Chelsea College of Arts is a constituent college of the

University of the Arts London University of the Arts London is a collegiate university in London, England, specialising in arts, design, fashion and the performing arts. It is a federation of six arts colleges: Camberwell College of Arts, Central Saint Martins, Chelsea Coll ...

based in London, United Kingdom, and is a leading British art and design institution with an international reputation. It offers further and higher education courses in fine art,

graphic design Graphic design is a profession, academic discipline and applied art whose activity consists in projecting visual communications intended to transmit specific messages to social groups, with specific objectives. Graphic design is an interdiscipli ...

, interior design, spatial design and textile design up to PhD level.

History

Polytechnic

Chelsea College of Arts was originally an integral school of the South-Western Polytechnic, which opened at Manresa Road, Chelsea, in 1895 to provide scientific and technical education to Londoners. Day and evening classes for men and women were held in domestic economy, mathematics, engineering,

natural science Natural science is one of the branches of science concerned with the description, understanding and prediction of natural phenomena, based on empirical evidence from observation and experimentation. Mechanisms such as peer review and repeatab ...

, art and music. Art was taught from the beginning of the Polytechnic, and included design, weaving, embroidery and electrodeposition. The South-Western Polytechnic became the Chelsea Polytechnic in 1922 and taught a growing number of registered students of the University of London. At the beginning of the 1930s, the School of Art began to widen, including courses in craft training and commercial design from 1931. H.S Williamson, the school's appointed headmaster from 1930 to 1958, introduced sculpture shortly after World War II. Notable artists from this period were employed as teachers such as

Henry Moore Henry Spencer Moore (30 July 1898 – 31 August 1986) was an English artist. He is best known for his semi- abstract monumental bronze sculptures which are located around the world as public works of art. As well as sculpture, Moore produced ...

and Graham Sutherland. Alumni from this period included Elisabeth Frink, Edward Burra, Patrick Caulfield, Ethel Walker,

Dirk Bogarde Sir Dirk Bogarde (born Derek Jules Gaspard Ulric Niven van den Bogaerde; 28 March 1921 – 8 May 1999) was an English actor, novelist and screenwriter. Initially a matinée idol in films such as ''Doctor in the House'' (1954) for the Rank Organ ...

, Robert Clatworthy, John Latham and John Berger. The School of Science separated and became known as the Chelsea College of Science and Technology in 1957, and was later admitted as a constituent College of the University of London in 1966. The Chelsea College of Science and Technology was granted its Royal Charter in 1971 and merged with

King's College London King's College London (informally King's or KCL) is a public research university located in London, England. King's was established by royal charter in 1829 under the patronage of King George IV and the Duke of Wellington. In 1836, King's ...

and

Queen Elizabeth College Queen Elizabeth College (QEC) was a college in London. It had its origins in the Ladies' (later Women's) Department of King's College, London, England, opened in 1885 but later accepted men as well. The first King's 'extension' lectures for l ...

in 1985.

Chelsea School of Art

The School of Art merged with the Hammersmith School of Art, founded by Francis Hawke, to form the Chelsea School of Art in 1908. The newly formed school was taken over by the London County Council and a new building erected at Lime Grove, which opened with an extended curriculum. A trade school for girls was erected on the same site in 1914. The school acquired premises at Great Titchfield Street, and was jointly accommodated with Quintin Hogg's Polytechnic in

Regent Street Regent Street is a major shopping street in the West End of London. It is named after George, the Prince Regent (later George IV) and was laid out under the direction of the architect John Nash and James Burton. It runs from Waterloo Place ...

(a forerunner of the University of Westminster). The campus at Manresa Road introduced painting and

in 1963, with both disciplines being particularly successful. During this period, Chelsea had the highest enrolment of fine art students in any school of its kind in the country, producing many notable artists such as Ossip Zadkine, Mark Gertler and Paul Nash. Lawrence Gowing, painter and

art historian Art history is the study of aesthetic objects and visual expression in historical and stylistic context. Traditionally, the discipline of art history emphasized painting, drawing, sculpture, architecture, ceramics and decorative arts; yet today ...

