Arts, Design and Media Round-up #2

There's been a lot going on in the faculty of Arts, Design and Media this month, from live projects with big-name brands, to a very special medal awards ceremony.

1. Fashion Branding and Communication students work on live brief with SilkFred

As part of their course work, Fashion Branding and Communication students had the exciting opportunity to work with fashion brand SilkFred on a live brief. Students were then invited to pitch to the part of the SilkFred team, earning the opportunity to take part in a placement with them and shadowing the team. 

Read more about their experience.

2. Awarding our BCU healthcare heroes with School of Jewellery designed medals

Designed by lecturer and jeweller Dauvit Alexander from the University’s internationally renowned School of Jewellery, bespoke medals were created to recognise the efforts of students who worked on the NHS frontline during the height of the pandemic, as well as their teachers and healthcare sector colleagues.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Philip Plowden said: "The NHS and its workforce was under unprecedented pressure, and we are all indebted to each and every one of our students and those we work with as partners in the NHS for rising to such unimaginable challenge, working tirelessly to save lives."

3. Media Production graduate bags win at the Student Radio Awards

Recent Media Production graduate Kattiea Devereux-Ward has won the Gold award for Best Podcast Programming at the Student Radio Awards for her two-part radio documentary called Women Behind the Wheel, which focuses on women in motorsports. The purpose of the podcast is to highlight the lack of diversity and the issues women face in the industry while showcasing some of the companies and people making positive changes. 

Kattiea said: “It is absolutely surreal to have won! I am so proud as this is such a huge achievement. I would like to thank everyone at Scratch Radio, BCU, BCUSU, and everyone who has been involved with Women Behind the Wheel. To win during Women in Motorsport Month as well is just amazing!”

4. School of Jewellery lecturer collaborates on queer metalwork project

{Queer} + {Metals} is a Craftspace exhibition co-curated by its Director Deirdre Figueiredo and Dauvit Alexander, artist and tutor at BCU's School of Jewellery in collaboration with artist Rebekah Frank. The exhibition, which opened on the 12^t November at Midlands Arts Centre in Birmingham, uses the lens of metalworking to explore the multiplicity of queerness – whether as identity, lived experiences, thinking, cultures, aesthetic, influences, stories, place, and imagination – in relation to metalwork and metalsmithing.

The exhibition is open until 2 April 2023.

5. Harvey Nichols guest lecture for MA Cosmetics, Branding and Promotion students

Rebecca Jukes, PR and Marketing Manager for Harvey Nichols Birmingham, joined MA Cosmetics, Branding and Promotion students to give a guest lecture on the basics of PR strategies employed by beauty establishments. Students got an insight into how the brand works with influencers, the importance of engagement and PR events.

Students who participated in the lecture, Rhea Sugwekar | Hetvi Sachdev, said: “When it comes to our own practice, the lecture gave us a more industry-led, global outlook towards designing and marketing any future campaigns. Integrated marketing has always been crucial to the world of cosmetic branding but utilizing unique and dynamic methods of boosting one’s campaign is a tip we’ll keep in our minds while crafting our projects.”