whole thing.
And people say Fine Art doesn't set people up for the working world!
He has also won 3 scholarship awards to help pay to set up a not for profit to help young artists in our home town, with the aim for an exhibition which he will curate before xmas. He will start this in the summer and carry it on alongside his grad job.
Hope everyone else's DC are enjoying whatever stage they are at. I cannot believe 4 years has gone so fast. My DS os unrecognisable from the lad who went off to his FAD!

DD finally firmed Model making at AUB but was also very impressed with Model making at Herts. Wimbledon fell out of the final choice due to the cost of London really.

Thanks again to this thread, and to @Soma for the useful questions to think about. In going to the parents' talks everywhere, I met a lot of parents who didn't know about other courses or whose DC's schools hadn't mentioned the existence of Foundation years and I'm grateful I came across this thread back when it first started.

@Lottsbiffandsmudge Your ds sounds amazing! Best of luck to him in all his endeavours.

Dd has crazily won a huge art prize of £7,500 in a really prestigious Open Exhibition! She’ll need to pay tax this year! She’s now finished her A level art too and is already painting what she wants - the freedom of it is wonderful for her!

@FriendlyLaundryMonster how amazing, well done to her!

@Lottsbiffandsmudge it’s long been said that you can always tell when someone’s had an art school education and it’s because of that ability to just go ahead and get stuff done which it sounds like your son has definitely developed. He’s clearly gained a lot more than the ability to make art!

And huge congrats to your daughter @FriendlyLaundryMonster - what a great achievement!

Mine didn’t want to do foundation either or art even though she loves it and has got an A* in what’s been assessed so far and has won several competitions which has given her some money she has saved towards uni . I think lately she’s been thinking maybe she should have gone for a foundation but has chosen media production at ljmu which she’s really looking forward to doing .
i love reading about the successes here of all the wonderfully talented yp .

FriendlyLaundryMonster
that’s amazing ! Lottsbiffandsmudge wow!

What talented offspring there are on this thread 😀

Hello I wonder if anyone could advise on any illustration courses for my quiet, introverted asd daughter please
She doesn't want to study in London so far we've booked open days for

ARU
Norwich University of the Arts
Leeds Arts University

She was originally interested in games/concept art so we visited Staffordshire University which actually was really nice and we also had Abertay pencilled in for a visit. But now she's decided she wants to do Illustration but not sure where we should be looking.

If anyone has any hidden gems they could share please 😊

UWE in Bristol. My DS GF has done illustration there. Lovely studio space at Bower Ashton, which feels quite rural but is v close to city.
Bristol is a fab city but expensive accomodation. She has enjoyed the course and is well on her way to making money out of her practice.

Consider the University of Huddersfield. It's smaller as well so would suit someone who wants to avoid a big, bustling city.