77 exciting degree shows not to miss this summer
Degree show listings 2015: your ultimate guide to the best design graduate exhibitions across the UK.
UK degree show listings: June 2015
University of Portsmouth, Art and Design
- 29 May–5 June
- University of Portsmouth, Eldon Building, Winston Churchill Avenue, Portsmouth, PO1 2DJ
After the private view on 29 May, the public exhibition runs from Monday 1 June. The campus turns into a gallery, cinema and media complex to showcase student work.
University for the Creative Arts: Canterbury
- 31 May–5 June
- New Dover Road, Canterbury, CT1 3AN
Private view on 31, 5-8pm; public exhibition Sat 1 June 10am-4pm onwards. Showcasing student work from: BA (Hons) Architecture (ARB/RIBA Part 1), BA (Hons) Interior Architecture & Design and BA (Hons) Fine Art.
University of Hertfordshire: Headlines
- 1–6 June
- Art & Design Gallery, College Lane Campus, University of Hertfordshire, AL10 9AB
The School of Creative Arts is to be transformed into an expansive gallery, with recent graduates from across all disciplines including, Design, Film, Media, Music and Visual Arts. Open 10am-4pm.
University of East London, Visual Arts
- 4–7 June
- School of Arts and Digital Industries, Docklands Campus, London E16 2RD
Falmouth University: Art and Design
- 5-8 June 2015
- Falmouth Campus, Woodlane and The Design Centre, Penryn campus, Treliever Road
Spanning animation, illustration, graphic design and digital media, this is a rather great excuse to visit sunny Cornwall in June, should you need one.
It's also the former college of Paddy O'Hara, winner of last year's D&AD New Blood contest to design the cover of Computer Arts' New Talent special. And we're running this exciting contest again this year – enter here.
FR15 - Free Range Design Week
- 5-8 June
- Loading Bay, F Block B3, Old Truman Brewery, Brick Lane, London
- @FreeRangeShows
Free Range is an entire season of free graduate art and design shows, occupying different units at the Old Truman Brewery in Shoreditch – spanning fashion, design, photography, interiors and architecture.
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The first show features design work from the University of Middlesex. Private view, Friday 5 June 6-10pm; public exhibition from 10am-7pm 6-7 June, and 10a,-4pm Monday 8 June.
University of the West of England: The Creative Industries Degree Show
- 5–12 June
- Bower Ashton campus, Kennel Lodge Road, Bristol, BS3 2JT
Courses on show range from Graphic Design and Animation to Illustrations and more. Private view 5 June 6-9pm, open day 10-6pm
Belfast School of Art
- 5–13 June
- York Street, Belfast, BT15 1ED
Animation, Graphic Design and Illustration are amongst the courses exhibiting here. The show opens at 6pm onwards on Friday 5th June 2015 and runs until Saturday 13th June at the Belfast School of Art.
University of Brighton
- 5–14 June
- Grand Parade Campus, University of Brighton, Grand Parade, Brighton, BN2 0JY
Where Peepshow Collective first formed – always worth a look to spot some new design and illustration talent.
University Campus Suffolk, Arts and Humanities End of Year Show
- 5–14 June
- Waterfront Building, Neptune Quay, Ipswich, Suffolk, Ip4 1 QJ
The creative gamut is covered at UCS's end of year show. Open 10am-6pm.
Loughborough University, Graphic Communication & Illustration
- 5–14 June
- Design School, Loughborough University, Leicestershire, LE11 3TU
Private view 5 June 6-9pm; public view 6-14 June, 10am-5pm. Work displayed from Fine Art, 3D Design, Graphic Communication and Illustration, Textiles: Innovation and Design.
University of Wolverhampton
- 6–13 June
- MK Building, City Campus, Molineux Street, Wolverhampton WV1 1DT
Artwork from over 300 students across 16 BA (Hons) and BDes (Hons) courses will be on display, embracing the areas of applied arts, digital media, fashion and textiles, fine art, graphic communication, illustration, interior design, photography and product design.
