Master of Fine Art

The MA Fine Art course is focused on helping students to extend and contextualise their artistic practice, to support and prepare them for how to navigate their career as a professional artist. The course requires students to engage with the world of contemporary art and to interweave this experience with critical theory and relevant cultural debates. Throughout this period of study, students become more confident makers, critical thinkers and researchers, able to contribute to the ever-changing cultural landscape of fine art.

The course is designed to support students to be ambitious in their individual projects, to develop their research skills and a critical awareness of their creative practice. Students are encouraged to extend their professional network to include organisations, individuals, galleries, funders and companies that offer opportunities to support further development of their artistic practice upon graduation. This year’s cohort have been the first to exhibit their work in the new gallery space at the Birley Artist Studios here in Preston, beginning their journey of exhibiting projects, building sustainable networks and contributing to the growing cultural landscape of the city.

This year’s degree show reflects the wide-range of complex global, political, domestic and personal concerns that we all recognise and wrestle with on a daily basis. The artworks engage with and offer new perspectives on pressing issues such as the climate crisis, urban architecture, poverty and class struggle, personal identity, feminism, materiality, colonialism and the impact of AI.

The exhibition reflects the diversity and experience of this year’s cohort and showcases their range of skills and approaches to thinking and making.