, was appointed as the first headmaster of the Chelsea School of Art. He was responsible for the integration of history and theory with practice, employing artists rather than art historians to teach art history and theory. This approach remains intrinsic to Chelsea's teaching philosophy today. Under Gowing, an option programme was introduced, which encompassed workshops in experimental music, poetry, psychoanalysis, philosophy and anthropology. A basic design course, pioneered by Victor Pasmore and Richard Hamilton, was also developed during the same period, becoming the basis of the college's current foundation course in art and design. Professor William Callaway (Head of School from 1989 to 1992), Colin Cina (appointed Dean of School of Art), and Bridget Jackson (Dean of School of Design): These three reformed the school and ensured the redevelopment of the entire academic program, introducing courses at multiple levels from

HND HND or H&D may refer to: Transport * Haneda Airport, serving Tokyo, Japan * Hanborough railway station, in England * Henderson Executive Airport, in Nevada, United States * Hinterland Aviation, an Australian airline Other uses * Croatian Journ ...

to accredited Honours and Postgraduate degrees. Initially, these were validated by the UK Council for National Academic Awards; i.e. in the short period prior to the London Institute gaining degree-awarding powers. Bridget Jackson was appointed Head of College in 1993, retiring in 1997 to be succeeded by Professor Colin Cina who led the college until his retirement in 2003.

London Institute

The Chelsea School of Art became a constituent College of the London Institute in 1986, formed by the Inner London Education Authority to associate London's art, design, fashion and media schools into a collegiate structure. The school was renamed Chelsea College of Art and Design in 1989. The London Institute was granted University status and was renamed University of the Arts London in 2004. In 2013, the college was renamed Chelsea College of Arts. In 2002–2003, Professor Roger Wilson was appointed as the Head of College until his retirement in 2006. He led the relocation to the listed

Royal Army Medical College The Royal Army Medical College (RAMC) was located on a site south of the Tate Gallery (now known as Tate Britain) on Millbank, in Westminster, London, overlooking the River Thames. The college moved from the site in 1999 and the buildings are no ...

, renovated as a purpose-built art college by the architects Allies and Morrison in 2005. With this move, the Chelsea College of Arts presently resides next to Tate Britain at

Millbank Millbank is an area of central London in the City of Westminster. Millbank is located by the River Thames, east of Pimlico and south of Westminster. Millbank is known as the location of major government offices, Burberry headquarters, the Millb ...

, returning to one standalone campus.

Exhibition

The college comprises three notable on-site exhibition spaces: #Chelsea Space is an international and interdisciplinary platform for professional practitioners to exhibit experimental curatorial projects. The gallery also releases regular publications from participating

authors An author is the writer of a book, article, play, mostly written work. A broader definition of the word "author" states: "''An author is "the person who originated or gave existence to anything" and whose authorship determines responsibility f ...

, artists and designers. #The Parade Ground, situated within the college, has been transformed into London's largest open-air gallery hosting events from film screenings to large scale installations in spring 2008. The exhibition ground had previously been used for students and professionals as an open area platform, notably artist

Chris Burden Christopher Lee Burden (April 11, 1946 – May 10, 2015) was an American artist working in performance, sculpture and installation art. Burden became known in the 1970s for his performance art works, including ''Shoot'' (1971), where he arranged ...

's 'A Flying Steamroller' in 2006. Recent exhibitions include

Cildo Meireles Cildo Meireles (born 1948) is a Brazilian conceptual artist, installation artist and sculptor. He is noted especially for his installations, many of which express resistance to political oppression in Brazil. These works, often large and dense, en ...

's 'Occasion', held in association with his exhibition at Tate Modern in 2008. #The Triangle Gallery, pertaining to its name, has been designed as a modern angular shaped space for students to show their work throughout the year.

Research

The college organises its research activities in partnership with Camberwell College of Arts and Wimbledon College of Art hosts a variety of research centres, groups and clusters: # International Centre for Fine Art Research (ICFAR) # Transnational Art, Identity and Nation (TrAIN) # Critical Practice Chelsea # FADE (Fine Art Digital Environment) # Textiles, Environment, Design (TED)

Affiliations

Chelsea is a constituent college of the

, with Camberwell College of Arts, Central Saint Martins, London College of Communication,

London College of Fashion The London College of Fashion is a constituent college of the University of the Arts London, in London, England. It offers undergraduate, postgraduate, short courses, study abroad courses and business-training in fashion, make-up, beauty-therap ...

and Wimbledon College of Art. The college also has exchange links with the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, US.