Bath Spa University
- 6–14 June
- Sion Hill Campus, Sion Hill Place, Bath, BA1 5SF
Computer Arts designer and Bath Spa graduate Rich Carter will be keeping a close eye on his former college. Courses range from Contemporary Arts Practice to Creative Arts, Fashion Design, Fine Art, Graphic Communications, Photography, Textiles for Fashion & Interiors and Three Dimensional Design.
University for the Creative Arts: Epsom
- 8–12 June
- Ashley Road, Epsom, KT18 5BE
The shows include new work in art, design, architecture, media and communication.
University of Reading: Typography and Graphic Communication
- 9–13 June
- Department of Typography and Graphic Communication, TOB2, Earley Gate, Whiteknights campus
Shows featuring a wide spectrum of design projects for print and screen by students on the following courses: BA Graphic Communication, MA Book Design, and MA Information Design programmes.
Cambridge School of Art
- 11–20 June
- Ruskin Gallery, East Road, Cambridge, CB1 1PT
Private view 11 June; public view from 12 June. Courses cover: Computer Games, Fashion Design, Film & Television Production, Fine Art, Graphic Design, Illustration, Illustration and Animation, Interior Design, and Photography. Opening times: Weekdays 10.00am-8.00pm, Saturday & Sunday 10.00am-4.30pm
Bucks New University
- 12–18 June
- High Wycombe Campus, Queen Alexandra Road, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire HP11 2JZ
Advertising Creative, Fine Art, Foundation Studies: Art, Design and Media, Furniture, Graphic Arts, Product Design, Spatial Design, Fashion Design, and Textiles and Surface Design will be displaying.
De Montfort Leicester University: Festival of Creativity
- 12–18 June (closed Sunday)
- The Gateway, Leicester, LE1 9BH
- @art_and_design #dmudegreeshow
Friends and family not he 12th; public viewing from 13 June. The exhibition will showcase exciting creations by the next generation of artists and designers across the art and design courses.
University of Sunderland
- 12–19 June (closed Sunday)
- City Space, Chester Road, Sunderland, SR1 3SD
De Montfort Plymouth University: The Hot '15 Show
- 12–24 June
- Roland Levinsky building, Scott building and Peninsula Arts Gallery - Plymouth University
- Mills Bakery and Slaughterhouse - Royal William Yard
High quality work from graduating Honours Degree students will be shown, sold, or commissioned from 3D Design, Fine Art, Illustration, Media and TV Arts, Photography, Digital Media and Animation, Architecture, Graphic Communication with Typography, and Digital Art and Design.
Sir John Cass Faculty of Art, Architecture and Design, London Metropolitan Uni
- Part 1: Art, Film, Visual Communications and Music
- 12-20 June
- Central House, 59-63 Whitechapel High St, London
Private View on the 11th June from 6:30pm. Courses represented will include Fine Art, Photography, Animation, Film and Broadcast Production, Music Technology, Musical Instrument Making, Graphic Design and Illustration
Leeds College of Art
- 13–18 June
- Vernon St, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 8PH
Entitled, Going, Going, Gone, this exhibition follows the foundation show (which takes place between the 22nd and 28th May) and is reserved for Bachelor of Arts and Extended Diploma graduates.
With a consistently strong calibre of talent coming out of Leeds each year, it's well worth a trip to West Yorkshire.
University of Central Lancashire
- 13–20 June
- Victoria Buildings (Design), Hanover Building (Fine Art), UCLan, Fylde Road, Preston, PR1 2HE
Courses cover fields of architecture, design, fashion and fine art. Opening hours 10am-5pm, with a private view from 12 June.
Hereford College of Arts
- 13–20 June
- College Road campus, Hereford, HR1 1LT
Courcses include Graphic & Media Design, Fine Art and Illustrations, amid many more. Opening hours Sat/Sun: 11am–3pm; Mon-Fri: 11am-7pm.
