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

@RockyKeen that's the course my DD is doing. She's just coming to the end of her industry placement year (not at Primark though). There weren't as many if them as I thought there would be who did an industry year. She's loved it though, and fingers crossed that it helps with job applications. From her placement report I think she'll get a decent reference.

How does it work finding accommodation in the fourth and year for those who have taken a placement year?

Honestly, this is the big disadvantage of the placement year. Lots of DDs friends are finishing this year so she's going into private halls for the final year. Not ideal but she's being really sensible about it and she's got a great year of work experience for when she applies for a job.

Thanks Phil, I think she is being very sensible. Wouldn’t it be so much better if the placement year was compulsory so the cohort could stay together? So much of the uni experience is about the friendships.

I would love to hear about the Primark year.

DC has been very fortunate as her flatmate also had a placement year so they are going back together and will share a flat. Otherwise I think going back into halls is a good option. It is strange how the Unis use the placements
as a selling point but don’t provide any help when the students come back.
@ArtGarfieldrecruitment for the Primark placement starts quite early in the academic year. There are 3 or 4 rounds of interviews the final one is a full day one online. I think they take about 30 students across the company - buying, merchandising, design etc. Accommodation in shared flats with other placement students is available at a discounted rate. DC has had an amazing time - she has learned such a lot and has had a brilliant team to develop and support her. At the end of the year some
job offers are made so 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻
hope that helps - feel free to ask if I’ve missed anything.

I think that’s the issue with many degrees is not doing a placement year or for many students not finding a degree related placement in the first place. Two of my DD’s housemates are MFL students so are abroad next year but she wouldn’t want to live with any of her current housemates anyway and has signed up for a place in a house let room by room. Even in Durham there are plenty of ‘tenant replacements’ rooms available even up to start of the new term though can’t be too picky on price or area.
My DD, after doing her FAD, wants to get the uni stuff done with so decided against a year in industry but her three internships make up for it I think. Last summer a research project which was published and got credit, plus was invited to make a presentation of her research at the annual Laidlaw Research and Leadership Conference.
This current internship and this summer the one in Columbia and she has a very diverse CV. After graduating in 2027 she’s thinking of the Irish J1 Work and Travel visa (she is getting her passport due having an Irish grandmother) to the USA. I have family in Boston and she can work for a year but the job needs to be connected to her degree. The Irish Boston based agency will handle the visa and give her some job leads but Boston is a huge educational publishing centre and that’s what she’d like to get into, and not having pay rent is making the idea viable. She’s trying to think outside the box (dreadful phrase but appropriate). Later she may pursue a masters. Tough tough job market out there across the board.

Thanks @Localher0 , I’ll have a look into it, what city is it in?

Dublin!

How exciting, I want to do it!

Just popping back on to say that DC got a job offer for 2027. We are beyond proud because this year has thrown some
massive personal challenges their way and despite all that they put 100% into their work and it’s paid off. 😀

That's fantastic. Well done to DC.

This popped up for me again: we’ve been to a visit to Leeds Art University recently and I must say I was impressed. It’s not perfect location wise. We are going to see York St John in the holidays so fingers crossed for that.

@Localher0 That's fabulous. What's the job? So good to hear positive news.

Congratulations to your DC.

Does anyone have any advice for kit for students studying art at uni. Dd will be starting a fine art course and we're trying to think of what she'll need. Tech, materials etc. Likewise does anyone's dc have their own studio space (not in uni) and what have they needed to kit that out (lighting/easel/etc). Just trying to think in advance.

Its worth seeing what the uni offer as part of the course. My DS had an allowance for supplies that could be spent at uni art shop, at both DMU and UWE.

Studio space was provided on both his courses. Not individual, just as part of the uni space for the relevant year group. They worked together in one larger space. Which was excellent for peer review, feedback and discussions.

What supplies they need will depend on their practice I guess
I could have spent a fortune on printing supplies, as that is what DS did at A level, and it would have remained unused for a lot of his course. Now he would need a welding mask!

One thing that was v useful was a good ring light to photograph work for submissions. They also tend to get free access to good software packages through the unis as well.
My DD needed an external hard drive to store photos etc.

I’d say wait and get stuff as and when she needs it. Her way of working could change a lot very quickly. Also it can be cheaper to buy stuff in bulk so sometimes students will group together to order materials if they’re not available on campus.

Yes, I completely agree not to lay in supplies until needed. As it happened, DD really loved working in pencil, and we had lots of boxes of very nice ones that had been birthday and Christmas presents from relatives stashed away in a cupboard..!

As a quick update, she had a somewhat frustrating year failing to get much paid work, although she did find some very part-time stuff. Lots of volunteering in local schools and museums, though, and now she is making a very unexpected move; if all goes well with the paperwork, in September she will start as an au-pair in Germany for a year, with a very arts-and-crafts sort of family. Who knows where that might lead?

That’s lovely to have the update @PhotoDad Beat of luck to your dd.

@PhotoDad lovely update, sounds like a great opportunity. If PhotoDadDD hasn't already got the Eric App, she may want to take a look.ERIC | Creative Career App .

That doe sound like a good move @PhotoDad and indeed could connect with other options. We are gradually turning up the pressure on dd to look at possible jobs - and look more broadly. She has some commissions - but putting together a viable salary is a different matter.