It’s a work of art... college becomes fourth university
Proud moment for historic city institution that counts Moore, Hepworth and Hirst among its alumni
IT IS already home to three major universities, including a member of the prestigious Russell Group.
And today Yorkshire’s largest city is welcoming its fourth institution into the fold, fast cementing its status as a leading centre for education.
Leeds College of Art has announced that it has been granted full university status by the Privy Council and will now be known as Leeds Arts University.
Having undergone a rigorous appraisal process, it will be the only specialist arts university in the North of England.
Professor Simone Wonnacott, vice-chancellor at the new university, which counts renowned artists Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth and Damian Hirst among its alumni, said: “We welcome our university title as an important recognition of over 170 years of leading arts education in the UK.
“Our staff have worked incredibly hard to support this rigorous process, and I would like to thank them for their continued efforts.
“This announcement is a significant landmark in our history, and one which recognises our robust governance structure, academic and teaching standards and the facilities supporting the delivery of our higher education courses.”
She added: “Leeds Arts University is proud to be the only specialist arts university in the north of England, and we will continue to strive to put ourselves at the forefront of arts education not just in the UK, but worldwide.”
Founded in 1846 as the Leeds Government School of Art and Design, the new university has contributed significantly to the development of art education in Britain and across the world.
It has offered degree-level provision for many years, and in 2016 was granted taught degreeawarding powers, which allowed it the right to award bachelor’s degrees with honours.
The institution has been recognised for its industrystandard facilities at the Whatuni awards, and is the highest-ranked arts university in the UK for student satisfaction in the National Student Survey 2017, along with being the highest-ranked university in Yorkshire.
Its students have gone on to work for international brands including Calvin Klein, Vivienne Westwood and Lululemon Athletica.
Closer to home, alumni are supporting the Leeds bid for European Capital of Culture 2023, with the branding and typeface designed by Lee Goater in collaboration with a creative team that includes former students at Hungry Sandwich Club and recent BA (Hons) Graphic Design graduate Alex Finney.
While the college is keen to preserve its intimate atmosphere, a £14m expansion of its Blenheim Walk site, which will house art, design and performance facilities, is under way. Chris Clements, chair of the board of governors at Leeds Arts University, said: “We are delighted to gain university title, and are proud to be now known as Leeds Arts University.
“As a specialist arts university, we have a strong reputation for delivering excellent teaching in a close-knit creative community, and will continue to nurture this environment in this new phase of growth.
“This announcement is a significant step in the current development of Leeds Arts University, which will also see the opening of a new state-ofthe-art building expansion, and the introduction of five new creative degree courses, including BA (Hons) Filmmaking, BA (Hons) Fashion Design, BA (Hons) Fashion Branding with Communication, BA (Hons) Comic and Concept Arts and BMus (Hons) Popular Music Performance all launching in 2018, along with a new MA in Curation Practices starting in September 2017.”
This is a significant landmark in our history. Leeds Arts University vice-chancellor Professor Simone Wonnacott.