Staffordshire University: Show and Tell
- 13–21 June
- College Road, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST4 2DE
This aptly titled show spans all the Staffs art and design courses.
Glasgow School of Art degree show 2015
- 13–20 June
- School of Design: Reid Building, Renfrew Street, Glasgow G3 6RQ
- School of Fine Art: Tontine Building, 88 Bell Street,Glasgow, G1 1LQ
The undergraduate degree shows are open Saturday and Sunday 10am-5pm, Monday-Thursday 10am-9pm, Friday 10am-7pm.
Manchester School of Art, Manchester Met
- 13–24 June
- Benzie, Grosvenor and Chatham Buildings, MMU All Saints campus, Manchester
The show at the college that gave us Peter Saville will take place in the Benzie, Grosvenor and Chatham Buildings on the MMU All Saints Campus.
Sheffield Hallam Uni
13–26 June
City Campus, Howard Street, Sheffield, S1 1WB
The 2015 event includes work from students in architecture (19 June – 2 July), art and design research, computing, creative art practice, design and technology education, graphics, fashion, fine art, furniture and product design, games design, interior design, jewellery and metalwork (13–19 June), media arts and communications
University of Leeds
- 15–20 June
- School of Design, Leeds, LS2 9JT
The School of Design's Degree Show 2015 will run from Monday 15th to Saturday 20th June, with a private view on Monday 15th at 5pm-8pm.
Birmingham City University, School of Art, Fine Art, and Art and Design
- 15–21 June
- Birmingham City University
You'll find the Visual Communication and School of Art degree shows held between 15-21 June, check the site for opening times.
Northumbria University
- 16–27 June
- Design Building, City Campus East, Northumbria University City Campus, Newcastle
After a private viewing on 6 June, Northumbria University's REVEAL degree shows are open to the public and free of charge from 17 June 2015. Open 10am-5pm, Monday-Saturday.
Ravensbourne College
- 17–19 June
- 6 Penrose Way, London, SE10 0EW
This year’s show will see graduating Ravensbourne students collaborate on a fashion show, HD cinema and variety of thought-provoking exhibitions.
Approximately 200 members of the fashion industry and press are specially invited to the show. A HD cinema will also showcase the work from Ravensbourne’s digital film students and there will be an extensive showcase of each specific course in separate exhibition spaces allocated throughout the building.
University of Salford: Create Salford Festival
- 17–20 June
- MediaCityUK and Frederick Road campus, Salford
The festival showcases the best creative work from the University of Salford's School of Arts and Media students and will include art and design degree shows, original theatrical performances, live music, student journalism and media awards ceremonies, a fashion runway show and a range of other exciting events and installations.
London College of Communication: Show 2 - School of Design
- 18–27 June, 2015
- LCC, Elephant & Castle, London, SE1 6SB
- @LCCLondon #lccsummershows
The Summer Show identity this year has been designed by MuirMcNeil. There's invariably a strong showing from this UAL college, and LCC's School of Design is headed up by long-term CA collaborator Lawrence Zeegen.
Besides staple disciplines like graphic and media design, animation, graphic communication, illustration and visual media, book art ad design, there's an entire course dedicated to surface design.
Brunel University
- 18–21 June
- Bargehouse, Southbank, London SE1 9GY
Meet Brunel's best graduates and see their work, as well as experience Pecha Kucha talks and network within the creative and engineering industries.
Goldsmiths College
- 18–22 June
- Ben Pimlott Building, St James, New Cross, London, SE14 6AD
Private view, Thursday 18 June 2015: 6pm - 9pm. Open to public Friday 19 June - Monday 22 June 2015: 10am - 7pm, except Sunday 21 June 2015: 10am - 4pm.
Wimbledon College of Arts: Undergraduate Summer Show
- 18–27 June
- Merton Hall Road, London, SW19 3QA
Private view on Thursday 18 6pm-9pm, then open to the public from Friday 11am-5pm. Closed Sunday 21 June. Courses on display include BA Fine Art - Painting, Print and Time-Base Media, Sculpture, Set Design for Screen and more.
