Plymouth College of Art has a great history of teaching specialist and interdisciplinary Applied Arts and Craft based subjects at undergraduate level. The BA (Hons) in Contemporary Crafts builds on this history, with this challenging programme. The programme can be studied 3 years full time or 5 or 6 years part time. The programme enables extensive exploration and investigation into glass, ceramics, textiles and metals in their many variations.
The programme is designed to enable you to develop your own creative identity. In the first year you will be introduced to materials and techniques, design and conceptual issues. You can explore a wide range of approaches. You will follow the path that suits you best whether you want to continue to work across discipline areas or start to specialise in one material. You will also be asked to explore the role of the designer maker and of designer for industry. The second year gives students an opportunity to develop their direction & skills, but with further opportunities & challenges such as designing and making for external design competitions and other live projects that come from outside the college. These could be for a large-scale sculpture, working with community or schools projects or designing and making awards. If you are taking the part time route these experiences will of course be spread over a longer period.
The practical nature of this programme means that your creative skills will be complemented by professional studies teaching supported by members of the academic team with experience of working in the Applied Arts Creative Industries and of real world assignments. The South West region is a centre for craft based businesses, so there is a rich resource of opportunities to work with practitioners and galleries or related industries.
We also encourage cross-disciplinary ‘dialogue’ with other subjects throughout the college so that students have an enriched and broad experience.
You will have plenty of opportunities to develop related IT skills both within the course and the college as a whole. You will also gain a thorough understanding of contemporary, historical, critical and contextual issues that surround the subject and influence where it is today. Our Making Futures Conference on Sustainability within the ‘crafts’ illustrates that the college is actively involved in current debates and that students are encouraged to work in a responsible, sustainable and ethical way. Students are encouraged to become aware of and part of external organisations, to participate in and arrange external exhibitions so that by the time they complete the BA, they are ready for working in the ‘outside world’. Many of our students and graduates are very proactive in this respect.
Student on the BA (Hons) Contemporary Crafts programme will be part of a larger group comprising the other specialist material practitioners across our range of Craft courses. Together you will respond to themed modules in your chosen material practice. Along the way students will gain skills that contemporary practitioners need in order to develop and sustain their practice after graduation and into the world of employment or self-employment. Excellent workshop facilities give the opportunity for a rich exploration of materials, enabling innovative and contemporary practice using specialist craft skills, which are celebrated and shared by expert practitioners.
‘Transferable’ skills that give students the ability and the flexibility to move into related areas of the creative industries are a strong element of these programmes.
The themes you will be exploring include: -
Studio Practice,
Design for industry,
Public art, commissioning, awards and external design briefs,
Digital processes,
Interdisciplinary practice,
Installation and conceptual practice
Sustainability and emotionally durable design,
Curation and exhibiting.
Drawing development, visual thinking and visual communication.
Critical, Contextual and Historical Studies
Underpinning all these themes will be professional and entrepreneurial skills, with opportunities for external placements and internships at home or abroad.
Making has an intrinsic value in our lives. We at PCA recognise the potential of tacit knowledge and the enhanced understanding of the world that comes through our knowledge of material practices. We wish to champion these skills and benefits that are so special and rare in a ‘virtual world’ whilst also embracing digital technology as another craft skill. The nature of contemporary craft practice has been rapidly changing throughout the last few years. Many other influences have been brought to these disciplines and we embrace these new ways of thinking and encourage the innovative use of materials in interdisciplinary as well as in ‘traditional’ ways. We have highly skilled lecturers and technicians who have a great deal of experience across the crafts disciplines and all are inquisitive about making and its relevance in today’s society.
At PCA we have a strong interest in the sustainability of craft practice. In 2009 we held our first International Crafts Conference called “Making Futures-Crafts in the context of Global Sustainability agendas.” This has enabled the compilation and generation of a great deal of networks and research, making sure that we are at the centre of debate and developments in this area.
To be successful in today’s creative industries you need to be resourceful, adaptable and resilient. These courses are designed to engender these qualities but also to give you the specialist skills and knowledge to take forward your creative practice into the future.
All the College's Higher Education provision is validated by the Open University.
