STUDY ART FOR ART’S SAKE

You don’t need daddy’s money and a gaaaap year before you can study the arts.

Students at the Open College of the Arts come from all walks of life and pay a quarter of the fees of the bricks and mortar universities.

Head of painting and drawing at the online art college, Emma Drye says: “I was struck by footballer Marcus Rashford saying the system is not set up for families like his.

“At our college, everyone is welcome. Our fees are £6k rather than £27k and our students are digger drivers, joiners, nurses and even homeless people.”

The staff at the online college are keen to encourage people who started something arty during lockdown to keep it up once they get to go back to their normal lives.

“We have short courses and foundations at OCA too on a huge range of subjects from drawing from the past to interior design,” says Craig Dewis, who is head of student services.

Like the Open University, you don’t need any previous qualifications to start a BA Hons degree at OCA.

Emma says: “It’s a life-changing experience – and you can do it while still working or looking after family and without making a huge financial commitment.”

Lockdown Leonardo

Mick Whyte works in the construction industry but for the past seven years he has been studying towards a degree in painting.

He says: “During lockdown I have been sketching people outside the supermarkets as I queued. Hopefully one of the sketches will become a painting.”