Two of the South West’s most respected higher education institutions have worked together to create a unique spin on the traditional arts degree show through a spectacular website connecting graduates to industry that has already seen alumni from both universities employed in a recently completed property development project.
The University of Plymouth and Plymouth College of Art accelerated development of their Ignite Festival, launched in 2019, which promotes students to local business and the city as an emergent hub for the creative community.
Part of the city’s iMayflower project, which is supported by the Cultural Development Fund through Arts Council England, the Ignite Festival’s transformation moved beyond simply recreating a graduate show online. It looked towards developing meaningful industry collaborations that would support graduate employment and local economic growth.
Launched in July, the Ignite Futures website acts as a hub to connect emerging talent from the two leading universities with Plymouth’s creative community, industry and the public to spark productivity and employment. More than 400 final year undergraduates completed a profile and submitted highlights of their work to www.ignitefutures.co.uk and city businesses were quick to react.
Maple Green Property Development, for one, was looking to support graduate development, providing an opportunity for artistic input at a new shared housing project in the city. The project provided a perfect example of what Ignite wants to showcase a lot more of, alongside more traditional festival elements.
Managing director Elliot Cox used the Ignite website to first select and recruit Margarita Tsek, who studied BA (Hons) 3D Design at the University of Plymouth to work alongside him on initial concepts to capture the brand identity – high-end properties for young professionals with strong elements of sustainability. When she delivered on the brief, Elliot returned to the website and engaged two more graduates, Eleanor Bruce, who studied BA (Hons) Painting, Drawing & Printmaking at Plymouth College of Art and Emma Booth, who studied BA (Hons) Photography at the University of Plymouth.
Ian Hutchinson, head of development at Plymouth College of Art, said:
“The relationships we’re building with Plymouth businesses through Ignite are bigger than employer/employee. It’s about exploring the benefits of a creative input on one hand and providing an opportunity for work ready graduates to learn from working professionals on the other.
“The successes this year, and Maple Green is just one of those, in the face of exceptional odds, have inspired everyone. We’re excited to extend Ignite further still next year.”
With life expected to return to some semblance of normality in 2021, the Ignite Festival of Creativity (www.ignitefestivalofcreativity.co.uk) will realise its full potential over the next eight months, and beyond, with showcase events and online technology working in tandem.