Other

CLIP CETL

Chelsea and the

share the 'Creative Learning in Practice Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning' (CLIP CETL). The centre is funded by the British government in recognition of the two colleges' excellent results in developing student learning.

Notable alumni

Valerie Adler Valerie Adler is a South African-born painter and designer. Biography Valerie Adler was born in South Africa and moved to England at the age of seventeen to study interior design at the Inchbald School of Design. In 1977, after twelve years in B ...

(painter) *

Anthea Alley Anthea Alley (1927–1993) was a British sculptor and artist. She was born in Malaya in 1927, and lived in Australia and South Africa during the Second World War. In 1944 she moved to London with her family and studied painting at the Regent St ...

(sculptor) * Rita Angus (painter) *

Sophie Aston Sophie Aston (born 23 June 1970) is a British painter, noted for her landscapes. Biography Aston was born in East Molesey, Southwest London. She took her Foundation Diploma in 1990-91 at Wimbledon School of Art before taking her BA Hons in Fine ...

(painter) *

Franko B Franko B (born in Milan in 1960) is an Italian performance artist based in London, where he has lived since 1979. He studied fine art at Camberwell College of Arts (1986–87), Chelsea College of Art (1987–90) and the Byam Shaw School of Art (19 ...

(artist) *

Gwen Barnard Gwen Barnard (1912–1988) was a British artist notable for her ability as a painter and printmaker. Biography Barnard studied at the Chelsea School of Art between 1931 and 1935 and then at the Euston Road School in 1937 and 1938. Although her ...

(painter, printmaker) *

Celia Frances Bedford Celia Frances Bedford (11 February 1904 – 23 February 1959) was a British artist, notable for her portrait and figure paintings plus her work as a lithographer. Biography Bedford was born in Kensington in west London into an artistic family, ...

(painter, printmaker) * John Berger (art critic, novelist, painter and author) *

Quentin Blake Sir Quentin Saxby Blake, (born 16 December 1932) is an English cartoonist, caricaturist, illustrator and children's writer. He has illustrated over 300 books, including 18 written by Roald Dahl, which are among his most popular works. For his ...

(children's illustrator) *

Flavia Blois Flavia Ria Joan Blois, later Baroness Burntwood, (28 December 191428 March 1980) was a British landscape artist. Biography Blois was born at Cockfield Hall at Yoxford in Suffolk into the Blois family. Her father was Sir Ralph Barrett MacNaghte ...

, painter * Delphine Boël, (papier-mâché sculptor) *

(actor and author) *

Irene Mary Browne Irene Mary F.C. Browne (14 September 1881 – 27 June 1977) was a British artist known for her sculptures and pottery. Biography Browne was born in Fulham in London in September 1881. She attended the Croydon School of Art and the Westminster ...

(sculptor, potter) * Kathleen Browne (painter) * Edward Burra (painter, draughtsman and printmaker) *

Stephen J. Bury Stephen John Bury (born 12 May 1954) is an English art historian and the Andrew W. Mellon Chief Librarian of the Frick Art Reference Library in New York City. He is known for his scholarship on artists' books, although his research interests also ...

(author, art critic, curator and librarian) * Jane Campion (film director and 1993 Palme d'Or winner) *

Seth Cardew Seth Cardew (11 November 1934 – 2 February 2016) was an English studio potter. He was the eldest son of fellow potter Michael Cardew and the brother of the composer Cornelius Cardew. Cardew was born in Winchcombe, Gloucestershire. He began ...

(Studio potter) * Anthony Caro (abstract sculptor) *

Leonora Carrington Mary Leonora Carrington (6 April 191725 May 2011) was a British-born Mexican artist, surrealist painter, and novelist. She lived most of her adult life in Mexico City and was one of the last surviving participants in the surrealist movement of ...

