UWTSD exhibits at leading design show
Final year students of Swansea College of Art at University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) exhibited their work at the UK’s leading graduate Design showcase, New Designers, in London recently.
New Designers is a pivotal event in the Higher Education (HE) Design sector, split over two weeks during June and July each year. It offers graduating students a chance to display their work at the Business Design Centre in Islington amongst other leading talent from universities across the country.
Representatives from UWTSD’s BA Surface Pattern and Textiles and BA Design Crafts course attended the first week of New Designers, where they had stands in the main Textiles Hall and Applied Art Zone areas, providing space for the students to display work and staff to put on workshops for visiting schools and colleges.
The event, which has been attended by UWTSD for many years, draws a broad spectrum of attendees including Design industry professionals, Press, and prospective university students who will become the next generation of British designers. This setup offers exhibitors unparalleled networking opportunities with all sectors of the market, providing a vital chance to expand their audience.
Surface Pattern and Textiles students liaised with household names such as Liberty and the British Museum as well as brands previously unknown, and met highly regarded designers such as Emma Shipley. Some of the students also secured portfolio reviews and limited places on mentoring sessions with official event sponsors including Habitat, Hallmark and author and sustainability-guru Katie Tregidden.
Safiyyah Altaf, a third-year Surface Pattern and Textiles student at UWTSD said: “It was really eye-opening being in such a different environment to the studio. Having the opportunity to build confidence and be open to sharing my ideas through conversations with the industry was really valuable.
“The engagement with the public meant that I could hear about what people look for when decorating their homes with interior products, because ultimately, these are the people who will support your work the most.”
At the Design Crafts stand, students spoke to a range of prestigious craft galleries interested in exhibiting their work, and received ‘We Love This’ tags from companies like Stephen Webster Jewellery and Ceramic Review. University staff built on connections with other organisations like Goldsmiths, The Crafts Council and the Association for Contemporary Jewellery, who recently worked with UWTSD on a live brief competition.
Anna Lewis, Lecturer on BA Design Crafts at UWTSD, said: “Our students’ work looked incredibly professional and we received comments that it was a standout exhibition. On display was a range of work in ceramics, glass and jewellery that varied in scale, technique and concept. New Designers is a very important steppingstone, and students learned quickly how to articulate their work to an outside audience and made many useful contacts to pursue.”
In addition to displayed work on the stands, for the last three years staff from the Surface Pattern and Textiles course have run workshops for school- and college-age visitors. These are practical activities held in public spaces at the New Designers exhibition. This year’s workshop was “Off the Wall”, a collaborative 2D and 3D wallpaper workshop, which engaged more than 120 young people.
Claire Savage, UWTSD Surface Pattern and Textiles Lecturer and INSPIRE Ambassador, said: “Running practical sessions at New Designers allows us to engage schools and colleges in creative workshops and talk to them about careers in the arts. We introduce them to the programmes and fantastic studio facilities available at Swansea College of Art, and the doors our courses will open for them in future.”
Note to Editor
About New Designers:
New Designers has been showcasing the work of emerging design talent for over 35 years. Founded in 1985, the event has become the UK’s leading exhibition for up-and-coming designers, providing a platform for thousands of graduates to showcase their work and connect with industry professionals. Over the years, New Designers has helped to launch the careers of many successful designers, and has established itself as a must-attend event for anyone interested in the future of design.
Further Information
Ella Staden
Press and Media Officer
Corporate Communications and PR
Email: ella.staden@uwtsd.ac.uk
Phone: 07384467078