About BIAD

Birmingham Institute of Art and Design (BIAD)

Professor Chris O'Neil, Executive Dean, Birmingham Institute of Art and Design (BIAD)

Birmingham Institute of Art and Design (BIAD) is one of the most established, largest and most significant centres for art, design and architecture education in the world.

We were founded in 1843 with a mission to serve industry and culture in and around the city of Birmingham – which, at that time, was at the centre of the Industrial Revolution. The city and its industrialists knew that in order to add value to their products and to enrich the people of the region, they needed to invest in art and design education. This vision remains at the heart of what we do. The terminology has changed – we now refer to the creative and cultural industries but our students, alumni and staff are still having a huge impact upon business and the arts.

Birmingham and the Midlands have become a centre for high value, design-led production. Triumph Motorcycles, Jaguar Landrover, Denby, and Pashley Cycles are some of the highly successful manufacturing companies that value us and work with us nationally and internationally. We have worked and continue to work with major companies such as and Warner Brothers. We also work with small and medium sized businesses, start-up businesses, and develop research for sectors such as the construction industry, where our architects are examining green design and even the psychology of ‘green’ adoption.

Our involvement with the visual arts extends from staff and students exhibiting in major venues such as the Ikon, the Venice Biennale, the Shanghai Biennale, or working in community based art initiatives across the world. Our Eastside Gallery is a national portfolio organisation for the Arts Council of England, and we chair and coordinate Turning Point, the visual arts strategic body for the West Midlands.

Our students, staff and alumni have a long history of applied research, design and creativity. We are a major centre for the creative and cultural industries and we work with major educational and research partners in the UK, Europe, China, India, Thailand and North America.

When you come to BIAD you will become part of a faculty that respects, supports and shapes your creativity.

Professor Chris O’Neil - Executive Dean, Birmingham Institute of Art and Design