University of Westminster: Graphic Communication Design
- 18–21 June 2015
- Ambika P3, 35 Marylebone Road, London NW1 5LS
Private view of 18 June, 6-8:30pm. Check the site for details of the Animation, Illustration and Visual Communication and Design for Communication shows.
Chelsea College of Art and Design: Undergraduate Summer Show
- 19–27 June
- 16 John Islip Street, London, SW1P 4JU
Private view 19 June 6-9pm; open to the public from 20 June 11am-5pm (times vary throughout the week). Courses cover Graphic Design Communication, Fine Art and more.
Arts University College, Bournemouth: Higher Education Summer Show
- 19–26 June 2015
- Wallisdown, Poole, Dorset BH12 5HH
Chelsea College of Arts: Undergraduate Summer Show
- 19-27 June 2015
- Chelsea College of Arts, 16 John Islip Street, London, SW1P 4JU
Friday 19 June for the private view; open to the public from 20 June. BA Fine Art, Graphic Design Communication, Interior & Spatial Design and more…
Gray's School of Art, Aberdeen
- 19–27 June
- Gray's School of Art, Robert Gordon University, Garthdee Road, Aberdeen AB10 7QD
Private view 19 June, public view starts from 20 June, 10am-5pm and later during the week.
Canterbury College: Creative Arts end of year show
- 22–26 June
- Atrium, Teaching Foyer & Senior Common room, Keynes College, University of Kent
Camberwell College of Arts: Undergraduate Summer Show
- 22–27 June
- 45 Peckham Road, London, SE5 8UF
FdA and BA courses in Graphic Design, Illustration and more. Private view Monday 22 June 6pm-9pm, open to the public from Monday 22 June 10am.
New Designers: Part 0ne
- 24–27 June
- Business Design Centre, London, N1 0QH
Part One covers Textiles & Fashion, Costume Design, Jewellery & Precious Metalwork, Ceramics & Glass, Contemporary Design Crafts
Central Saint Martins: Degree Show Two
- 24–28 June 2015
- Granary Building, 1 Granary Square, London, N1C 4AA
- #CSMshows2015
This is the main CSM grad show to visit for designers and art directors, with graphic design, character animation, communication design and textile design exhibiting alongside more craft and product-based disciplines like ceramics, jewellery, furniture and industrial design. It follows the more fine art-focused Show One (late May).
Free Range: Design Part Two
- 25–29 June
- Loading Bay, F Block T3, Old Truman Brewery, Brick Lane, London
Design work from Bath Spa School of Art and Design.
Free Range: Design Part Three
- 25–29 June
- Loading Bay, F Block T2, Old Truman Brewery, Brick Lane, London
Design work from the University of the West of England.
Royal College of Art
- 25 June–5 July (closed 3 July)
- School of Design: RCA Kensington: Kensington Gore, London, SW7 2EU
- Fine Art: RCA Battersea: Howie Street, London, SW11 4AY
Ranging from paintings to prints, glassware to jewellery and furniture to textiles the RCA's annual graduate show is packed full of around 600 art and design postgrad students exhibiting exceptional work across a multitude of media.
D&AD New Blood Festival
- 30 June–2 July
- Old Spitalfields Market, Shoreditch, London
For many studios and agencies across the country scouting for new talent, this is the big one: D&AD's annual showcase of the cream of new talent from 70 courses from all across the UK, helpfully squeezed into one London-based venue to save on time, effort and travel for the typically time-pressed creative director.
The exhibition spans the disciplines of illustration, advertising, digital, motion graphics and graphic design. However that's just one small part of the New Blood programme, which incorporates the Awards (the ceremony for which takes place at a mystery location in Shoreditch on Thursday the 2nd July), the New Blood Academy, and the New Blood Festival too.
Put simply, if you only go to one graduate show in 2015, be sure to make it this one.
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