Arts Thread

Our long-standing craft provision in ceramics, glass, jewellery, textiles and metalwork will help you discover your artistic style and develop your entrepreneurial skills to set you up for a range of careers in the creative industries. We will help you develop into a creative professional such as craftsperson, jeweller, ceramicist, textile artist, designer-maker, glass artist, designer, researcher, consultant, curator, buyer, stylist or educator. You will be encouraged to select a specialism, helping you establish your own personal creative voice and be capable of producing inspiring work. You will explore both traditional hand skills and emerging technologies while working with a wide range of materials such as hot glass, clay, paper, fine metals, plastics, resin, wood and textiles. Students produce a wide range of objects, including individual artefacts for galleries and to commission, small batches of similar items, limited editions, public installations and designs for industry. Bespoke objects are produced for domestic, interior spaces, exterior spaces, to be worn on the body, and can be hand-held or large-scale sculptural pieces. Professional practice is embedded throughout the course to grow your entrepreneurial and business skills, preparing you for your career. Graduates have gone on to set up their own craft workshops, secure roles in design studios with brands including Sainsbury’s, work in the craft industry with leading ceramicists, for example Sue Pryke and Hannah Tounsend, as well as to collaborate with the likes of the National Trust.