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The Creative Student's Guide to London Art Education and Careers

...for students of art, design, fashion design, photography, film/video, advertising, interior design and other creative fields.

Visit our Complete Directory of
London Art Schools and Art Colleges!

by C.J. Gustafson
ArtSchools.com Contributing Writer

London art schools Romans founded the settlement of what is now London in 50 A.D. The name was taken from "londinios," which in Celtic means "the place of the bold one." Today, the actual city is part of what is known as Greater London, which includes the original city and 32 boroughs, home to over 7 million people packed into 610 sq. miles.

One of the world's great centers of commerce and politics, London claims many world-famous architectural landmarks such as the Tower of London, St. Paul's Cathedral, and Big Ben. Ralph Waldo Emerson described London as "the epitome of our times, and the Rome of today." With over 50 well-known museums and galleries and a host of other arts attractions, London is one of the premier cities in the world in which to study visual arts.

The list of visual arts attractions is far too numerous to describe in detail. Over 60% of all United Kingdom galleries are located in London. A short list of some of the more notable includes the National Gallery, which, according to general consensus, houses the greatest collection of European paintings in the world. The group of Tate museums includes the Tate Modern, which is the biggest modern art gallery, and the Tate Britian. The National Portrait Gallery, the Royal Academy, and the BALTIC (London's international center for contemporary art) are others that are popular with locals and visitors alike.

The Centre of Attention is a non-profit art organization serving as London's alternative gallery for emerging and established contemporary artists, and the Dulwhich Picture Gallery contains a collection of old masters including Rembrandt, Rubens, Poussin, Murillo, and Gainsborough. Finally, an overview of important London art institutions wouldn't be complete without mention of Sotheby's, Christie's, and Bonhams auction houses, which oversee the sales of some of the world's most valuable works of art.

Arts Schools and Programs

According to the London First Centre, there are over 2,300 state-funded schools and 410 private educational institutions. Many of those are schools and colleges that cater specifically to visual art students. Some of them are of special note, such as The Working Men's College, where in 1854 the great John Ruskin taught. The University of the Arts-London consists of five internationally renowned colleges: Camberwell College of Arts, Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, Chelsea College of Art and Design, London College of Communication, and London College of Fashion -- the only UK institution dedicated to fashion.

fine art in London Other arts schools include the American InterContinental University - London, the City and Guild Arts School, Heatherley School of Fine Art, London Academy of Radio, Film and TV, the London International Film School, and London Metropolitan University.

General colleges and universities with arts-related departments include Goldsmiths University of London Visual Arts Department, the Middlesex University Faculty Art Design and Performing Arts, SAE Institute - London Campus Creative Media & Digital Film Programs, University College of London - Bartlett School of Architecture, Building, Environmental Design and Planning, and the University of East London - School of Architecture and the Visual Arts. Students in these colleges and universities can earn degrees in virtually any arts-related subject including art, art history, painting, sculpture, and fine art. They can earn Advertising degrees, Architectural degrees, Interior Design degrees, Graphic Design degrees, and Photography degrees. They can pursue fashion careers, film careers, web design, and a wealth of other opportunities in the visual arts.

Establishments such as the renowned Royal College of Art, the Arts Educational School - London, the Byam Shaw School of Art, Incisiveart, the London Art College, and Monart Drawing School - London provide workshops, internships, post-graduate training, and other types of education in all areas of visual arts.

art education in London Upon completing their studies, London's visual arts students have many possibilities for employment. The city's numerous galleries, studios, museums, and other fine art facilities hire arts graduates, as do other sectors of the economy. The following statistics gathered from the London First website describe the opportunities in several visual arts sectors. The United Kingdom's fashion design industry, centered in London, is the fourth-largest in the world, home to labels like Aquascutum, Paul Smith, and Burberry. Over 27% of the UK's architects are based in London. Some notable firms include HOK International and Richard Rogers Partnership. Advertising is also a large employment sector in London with over 40,000 people employed directly or indirectly in the industry.

As a large metropolitan area with a huge daily influx of people and a lifetime of places and things to see, studying in London can be a bit overwhelming; however, there are many additional web sites specific to the city that contain a host of relevant information for prospective students. The London Guide is one such comprehensive site and London Town is another. For art students in search of an international study experience in one of the world's most historic and culturally significant cities, London is a perfect choice.

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