(painter) * Patrick Caulfield (painter and printmaker) * Helen Chadwick (1987 Turner Prize nominee) * Georgina Chapman (actress, model and designer) * Alex Chinneck (artist) * Alexa Chung (model, presenter) * Robert Clatworthy (sculptor) * Michal Cole (artist) * Andrew Collins (broadcaster and journalist) *

Keith Coventry Keith Coventry is a British artist and curator.Burgess, John, Coventry, Keith, Hale, Matt, Noble, Paul, Owen, Peter. "City Racing: The Life and Times of an Artist-Run Gallery ardcover. Black Dog Publishing Ltd; illustrated edition (11 November ...

(painter, sculptor, curator) * John Craxton (Neo-Romantic artist) *

Michael Cummings Arthur Stuart Michael Cummings OBE (born Leeds, Yorkshire, 1 June 1919, died London, 9 October 1997) was a British newspaper cartoonist. Gifford, Dennis,Obituary: Michael Cummings, ''The Independent''. 11 October 1997. Retrieved 28 February 2020 ...

(cartoonist) * Richard Deacon (sculptor, 1987 Turner Prize winner) *

Andy Denzler Andy Denzler (born 3 August 1965) is a Swiss artist. His distinctive technique of distorting the freshly applied surface of his paintings has shaped his entire oeuvre in painting, printmaking, sculpture and drawing. Life and works Denzler was b ...

(painter) * Tom Dixon (industrial designer) * Mary Dobson (painter, illustrator) *

Peter Doig Peter Doig ( ; born 17 April 1959) is a Scottish painter. One of the most renowned living figurative painters, he has settled in Trinidad since 2002. In 2007, his painting ''White Canoe'' sold at Sotheby's for $11.3 million, then an auction rec ...

(painter) *

Mojeb al-Dousari Mojeb al-Dousari (1922–1956, Arabic: معجب عبدالله محمد عبدالله الدوسري) was a Kuwaiti artist and draughtsman. He is regarded by many artists and academics as the founder of portrait art in the region. al-Dousari atte ...

(Kuwaiti artist) *

Guy Hendrix Dyas Guy Hendrix Dyas (born 20 August 1968) is a British American production designer. He collaborated with Christopher Nolan on his science fiction thriller ''Inception'' which earned him an Academy Award nomination as well as a BAFTA Award for Best ...

(designer) *

Cathie Felstead Cathie Felstead, born 1954 in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, in the UK, is an English illustrator. Early life and education Felstead attended Chelsea School of Art where she gained a BA in graphic design. She then studied illustration a ...

(illustrator) *

Nicholas Ferguson Nicholas Ferguson (born 2 June 1938) is an English artist and television director. Education Born in London, Ferguson's artistic career started at the Chelsea College of Art before moving on to University College London's Slade School of Art. ...

(television director and artist) * Ralph Fiennes (actor) *

Rose Finn-Kelcey Rose Finn-Kelcey (4 March 1945 – 13 February 2014) was a British artist, born in Northampton. Finn-Kelcey grew up in Buckinghamshire as part of a large farming family, and went on to study at Ravensbourne College of Art and Design, and later ...

(artist) *

Jacky Fleming Jacky Fleming (born 1955, London) is an English cartoonist, whose work first became known through her pre-internet social activism postcards. Biography Fleming studied a foundation course at the Chelsea School of Art, followed by a Fine Art deg ...

(cartoonist) * Emily Forbes (entrepreneur) *

Laura Ford Laura Ford (born 6 February 1961) in Cardiff, Wales is a British sculptor. Early life Growing up in a travelling fairground family, Ford was educated at Stonar School in Wiltshire, and then at Bath Academy of Art from 1978 to 1982, while spe ...

(sculptor) * Elisabeth Frink (sculptor and printmaker) * Nick Gammon (artist) *

Grace Golden Grace Lydia Golden (2 April 1904 – 3 June 1993) was an English illustrator and historian. Raised in London, she began illustrating books in the early 1930s and began painting exhibition pieces after becoming the recipient of a small legacy in ...

