<p dir="ltr">From cutting-edge fashion design and innovative material practices to timeless costume production and otherworldly concept art, creative graduates are showcased the culmination of their work at Arts University Plymouth in the <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/class-of-2023">Summer Shows 2023</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">In no particular order, we created a roundup of some of the standout graduates to look out for at the Summer Shows 2023 and beyond. <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/posts/class-of-2023-ones-to-watch-from-arts-university-plymouths-2023-summer-shows">Join us in celebrating a new wave of creative talent and read more about the Ones to Watch here.</a></p>

<p dir="ltr">Our <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/foundation-diploma-in-art-and-design-post-a-level">Foundation Diploma in Art &amp; Design</a> enables students to develop their process of thinking and making in a vibrant and diverse creative environment. This is an exciting and immersive course for post-16 study that prepares students for degree-level study in the creative arts.</p> <p dir="ltr">Work from the Arts University Plymouth Pre-Degree &amp; Sixth Form campus of specialist post-16 courses was shown by <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/courses/pre-degree/foundation-diploma-in-art-and-design-post-a-level">Foundation Diploma in Art &amp; Design</a> students, with their Summer Show open in Palace Studios from Friday 26 to Friday 31 May, showcasing the work they have created over the last eight months.</p>

<p dir="ltr">Our <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/study/pre-degree">Extended Diploma courses</a> are specialist post-16 study programmes that offer ambitious creatives a dedicated sixth form campus to develop their unique perspective, meet like minded people and gain the sought-after skills necessary to progress onto degree-level study or industry.<br /></p>

<p>The Pre-Degree Summer Show for A-Level-equivalent <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/study/pre-degree">Extended Diploma in Creative Practice</a> students ran from Friday 2 June to Thursday 8 June just down the road at Palace Court, midway between the Barcode and the Barbican.</p>

<p dir="ltr">Our <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/level-0-extended-degrees">Extended BA</a> is the first year of a four-year degree course. This four-year route offers an exploratory year, where students develop an insight into a range of art, design and media skills and approaches, before progressing onto a specialist degree of their choice.</p> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/level-0-extended-degrees">Extended BA</a> students who completed their first exploratory year hosted their Summer Show from Monday 12 to Monday 19 June in our main Tavistock Place campus, showcasing a variety of work across many mediums.</p>

<p dir="ltr">Arts University Plymouth’s Tavistock Place campus, between The Box and Drake Circus, was open to members of the public from Friday 23 June to Thursday 29 June 2023 for the main undergraduate <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/class-of-2023">Summer Shows</a>.<br /></p>

<p>This once-a-year opportunity allowed family, friends, members of the public and potential employers to look around the university and see examples of the very best work created by graduating students completing a wide range of creative qualifications, from <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/ba-hons-interior-design">BA (Hons) Interior Design &amp; Styling</a> and <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/ba-hons-costume-production">BA (Hons) Costume Production</a> to <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/ba-hons-film-screen-arts">BA (Hons) Film</a> and <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/ba-hons-photography">BA (Hons) Photography</a>.</p>

<p dir="ltr">Finally, at the end of the summer, graduating Masters students from Arts University Plymouth will showcase a variety of exciting and dynamic postgraduate projects at the Masters Summer Show, which runs from Thursday 31 August to Thursday 7 September in <a href="https://mirrorplymouth.com/">MIRROR</a>.<br /></p>

<p dir="ltr">Each year, as part of our Summer Shows, the university recognises the outstanding achievements of students. During our season of events for Summer Shows, the following awards were presented to a selection of Pre-Degree, Undergraduate and Postgraduate students:</p><ul><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">The <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/posts/award-winners-from-the-summer-shows-2023#board-of-governors-award">Board of Governors Awards</a> highlight and celebrate the outstanding achievement of students who have overcome obstacles to educational achievement, raised the profile of the university, and demonstrated a significant contribution to university life.</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">The <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/posts/award-winners-from-the-summer-shows-2023#vice-chancellors-commendation">Vice-Chancellor's Commendation Awards</a> recognise outstanding creative and academic achievement, alongside a sustained contribution to the university community, where the student has produced high-quality work, made significant progress, and made a positive contribution to the programme through excellent studentship.</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">The <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/posts/award-winners-from-the-summer-shows-2023#deans-award">Dean’s Award</a> recognise work of outstanding quality, judged on the work to be exhibited in graduate shows.</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">The Graduate Employability Award recognises a graduating Level 6 (undergraduate) student who has demonstrated sustained engagement with their personal and professional development throughout their studies, building outstanding transferable and employability skills. The award is nominated by course leaders.</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">The Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Award recognises a graduating Level 6 student, who in addition to demonstrating sustained engagement with their creative practice, is already operating in a professional capacity, for example; working as a freelancer, selling their work or having work published or exhibited. This award seeks to provide a valuable helping hand to an aspiring creative entrepreneur, and the winner of this award will be provided with a place in Workroom, Arts University Plymouth's new business incubation space. Level 6 (undergraduate) students will be invited to nominate themselves for this award.</p></li></ul><p><a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/posts/award-winners-from-the-summer-shows-2023">You can read more about the Summer Shows 2023 award ceremony and winners here.</a><br /></p>

<p dir="ltr">Arts University Plymouth was voted by students as the top arts university in the UK for overall student satisfaction in the National Student Survey (NSS) 2022, voted by students as first place in the Small or Specialist Institution at the annual Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2022 and second place in 2023 and shortlisted for Company of the Year in the National Sustainability Awards 2022.<br /></p>