Art & Design and Fine Art

Our students are encouraged to explore, experiment and excel in their chosen field. Joining one of our courses means that you will be treated as an individual and motivated to sharpen your creative skills and build an exciting portfolio for future employers. We have strong external links with local arts venues such as neo:studios, Bolton Museum and Art Gallery, Rogue Artists’ Studios and Octagon Theatre Bolton, as well as links with many other Manchester-based galleries and arts organisations. You will be able to present your work to industry professionals, who will provide you with real-life creative briefs, and offer advice and guidance regarding building a career in the creative industries.

You will have access to some of the amazing £10 million purpose-built facilities within the Bolton School of the Arts, some of which include:

• Spacious studio provision

• Dedicated suites of Apple Macs

• Large-scale printing facilities

• Specialist workshops for printmaking, ceramics, glass, wood, metal, laser-cutting, 3D and digital ceramic printing

The fine art, and art and design courses, will familiarise you with contemporary approaches to creative practice which are then underpinned by training in a broad range of practical processes. This combination will develop your creative confidence and capability and encourage innovative thinking and making throughout your studies. Here’s what you can expect from the courses:

• Work on live briefs and significant public art projects both locally and further afield

• Use our high-quality facilities to sharpen your creative skills and adopt experimental approaches to creative processes and techniques

• Make links across different artistic media, steering your art to reflect your individual aspirations and facilitating exciting contemporary multi-media outputs

• Enjoy one-to-one tutor support thanks to our small class sizes

Fine art graduates often splinter off into a range of career directions, which is why our course lets you explore your creativity and experiment with drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, ceramics, photography, installation, performance, digital and video art.

The unique art and design programme allows you to combine two specialisms from fine art, photography, graphic design, animation, illustration, textiles and surface design.

Potential job roles after studying these courses include (please note that some roles may require additional qualifications and/or work experience for entry):

• Artist

• Art teacher

• Lecturer

• Printmaker

• Ceramicist

• Photographer

• Performance artist

• Art therapist

• Gallery curator

• Exhibitions officer

• Arts administrator

If you have any more questions about studying at the University of Bolton, our award-winning student services team are here to put your mind at ease about any queries related to accommodation, finance, funding, health and wellbeing, disability support or anything else you may need.