(painter) *

Flavia Irwin Flavia Irwin, Lady de Grey (15 December 1916 – 1 August 2009) was a British painter and Royal Academician. She was born on 15 December 1916 in London to Lieutenant-Colonel Clinton de la Cherois Irwin, M.C., of the Manchester Regiment, and his ...

(artist) *

Nicky Hoberman Nicky Hoberman (born 1967) is a South African-born, London-based fine artist/painter whose style includes the use of photorealism combined with caricature, and illogical figures on a background of flat, even spaces. Early life and education N ...

(painter) * David Hockney (artist) * Bob Holmes (artist and designer) *

Nancy Horrocks Nancy Horrocks née Kitchin (1900–1989) was a British artist, notable for the abstract paintings she created in the 1960s. Biography Horrocks was born at Compton in Hampshire and attended Winchester High School. She went on to study at the C ...

(painter) * Tom Jenkinson (musician) *

Vivien John Vivien John (8 March 1915 – 20 May 1994) was a British artist known for her paintings. Biography Vivien John was born at Alderney Manor in Dorset, the daughter of Dorelia McNeill and the artist Augustus John; she would be the last of their fo ...

(painter) * Anish Kapoor (1991 Turner Prize winner) * John Latham (conceptual artist) *

Elizabeth Jane Lloyd Elizabeth Jane Lloyd (14 July 1928 – 20 October 1995) was a British artist and teacher. As an artist she worked in oils and watercolours, produced murals and also painted film sets. Biography Lloyd was born in London to a well-connected artis ...

(painter, teacher) *

Maria Marshall Maria Marshall is an English/Swiss artist (born 1966, India). In the late 1990s, she became known for her video work, working mostly with children. Her recent works include "''Thought",'' an alter ego character who can infiltrate the mind and rep ...

(artist) *

Ryuson Chuzo Matsuyama was a Japanese watercolour landscape artist who worked in England during the first half of the 20th century. Biography Ryuson Chuzo Matsuyama was born in Aomori Prefecture, Aomori, Japan in 1880.The Japanese Community in Pre-War Britain: From Int ...

(painter) * Paul McDowell (vocalist with The Temperance Seven, actor) *

Ian McKay Ian John McKay, VC (7 May 1953 – 12 June 1982) was a British Army soldier and a posthumous recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. Bor ...

(writer) *

Steve McQueen Terrence Stephen McQueen (March 24, 1930November 7, 1980) was an American actor. His antihero persona, emphasized during the height of the counterculture of the 1960s, made him a top box-office draw for his films of the late 1950s, 1960s, and 1 ...

(1999 Turner Prize winner, Academy Award-winning director, producer, screenwriter) *

Ursula Merchant Ursula may refer to: * Ursula (name), feminine name and a list of people and fictional characters with the name * ''Ursula'' (album), an album by American jazz pianist Mal Waldron *Ursula (crater), a crater on Titania, a moon of Uranus *Ursula (det ...

(cutlery) *

Haroon Mirza Haroon Mirza (born 1977) is a British contemporary visual artist, of Pakistani descent. He is best known for sculptural installations that generate audio compositions. Early life and education Mirza was born in 1977 in London, England. He is ...

(artist) *

Otonella Mocellin Ottonella Mocellin (born 1966 in Milan) is an Italian photographer and video artist based in Milan. Mocellin works with text, sound installation, performance and site specific projects. Her work is based on issues of identity and human relationsh ...

(artist) *

Christopher Monger Christopher Monger (born 1950, in Taffs Well, Cardiff, Wales) is a Welsh screenwriter, director and editor, best known for writing and directing ''The Englishman who Went up a Hill but Came down a Mountain'' and writing the HBO biopic ''Temple G ...

(writer, film director) * Nicholas Monro (pop art sculptor; also returned as a teacher at Chelsea) *

Mariko Mori is a Japanese multidisciplinary artist. She is known for her photographs and videos of her hybridized future self, often presented in various guises and featuring traditional Japanese motifs. Her work often explores themes of technology, spirit ...

(artist) *

Jill Mulleady Jill Mulleady is an artist. She was born in Montevideo, Uruguay and grew up in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She moved to London to study at Chelsea School of Art, in 2007–09, where she received a Master of Fine Arts. She lives and work in Los Angele ...

