School of Arts and Creative Industries
School of Arts and Creative Industries
Industry Links
We provide our students with strong industry links – placements, collaborations and staff with real industry experience.
Interdisciplinary
We believe interdisciplinary learning is a core component of future work – cross-School collaborations and opportunities providing students with broader experience and skills.
Entrepreneurial
We want our students to be entrepreneurial – providing students with skills and experience to choose their own career path.
Who we are
Our academic staff create a diverse and innovative learning environment that will not only challenge you but also expose you to a rich mix of culture and knowledge.
You will be supported by excellent technical and administrative staff and the courses are taught in purpose-built facilities to ensure you have a full suite of resources available to you throughout your study.
We are at the heart of the cultural life of our local communities and of London itself: supplying some of the key talent, skills and ideas that will help shape the future of the UK's creative economy.
The School of Arts and Creative Industries' breadth of media, fashion and performance areas are grounded in creative excellence and framed by extensive community and industry collaboration. Our music, dance, drama, performing arts and acting courses are part of the vibrant arts and theatre scene of East London, with our yearly FUEL performance festival standing as one example of this.
Our media courses engage you in a range of cutting-edge media practice and debates and allow you to learn by practising your skills in real live contexts, such as film festival participation (Film), football clubs (Sports Journalism) and games jams (Games). Our fashion design, textiles and marketing courses have innovation and enterprise at their heart, challenging the boundaries of traditional design, textile, fashion business and marketing. Our courses participate in a wide range of influential activities inclusive of the learning experience at UEL such as fashion weeks, tradeshows and collaborative projects with industry partners in design, retail, styling, sustainable textile developments for industry and much more.
- All our students develop a range of practical skills and techniques while developing an understanding of the professional, cultural, social, technological contexts of their practice.
- As well as learning about your subject we prepare you for the jobs of tomorrow. We equip you with useful life skills.
- We provide you with strong industry links - placements, collaborations and staff with real industry experience.
- We believe interdisciplinary study is a core component of future work - cross-School collaborations and opportunities provide you with broader experience and skills.
- We encourage an entrepreneurial spirit.
- We celebrate the diversity in the School - a rich mix of students, staff, experience and opportunities nurture a creative and collaborative environment.
All our students are taught in discipline specific spaces equipped with facilities, materials and equipment loans for making, performing and collaborating on practical projects.
Students perform in a range of multi-purpose performance studios, production spaces and sound studios at our USS campus.
Fashion facilities at the Docklands campus include pattern cutting and sewing studios that boast state of the art machinery for manufacturing.
Production and media students benefit from a range of green screen, newsroom, mac labs, edit, games and animation suites.
Our subjects
Media and Journalism
Our courses offer the perfect mix of practical skills, knowledge and analysis, propelling you towards a rewarding future in the creative industries.
Browse courses in this subject area
Performing Arts
Our expertise and our well-equipped USS campus will help you develop your creative potential in the world of music, dance, theatre and performance.
Browse courses in this subject area
Fashion
Our fashion and textile department offers a wide range of exciting courses in design, textiles, marketing and business studies.
Browse courses in this subject areaOur staff
School of Arts and Creative Industries
Dean of School: Natalie Garrett Brown (Interim)
School office
- Dean of School: Natalie Garrett Brown (Interim)
- Director of Education and Experience (Interim Co-Directors) - Dr Rosemary Stott and Dr Natalie Garrett Brown
- Director of Enterprise and Careers - Suzanne Dixon
- Director of Impact and Innovation - Kate Hodgkin
- Head of Department of Fashion: Beatrice Newman
- Head of Department of Media: Dr Rosemary Stott
- Head of Department of Music, Writing and Performance: Dr Natalie Garrett Brown
- School Business Manager - Esme Godden
- Deputy School Manager - Buky Osifeso
- Departmental Officer - Eunice Arkhurst
Department of Fashion
Fashion
- Gokan Aydin - Senior Lecturer
- Joe Hunter – Senior Lecturer
- Namal Lanka - Lecturer, Fashion Enterprise and placements
- Kent Le - Programme Leader for MA International Fashion Business
- Beatrice Newman - Programme Leader for Fashion Design
- Lesley Robertson - Programme Leader for BA Fashion Textiles
- Kim Smith - Senior Lecturer
Department of Media
Media
- Andrew Branch - Senior Lecturer
- Tony Sampson - Reader
- Valentina Signorelli - Programme Leader for BA Media & Communication
- Alexander Thomas - Programme Leader for BA Media Production
Media Foundation
- David Lashbrook - Lecturer
- Anna Robinson - Programme Leader for Foundation HCI & MS
Animation
- Will Bishop-Stephens – Programme Leader for BA Animation
- Pooja Pottenkulam – Senior Lecturer
Games
- Christian Brindley - Programme Leader for BSc Computer Game Development and BA Computer Games Design: Story Development
