Art and Design facilities

Located across our Parkside and School of Art campuses, our Art and Design courses are not short of incredible facilities.

In our Parkside building, students have access to cutting-edge facilities that rival those used in industry. At the School of Art, you’ll find light and airy studios, gallery and installation spaces, a fine art library and workshops for wood, metal, plaster, fibreglass, ceramics, digital media, print and photography.

Open Days

Come to a BCU Open Day and explore the facilities for yourself.

School of Art

Mezzanine levels, glass lifts and cutting-edge specialist workspaces sit comfortably beside the original stained glass windows and mosaic floors of our glorious purpose-built School of Art. We’re right in the city centre on Margaret Street, perfectly placed next to the city’s museum and art gallery.

Wood and Metal Workshop

The Wood and Metal workshop gives students access to industry standard machinery, alongside dedicated support from experienced technical staff. Students will have the opportunity to explore techniques with a wide range of tools and specialist equipment for various applications, providing a mix of traditional hand skills for furniture and cabinetmaking as well as metal fabrication, accompanied by high tech computer aided equipment where we are able to CNC for both wood and metal parts. You will gain valuable hands on experience learning a range of processes to produce high quality models, prototypes and products that will build your personal portfolios and skill sets for life outside of university.

CAD Lab

CAD Workshop machinery including 3D printers.

The CAD Lab has 4 Trotec Speedy 400 laser cutters which can cut, etch and raster materials. There are 5 Ultimaker2+ 3D printers, 3 Raise duel head 3D Printers and 2 Formlabs Resin Printers for prototyping and final printing of 3D models.

Digital Print Room

Located within the Digital Print Room are a range of printers which are capable of printing on paper up to A0 width. We have different machines to suit the size and paper type of print job you require, and dedicated technicians on hand to offer guidance and training. Scanners can also be found in this room, including a large Roll Scanner and a Bulk Negative Scanner.

Ceramics Workshop

Ceramics workshop

The Ceramics room is for clay based making and the glazing of ceramic work, we offer slip casting, throwing, coiling and slab building. The ceramics workshop features, a Spray booth for glaze application, Throwing Wheels, Slip casting facilities, including a slip blunger and casting bench, many samples and tools. We have a selection of different clay bodies as well as other materials such as glazes, coloured slips and underglazes available to students. We also have a separate electric kiln room, with two trolly and two front loading kilns for firing work, these are managed by technicians, who are always on hand to manage the area and share their experience and knowledge.

Plaster Workshop

Plaster workshop

In the plaster workshop you can create plaster moulds and models using casting techniques or using the lathes and whirler to turn plaster. We also have a plaster bandsaw and a multitude of tools and plaster additives to create models and manipulate the plaster. We also have a drying cabinet. There is a dedicated technician on hand to manage this area and share their experience and knowledge.

Traditional Print Workshop

This workshop offers a range of traditional printmaking techniques that include screen printing, drypoint, collograph, lino, mono printing, book binding and letter press. It has equipment and facilities that span 3 centuries of craft and traditional practice. The equipment ranges from hot foiling press to vintage hand operated printing presses and gateway print making processes, such as rubber stamping, kitchen lithography and styrene printing. 

Illustration

The Illustration Studio is home to the BA Illustration course and is a large, open plan teaching studio space with two presentation bays, a risograph machine, a printing area, and a sink.

Supplies Shop

BCUSU Art Supplies shop

Visit the campus shop on level three of Parkside, where you can buy an array of art supplies, from paints to brushes and sketchbooks.

Creative Learning Environments

A collage of four communal work spaces in the Parkside building

There are several open spaces throughout Parkside where you are able to work alone or collaboratively. The spaces also double up as a gallery facility, which host exhibitions such as the annual Inspired Festival.

More information

Accommodation

Find your home from home at BCU. We offer eight halls of residence options, ranging from on-campus to inner-city living. You can take a virtual tour of each accommodation option to find the one for you.

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Admissions

Read our admission FAQs to get your application questions answered. If your question isn’t covered, we have all the details of how to get in touch.

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Student Support

From disability and mental health support to CV and job interview training, BCU ensures you have all you need during your time here – and beyond – to succeed and flourish in your studies and career.

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Social Media

Follow our social media channels and discover more about life at BCU, including what the University and city will offer you if you study here.

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Open Days

When possible, the best way to explore what's on offer is to come and see us in person, and we host a number of Open Days throughout the year. Come and be taught by our trailblazing academics and study in our innovative £400m facilities.

Open days