(painter) * David Nash (sculptor) * Paul Nash (war artist) * Mike Nelson (2001 and 2007 Turner Prize nominee) *

Karen Newman Karen Newman is a professional singer based in Detroit, Michigan and was the anthem singer of the Detroit Red Wings for more than 30 years. Biography Newman was raised in the Michigan towns of Rochester and Grand Blanc, and was a 1978 gradua ...

(sculptor) *

Lucia Nogueira Lucia Nogueira (1950–1998) was a Brazilian artist specialising in sculptures and installations, video works and drawings. Her work often alluded to the body and was concerned with the relationship between objects and language. Biography Nogue ...

(artist) * Rupert Norfolk (sculptor) *

Diarmuid Byron O'Connor Diarmuid Byron O'Connor (born 7 December 1964) is a British artist, best known for his sculpture. He attended the John Fisher School in Purley, with presenter Matthew Wright. In 1984, he started at art college in Bristol. In 1986 he ...

(sculptor and art director) * Chris Ofili (1998 Turner Prize winner) * John O'Neill (video game designer) *

Alex Randall Alex Randall (born in 1982, London) is a British lighting designer and artist. She is probably best known for her use of unconventional materials in large-scale chandeliers, such as taxidermy rawhide and salvaged materials. Her studio is based ...

(lighting designer) * Nick Raynsford (Member of Parliament) * James Richards (2014 Turner Prize nominee) * Alan Rickman (actor) * Barbara Robb (campaigner) * Trevor Robinson (creative director) *

Anthony Rossiter Anthony Rossiter RWA MSIAD was a British landscape painter who was educated at Eton Eton most commonly refers to Eton College, a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England. Eton may also refer to: Places *Eton, Berkshire, a town in Berkshire, En ...

(artist) *

Andrew Sabin Andrew Sabin (born 1958, London, England) is a British sculptor. He studied at Chelsea College of Art (1979–1983) where he worked as a senior lecturer until 2006. Life and work A pioneering experimental object maker until 1989, his debut ex ...

(artist, sculptor) * Alexei Sayle (comedian and actor) * Conrad Shawcross (artist) *

Clare Shenstone Clare Noel Shenstone (born 27 October 1948) is an English artist. She is considered notable for her cloth relief heads and her figure drawings. Her portraits hang in some major British collections including the National Portrait Gallery and the ...

(portrait painter) * Jake Tilson (artist) * Winston Tong (ceramics) * Suzanne Treister (artist) * Gavin Turk (artist) *

Rosemary Vercoe Rosemary Joyce Vercoe (29 April 1917 – 28 July 2013) was a British actress and costume designer, perhaps best known for being a long-term collaborator with Jonathan Miller on his opera and theatre productions. Early life She was born on 29 Apr ...

(costume designer) * Ethel Walker (painter) * Mark Wallinger (2007 Turner Prize winner) *

Rebecca Warren Rebecca Jane Warren (born 1965) is a British visual artist and sculptor,"Rebecca Warren RA"
Royal Aca ...

(2006 Turner Prize nominee) *

Richard Wathen Richard Llewelyn Wathen is a British painter born in 1971. He lives in Norfolk in England. Wathen graduated with a BA in Fine Art Painting from Winchester School of Art in 1995 and received an MA in Fine Art from the Chelsea School of Art in 19 ...

(painter) * Gillian Wearing (1997 Turner Prize winner) * Chris Welsby (experimental filmmaker) * Claudia Williams (painter) * Fred Williams (Australian painter) * Emily Young (stone sculptor) * Ossip Zadkine (artist, sculptor)

Notable staff

* Robert Buhler (1916–1989)ARTIST: ROBERT BUHLER R.A.
blondesfineart.com, accessed 26 November 2021.

References

External links

*
Chelsea Space
{{Coord, 51.49039, N, 0.12892, W, source:placeopedia, display=title Art schools in London University of the Arts London Educational institutions established in 1895 1895 establishments in England Former colleges of the University of London Arts organizations established in 1908 Grade II listed buildings in the City of Westminster Pimlico