- Cenk Koknar - Lecturer Games Design
- Shringi Kumari - Lecturer Games Design
- Patrick Quinnell - Lecturer
- Imraan Younas - Senior Lecturer Games Design & Programming
Advertising
- Julia Dane - Programme Leader for BA Advertising
- Sylvia Prasad - Senior Lecturer
Journalism and Sports Journalism
- Dekan Apajee / Adam Powley – Programme Leaders for BA Sports Journalism
- Mark Beachill – Lecturer
- Simon Miles – Senior Lecturer
Film
- David Chapman – Programme Leader for MA Filmmaking
- Jill Daniels – Senior Lecturer
- Lindsay Hallam / Johannes Maier – Programme Leaders for BA Film
- Jonathan Shoop – Lecturer
- Valentina Vitali – Professor
Department of Performing Arts
Creative Writing
- Terry Bailey – Programme Leader for BA Creative Writing
- Helena Blakemore – Senior Lecturer
- Ravinder Basra – Senior Lecturer
- Roberta Garrett – Senior Lecturer
Acting & Theatre Directing
- Dominic Hingorani – Programme Leader for MA Acting / MA Theatre Directing
- Martin Heaney – Senior Lecturer
- Lynne McCarthy – Lecturer
- Lisselle Terret / Clare Qualmann – Programme Leader for BA Drama, Applied Theatre and Performance
Dance: Urban Practice
- Claudia Brazzale – Programme Leader for MA Contemporary Performance Practice
- Carla Trim-Vamben – Programme Leader for BA Dance: Urban Practice
- Sarahleigh Castelyn – Senior Lecturer
- Robert Nicholson – Senior Lecturer
- Jo Read – Senior Lecturer
- Laura Robinson – Senior Lecturer
Music
- Michael Bunce – Programme Leader for BA Music Technology
- Steve Betts – Programme Leader for BA Music Performance & Production
- Yumi Cawkwell – Senior Lecturer
- Jeremy Gilbert – Professor
- Guy Harries – Senior Lecturer
- Gordon Kerr – Senior Lecturer
- Tim Lawrence – Professor
- Anthony Nwachukwu – Lecturer
- Sonke Prigge – Lecturer
- Helen Reddington – Senior Lecturer
Performing Arts
- Juliet Knight – Lecturer
- Carrie Mueller / Paul Woodward – Programme Leader for BA Performing Arts
- Freddie Opoku-Addaie – Lecturer
- Tristan Parkes – Senior Lecturer
Performing Arts Foundation
- Caroline Griffiths – Programme Leader for Foundation Performing Arts, Dance & Drama
Technical staff
- Dean Todd – Technical Resources Manager
- Rob Reed – Technical Services Officer
Media
- Aklima Ali – Technical Assistant - Stores
- Josephine Callaghan – Technical Assistant
- Joao Cipriani – Technical Assistant - Stores
- Teresa Duran – Technical Assistant
- Angeline Ferguson – Technical Assistant
- Jack Florish – Technical Assistant
- Salma Vohra – Technical Associate
Performing Arts
- Jono Bell – Technical Associate
- Patrick Evans – Technical Assistant - Stores
- Steve Rolle – Technical Assistant - Stores
- Julian Shapter – Technician
- Karina Townsend – Technician
Fashion
- Zoe Hodgson – Technical Associate
- Nuraan Peterson – Technician
- Jo Primiano – Technical Assistant
Industry Links and Research
Research
The School of Arts and Creative Industries is a centre of excellence for innovative and creative research, across and between a range of disciplines - among them film and media, fashion, computer games; performing arts, music, dance and drama; cultural studies and creative writing. Our research is socially engaged, collaborative and interdisciplinary and is integrated into the student experience by our research active staff.
It is also embedded in our East London location; issues of diversity and marginalisation, cultural and social regeneration, social justice and community cohesion, are central themes. Our research activities include not only academic books and articles but theatre performances, musical and fashion events, gallery exhibitions, films.
Our work addresses public policy, neoliberalism and the cultural impact of digital technology, alongside debates about creative practice, cultural memory and modern urban cultures. Both in scholarly publications and creative practice research, we aim to question and illuminate, which in turn engages and motivates students to become active participants alongside our researchers in wider civic and cultural life.
Research-informed teaching is a key part of our research culture. Student experience at all levels is enriched by the encounter with original research: students are taught by leading experts in their fields, and have opportunities to participate in creative external research projects through internships and placements. We have a lively programme of events and seminars that students are welcome to attend, offering interaction and debate.
Industry links
Our courses are focused on preparing students for careers in the creative industries, through a mix of skills and knowledge in production, theory, reflection, enterprise and industry engagement.
Students learn about the creative industries from day one and learn to produce work of professional standard for projects, festivals, business or entertainment, working to live or simulated briefs.
Our staff are makers, practitioners in industry or they research industry trends and developments. Companies we work with include V&A East, East London Dance, Urban Development (Music), Stratford Circus, ASOS, Amazon and Hand and Lock.
Interdisciplinary projects focus on the life and community of East London, bringing our courses to life through engagement with local enterprise, third-sector companies and local organisations.
Hear from our students
Krasimira Stoyneva is an award-winning fashion designer who pioneers the use of new materials and campaigns against animal cruelty with her slogan 'WEAR HAIR NOT FUR'.
I don't think I've ever been made to feel more welcome. Being surrounded by people who are friendly, social, and share your interests has to be one of the best things I can say about my university experience.
Ben Nizan
BA (Hons) Computer Games Design graduate
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