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Plymouth Design Forum supports Graphic Design students
Monday, 20 May, 2024 — Plymouth Design Forum supports BA (Hons) Graphic Design students at Arts University Plymouth by providing industry insights, networking opportunities, and mentoring.
<p dir="ltr">From the labelling in your clothes to the apps on your phone, graphic design impacts every aspect of modern life. BA (Hons) Graphic Design students are part of a new breed of professional designers, learning to empower brands and inspire community action on a global scale, through both traditional and hybrid design approaches.</p>
<p dir="ltr">As a course with a strong commercial and practical focus, our graphic design students benefit from a range of guest lectures, internship and mentoring opportunities from professionals across the graphic design industry. Among these are some of the most ambitious and forward-thinking designers in the South West, represented by <a href="https://plymouthdesignforum.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Plymouth Design Forum (PDF</a>), a Community Interest Company founded by James Edgar and Darren Foley. PDF delivers regular events that bring the city's creative community together to discuss, debate and promote design-thinking in Plymouth. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Darren Foley, also Founder of FLY Brand & Design Consultancy, visited our students to explain the benefits of networking with professional creatives and attending PDF events. Linking to the industry impacts our student's learning experience, giving students valuable insight into the industry. The wider PDF community offers mentoring opportunities to final-year BA (Hons) Graphic Design students during their final projects and regularly join our year groups to deliver talks, crits, advice and networking opportunities.<br /></p>
Darren Foley talking to graphics students about PDF during Welcome Week 2023.
<p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/people/sue-lewry">Sue Lewry</a>, Printmaker and BA (Hons) Graphic Design Lecturer, said: “Plymouth Design Forum offers our students an opportunity to integrate with the local professional design community. Rubbing shoulders with world-renowned designers during events exposes them to develop their understanding and critical thinking about the design world. Our students value the ways that working with PDF expands their experience off-campus and opens doors for them in preparation for internships, interviews and industry before graduating.”</p>
<p dir="ltr">BA (Hons) Graphic Design student Hannah Gray said: “Plymouth Design Forum has had such a positive impact on my personal and professional journey. It’s allowed me to widen my knowledge of the creative community in Plymouth and create connections I never thought I would. It’s an amazingly welcoming space for everyone, there is no pressure to formally network, in most cases it’s just a fun, informal social chat.”</p>
<p dir="ltr">“PDF has also helped me to expand my personal practice by exposing me to new and existing designers, giving me the opportunity to learn from their design and thinking processes. I have learnt so much from my time attending PDF events, my only regret is not attending earlier. I would recommend all creatives to go, learn and socialise, especially students, as it's such an important networking opportunity and you also have fun!”<br /></p>
Photo credit: SBE Photography
<p dir="ltr">This year PDF is launching a new ‘Student of the Year’ award in collaboration with <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/">Arts University Plymouth</a> and <a href="http://plymouth.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Plymouth</a>, to recognise the outstanding talent in Plymouth’s student graphic design community. </p>
<p dir="ltr">The award will be judged independently by members of PDF, rewarding the best emerging talent from each university’s BA (Hons) Graphic Design degree programme, with the two winners receiving a trophy, a two-week internship at a local design firm and a cash prize, providing the perfect kick-start to their future careers.</p>
<p dir="ltr">PDF's community spans a broad spectrum of creativity in Plymouth, and it proudly celebrates everything design-related in the city. PDF founders James Edgar and Darren Foley, with an extended team of volunteers, have hosted evenings with some of the world's most inspiring and iconic creatives, including Anthony Burrill, Jim Sutherland, Marina Willer, Studio Build, Mr Bingo, David Pearson, Supermundane, and artist and designer Morag Myerscough.<br /></p>
Photo credit: Captain Frost Photography
<p dir="ltr">As a collective PDF are passionate about Plymouth and since establishing in 2017, they have made it their focus to elevate design’s value and impact, promote design-thinking and creativity, and provide guidance on projects and initiatives that make a real impact to the city of Plymouth, its student population and its residents.<br /></p>
