Plymouth College of Art, formerly known as Plymouth College of Art and Design, is an independent university-sector Higher Education provider located in Plymouth, Devon UK. In April 2019 the specialist college was awarded taught degree awarding powers by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education granting the creative institution the authority to award and accredit its own BA degrees and Masters awards. Founded as the Plymouth Drawing School in 1856, Plymouth College of Art is one of the last specialist art schools in the United Kingdom. The College provides creative education at undergraduate, postgraduate and pre-degree level, specialising in the fields of art, design, crafts and media. Pre-Degree courses include Foundation Diploma in Art and Design. The Gallery, Plymouth Arts Cinema and Fab Lab Plymouth are located in the city centre campus, offering a range of short courses, masterclasses, and National Art & Design Young Arts Club. The college is a UK Advisory Council Member of the Creative Industries Federation, a Member of the Crafts Council Advisory Group, a founding associate of Tate’s Tate Exchange programme and a Steering Group Member of the Cultural Learning Alliance. The College caters for approximately 2,000 students, with around 85% of full-time students on Higher Education courses in 2017. Over 400 members of staff are employed by the college. Students are enrolled from the local area, the wider south-west region, and further afield in the United Kingdom. The college also attracts international students, with Erasmus+ partnership institutions across Europe including Design Academy Eindhoven and National Academy of Art, Sofia. The College is administered by a corporation. In 2013 the college founded the city-centre free school for 4 to 16-year-olds Plymouth School of Creative Arts. Together the school and college have established a radical and progressive continuum of creative learning and practice in the region that extends from early years to Masters level study. The school’s award-winning landmark building The Red House was formally opened by Tate Director Sir Nicholas Serota who hailed the opening as “a historic event in the history of education in this country”. In 2006, Plymouth College of Art and Design ended its membership of the University of Plymouth's Partner Colleges network, having completed its contractual obligations. Until 2007, Plymouth College of Art's degree courses were accredited by the University of Plymouth. Since 2008, the college's degree awards have been accredited by the Open University. In Autumn 2020, the first cohort of undergraduate and postgraduate students will graduate from Plymouth College of Art with an award accredited by the institution. In December 2008, Plymouth College of Art and Design was renamed to Plymouth College of Art.
Honorary Degrees
In 2009, the college awarded two honorary degrees which were conferred by The Open University. Artist Anthony Frost was awarded an honorary Master of The Open University and Raindance founder Elliot Grove was awarded an honorary Doctor of The Open University for their services to art and education and culture, respectively. Honorary fellowships have since been offered to artist David McKee, Toby Gorniak MBE, Peter Jenkinson OBE, Sir John Sorrell CBE and Lady Frances Sorrell OBE, and Sir Nicholas Serota and Richard Deacon CBE, among others. In 2018 Honorary Fellowships were awarded to Mike Westbrook OBE, renowned musician, to Clare Twomey, a leading British ceramics and performance artist, as well as Guardian and Observer photographer Suki Dhanda and former Director of Plymouth Arts Centre Bernard Samuels.
