Online UCLan Degree Show to share creative student talent
Turner Prize winner Lubaina Himid CBE has unveiled a showcase of creative work at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) as students share their talents in a virtual exhibition.
The internationally acclaimed artist and UCLan Professor of Contemporary Art, who won the prestigious Turner Prize in 2017, opened the annual UCLan Degree Show at a virtual awards ceremony for arts and media students exhibiting their final year work.
Addressing the students, Lubaina said: “This is the 30th UCLan Degree Show I have seen and I am delighted to say that the energy and the commitment you have shown is clear, strong and dynamic.
“You should be very proud of yourselves. I know how challenging it has been for you all as you struggled through the pandemic while developing your ideas, honing your skills and having to use every ounce of your intelligence, your nerve and your belief to get this work made and presented. You have demonstrated immense courage and determination.”
"You should be very proud of yourselves. I know how challenging it has been for you all as you struggled through the pandemic while developing your ideas, honing your skills and having to use every ounce of your intelligence, your nerve and your belief to get this work made and presented. You have demonstrated immense courage and determination."
— Turner Prize winner and UCLan Professor of Contemporary Art Lubaina Himid CBE
It is the second year in a row the exhibition has been held virtually because of the pandemic but the final year students of many creative disciplines, including architecture, art, design, fashion and media, have pulled out the stops to ensure their work can still be seen by the public. Visitors to the online exhibition can view online portfolios of all exhibiting students.
Jane Anthony, UCLan Executive Dean of Culture and Creative Industries, said: “We’re very excited to share the 2021 Degree Show with the world and showcase the culmination of three years hard work.
“Our creative students have risen to the challenges presented by the pandemic and have produced inspiring projects that are testament to their commitment and passion to succeed in these difficult times. This annual exhibition provides a platform for our students to share their talents with the public and industry and acts as a stepping-stone to their future careers.”
"We’re very excited to share the 2021 Degree Show with the world and showcase the culmination of three years hard work. This annual exhibition provides a platform for our students to share their talents with the public and industry and acts as a stepping-stone to their future careers."
— Jane Anthony, UCLan Executive Dean of Culture and Creative Industries
Highlights of the 2021 Degree Show include graphic design projects nominated for six prestigious industry D&AD (Design & Art Direction) Pencil awards, a structure designed by fine artist Annamarie McCarthy as a result of a Royal Academy of Engineering funded project to design a den-like construction for a community project, and a menswear fashion collection inspired by fashion design student Sundas Javed’s late-brother and which caught the attention of the Graduate Fashion Foundation team.
Just as with UCLan’s traditional physical Degree Shows, the exhibition was marked by announcing the winners of five industry-sponsored awards, held in association with Creative Lancashire, that celebrate enterprise, craft skills, insight, sustainability and technological innovation. Each winning student will receive an exciting placement, mentoring or support opportunity from their sponsor.
The Super Slow Way arts programme in Pennine Lancashire sponsored the Award for Society and Sustainability. It’s director, Laurie Peake, said: “'I was bowled over by the standard of work, the obvious talent and sheer determination and resourcefulness of the students who created industry-standard, innovative and inspiring work against all odds over the past year.
"I was bowled over by the standard of work, the obvious talent and sheer determination and resourcefulness of the students who created industry-standard, innovative and inspiring work against all odds over the past year"
— Laurie Peake, Director of the Super Slow Way arts programme in Pennine Lancashire
“Society and sustainability is at the heart of our work at Super Slow Way and I was particularly impressed and excited by the design work of Lansona Kershaw who demonstrated not only superb skill but a keen and imaginative response to the challenges presented by fast fashion which is particularly pertinent to our British Textile Biennial programme taking place across East Lancashire throughout October.”
Society and Sustainability Award winner and creative advertising student Lansona Kershaw said: “I’m really pleased to have won an award, and extremely grateful for the support I received from my lecturers who helped me throughout my degree.
“The degree show has been a great experience which I am glad I got to be a part of, I have really valued the opportunities it has provided me with such as an in person degree show, the interview with the judges and the award. It has been the best way to end my time at UCLan."
