You saw them here first. This summer, we survey the exciting new talent coming out of the UK’s leading art schools. These show are the place to discover the next big names in the creative industries – challenging conventions through fresh approaches to traditional media. It’s a celebration of the transformative power of art education, showing how design and innovation affects almost everything we see and do.
Grad Fest 2024 | Norwich University of the Arts, 14-20 June
Grad Fest 2024 is Norwich’s biggest showcase of art, design, architecture, media and performance. This year’s undergraduate show takes shape as a seven-day festival of physical exhibitions, during which audiences will encounter playful and off-kilter photography by Rosie Gunning, shown above. There’s also the chance to experience the future of three dimensional art: Esmae Burbury transforms space through brightly-coloured, abstract and experimental shapes. Norwich’s graduating class has its finger on the pulse; contemporary visual motifs and references to anonymity, identity and technology are abundant.
Summer Shows 2024 | Arts University Bournemouth, June-September
Arts University Bournemouth’s (AUB) campus is a living, breathing environment for creativity. From June through to September, the setting is transformed by their Summer Shows into the most extensive gallery space in the southwest of England. Every year, AUB opens its doors to thousands of visitors to marvel at the creative work of its extraordinary students. The 2024 shows include outstanding projects from students graduating from the Foundation course, BA (Hons) programmes and the Graduate School. The stellar work on display gives the public a unique glimpse inside the dream factory that is AUB.
RCA2024 | Royal College of Art, 20 June – 4 August
Tyrone Vera is a Gibraltarian artist blurring the boundaries of design and sculpture. His objects respond to sight, touch, smell and sound, prompting questions like: What is this for? Can I touch it? Beyond Vera’s tactile pieces, RCA2024 presents an array of creative ideas: Tina Jane Hatton-Gore’s paintings explore the interface between life and an alternative inanimate world; Victor Guerin’s sculptures and paintings navigate humanity’s relationship with the environment and nature; and Yahvi Duggal’s visionary textiles blend Moroccan craftsmanship and modern sustainability, transforming kitchen waste into new materials.
Showcase 2024 | UWE Bristol, 6-12 June
Showcase 2024 is a highlight in the cultural calendar, where over 1200 students from more than 40 courses – animation, design, engineering, fashion and more – attract visitors to Bower Ashton, Arnolfini, Spike Island and the university’s Frenchay Campus. It’s about championing the next generation and celebrating ideas shaping tomorrow. One example is Kayla Haughton (above), who shows what the future of interior design could look like. Elena Marco, Pro-Vice Chancellor, praises the “ingenuity” of this year’s class, noting: “this is a critical point in their careers, and they should be proud of everything they have achieved.”
Graduate Shows 2024 | Arts University Plymouth, 28 May – 5 September
Foundation Diploma 28th-30th May, Extended Diploma 3rd-6th June, Undergraduate 21st-27th June
Animation. Games. Photography. Illustration. Textile Design. What unites these subjects? The answer is simple: each is an opportunity for creative expression and storytelling. There’s an enormous range of courses on offer at Arts University Plymouth; the institution has long been a hotbed for new ways of thinking about materials and, for the past few years, its students have been honing their skills. Now, we get to see the result. Plymouth is a place to meet the designers and makers of tomorrow; those who are pushing boundaries and exploring everything from traditional crafts to digital media.
UAL Showcase | University of the Arts London (UAL), 16 May – 19 June
UAL is home to three of the most prestigious art, design and performance colleges: Camberwell, Chelsea and Wimbledon. It has a reputation for producing some of the leading creative minds of today, from Steve McQueen to Grace Wales Bonner. The UAL Showcase is the place to discover the next generation of creatives working across Design, Media and Screen. See how students explore our past and present visions of our future, with themes ranging from community, connection and identity to climate justice, digital advancement and social responsibility. These are projects that pose critical questions and inspire change.
GSA Showcase 2024 | Glasgow School of Art, 31 May – 9 June
The Glasgow School of Art (GSA) Degree Show 2024 showcases the creativity, energy and innovation of a new generation of students in the city’s largest public exhibition. Over 600 students from across the GSA’s four schools – fine art, design, architecture and innovation and technology – will exhibit work that addresses the contemporary landscape they will face as they start their careers. Boundary-breaking projects, across numerous disciplines, display their ability to tackle complex issues, from AI to the climate emergency. The physical show will run alongside an expansive digital showcase, which launches on 30 May.
Degree Show 2024 | Loughborough University, 14-16 June
Storytelling is central to the 2024 Loughborough University Design and Creative Arts degree show. It’s described as “an unfolding narrative of creativity, innovation and personal growth,” and offers a space to celebrate the power of dedication and development. We are always learning, and, with 500 students exhibiting over four days, audiences will witness this first-hand. They will be amongst the very first people to witness all of the striking new paintings, sculptures, performances, animations and fashion designs – amongst other physical and digital artefacts – coming out of Loughborough this year.
Image Credits:
1. Syiq Johan, Fashion Communication and Promotion BA (Hons), Norwich University of Arts.
2. Rosie Gunning, Photography BA (Hons), Norwich University of Arts.
3. Moni Tan, Make-Up for Media and Performance BA (Hons), Arts University Bournemouth.
4. Tyrone Vera, MA Sculpture, Play + Work = Plork, Jesmonite and bristles. (RCA).
5. Amelia Clifton – BA Fashion Media & Marketing (Arts University Plymouth).
7. Yizhuo Du, Inside the Temple of Power (2023), UAL London College of Communication.
8. Kayla Haughton, Food of the Gods, Interior Design BA(Hons).
9. Anton Geryon, Iylight, MFA 2, (Glasgow School of Art).
10. Romy Antrobus, Whispered I, Fine Art BA (Hons), Loughborough University.
