Collaboration, placement and exchanges

Progress your skills by working with local artists and arts organisations, taking part in a short placement, residency or international exchange

In the second year of the programme, there is the opportunity to progress your skills during a short placement or residency with a professional arts organisation or an associated area of research at the University.

Students work across range of interdisciplinary fields as diverse as marine, ecology, social care and curation, creating artwork in response to their residencies and professional placements.

Following is a taste of what some of our students have got up to ...

Working with foster children to create artwork celebrating National Care Day 2021Second-year undergraduates Connor Green and Emma Davis worked with foster children from across England and Ireland to create artwork celebrating National Care Day 2021. The pair designed and ran online workshops with the children, organised through national child care provider, Five Rivers, to inspire them to produce art around the theme of ‘love’.

The children’s work – including a mosaic created from more than 250 hand-drawn portraits – was then exhibited on the University campus through projection onto the walls of its buildings. This innovative event has, in turn, now been used to create a short film that was released for NCD2021.

University press release 'Fine Art students host inspiring workshops with children in care'

The artwork by the foster children was inspired by the theme of 'Love'

Internships at the Levinsky Gallery

Hayley Barker and Hannah Sharpe undertook a six week professional placement with Mary Costello, Arts Exhibition Co-ordinator, in The Levinsky Gallery. Due to lockdown restrictions at the time, the placement was held entirely over Zoom.

Over the six weeks the students were tasked with curating an alternative version of the Plymouth Contemporary 2021. Beginning with in-depth discussions on what needs to be considered before an exhibition can be approved, the two then received a spreadsheet including all of the submissions for the actual exhibition. Undertaking the same process as the official selection panel they gained critical thinking skills and made competent considerations needed during the selection process. The pair created a video reenactment over Zoom of an actual discussion for a piece that divided opinions.

Charlotte Slater also took part in an internship and had the opportunity to get involved with school activities, private views and to meet professionals from across the arts.

"I wanted to gain experience that included arts administration and marketing and to get involved with events in various strands, so not just fine art and exhibitions, but music, performance, lectures, film and festivals."

Find out more about internships with The Bridge

One of the National Care Day pictures projected on campus during a special exhibition of foster children artwork

Screenshot from Hayley and Hannah's video reenactment of an actual discussion for a piece that divided opinion.

Exchange opportunities

We offer annual opportunities to take part in international exchange programmes as well as visiting biennales, exhibitions, and festivals.

"In the second year, I also went on a five-month exchange to the Netherlands. It was great to experience another culture and another school’s way of working. It also felt more independent, like a taste of the artist’s life after university. The second year was much more about developing our own identities as artists and pursuing the practices that interested us."
Alice Benbridge

Talk to your academic exchange advisor and take a look at the e xchange opportunities for Plymouth students webpage.

Get involved with local events and festivals

'Rainbow in the Dark' by Mandala Lighting Ltd at Illuminate 2018, image courtesy of One Plymouth

Illuminate: A spectacular light-based festival

Illuminate is an annual spectacular light festival that connects the Mayflower 400 destinations across the UK and internationally. Plymouth graduates and students have exhibited their work. alongside international artists.

K. Yoland, Still from 'Billboard Premonition (Mojave Desert, California, USA)', 2020, video

The Arts & Culture programme

The University’s year-round programme of contemporary art and culture.