Illustration student Erin Jones, who won the For You Curls (FYC) sponsored award for Technology Innovation, said: “I'm over the moon and honoured to receive my award and to also get the opportunity to have a physical exhibition as well as an online one this year.
“It's really an amazing end to my third and final year of my course.”
The UCLan 2021 Degree Show exhibition is now online.
Student Commendations
Offered by Creative Lancashire
Dominik Dzik – Winner of the Creative Lancashire Award for Enterprise
Graphic Design, BA (Hons)
Invite for the Creative Step programme.
Spotlight feature on Creative Lancashire’s digital platforms.
Introduction to respected and relevant peers and will be considered for a small creative paid commission.
Winner - Erin Jones - Illustration, BA (Hons)
Lansona Kershaw - Creative Advertising, BA (Hons)
Offer of a place on The Creative Step Programme, 1-2-1 session with Creative Lancashire and/or respected industry peers to provide portfolio and career next steps advice.
Katherine Beckett - Fine Art, BA (Hons)
Hannah Brew - Textile Design, BA (Hons)
Rebecca Corns - Fashion Promotion, BA (Hons)
Rebecca Hall - Art and Design (Foundation Entry)
Roger Hines - Architectural Technology, BSc (Hons)
Ivor Hrast - Interior Design, BA (Hons)
Bee Joy - Animation, BA (Hons)
Bianca McHugh - Fashion Design, BA (Hons)
Rebecca McIlroy - Photography, BA (Hons)
Pippa Munday - Architecture, (Foundation Entry)
Joseph Scott - Games Design, BA (Hons)
Ellie Watson - Architecture, BSc (Hons)
Offer of 1-2-1 session with Creative Lancashire and/or respected industry peers to provide portfolio and career next steps advice.
Offered by Frontier IP Group plc
Bee Joy – Winner of the Frontier IP Group plc Award for Craft
Animation, BA (Hons)
Paid project to create a promotional animation for the green tech company Pulsiv.
Dominik Dzik
Graphic Design, BA (Hons)
Branding project for two early stage B2B software companies.
Offered by Preen
Bee Joy – Winner of the Preen Award for Insight
Animation, BA (Hons)
Mentoring and will be added to the Preen freelancer database with two sustainability projects in
Hannah Brew
Textile Design, BA (Hons)
Introduction to Kirstie Allsopp to put Hannah forward for The Handmade Festival, with additional support from Kevin Tewis-Allen.
Joseph Scott
Games Design, BA (Hons)
One-to-one conversation about career next steps.
Offered by The Super Slow Way
Lansona Kershaw – Winner of The Super Slow Way Award for Society and Sustainability
Creative Advertising, BA (Hons)
Shortlisted straight to the interview stage for a paid fixed-term (approx. 6 months) part-time social media role for the British Textile Biennial.
Bianca McHugh
Fashion Design, BA (Hons)
Support will be provided to help Bianca to run a B2B workshop for the British Textile Biennial.
Introduction to the organisers of the National Festival of Making.
Hannah Brew
Textile Design, BA (Hons)
Introduction to the organisers of the National Festival of Making.
Katherine Beckett
Fine Art, BA (Hons)
A two-day residency on the narrowboat RV Furor Scribendi, a floating short story library for the Small Bells Ring project.
Introduction to Rebecca Chesney, who has The Super Slow Way Linear Park Residency.
Ellie Watson
Architecture, BSc (Hons)
Introduction to Public Works, who will be presenting work as part of the Abandon Normal Devices Festival.
Ivor Hrast
Interior Design, BA (Hons)
Introduction to the people who run ‘in-situ’, an interdisciplinary organisation who work between arts practice, community, social action and ecology.
Offered by FYC
Erin Jones – Winner of the FYC Award for Technology Innovation
Illustration, BA (Hons)
Two paid projects, one involving former BBC Radio 1 DJ, Dev Griffin and the other involving training Barnardo’s staff on how best to care for curly hair.