Edinburgh College of Art (ECA) is one of eleven schools in the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at the

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...

. Tracing its history back to 1760, it provides

higher education Higher education is tertiary education leading to award of an academic degree. Higher education, also called post-secondary education, third-level or tertiary education, is an optional final stage of formal learning that occurs after compl ...

in art and design, architecture, history of art, and music disciplines for over three thousand students and is at the forefront of research and research-led teaching in the creative arts, humanities, and creative technologies. ECA comprises five subject areas: School of Art, Reid School of Music, School of Design, School of History of Art, and Edinburgh School of Architecture & Landscape Architecture (ESALA). ECA is mainly located in the

Old Town In a city or town, the old town is its historic or original core. Although the city is usually larger in its present form, many cities have redesignated this part of the city to commemorate its origins after thorough renovations. There are ma ...

of Edinburgh, overlooking the

Grassmarket The Grassmarket is a historic market place, street and event space in the Old Town of Edinburgh, Scotland. In relation to the rest of the city it lies in a hollow, well below surrounding ground levels. Location The Grassmarket is located direct ...

; the Lauriston Place campus is located in the

's Central Area Campus, not far from

George Square George Square ( gd, Ceàrnag Sheòrais) is the principal civic square in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. It is one of six squares in the city centre, the others being Cathedral Square, St Andrew's Square, St Enoch Square, Royal Exchange S ...

. The college was founded in 1760, and gained its present name and site in 1907. Formerly associated with

Heriot-Watt University Heriot-Watt University ( gd, Oilthigh Heriot-Watt) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. It was established in 1821 as the School of Arts of Edinburgh, the world's first mechanics' institute, and subsequently granted uni ...

, its degrees have been issued by the

since 2004. The college formally merged with the university on 1 August 2011, combining with the School of Arts, Culture and Environment and continues to exist with the name Edinburgh College of Art as an enlarged school in the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.

History

Edinburgh College of Art (ECA) can trace its history back to 1760, when the Trustees Drawing Academy of Edinburgh was established by the Board of Trustees for Fisheries, Manufactures and Improvements in Scotland. This board had been set up by Act of Parliament in 1727 to "encourage and promote the fisheries or such other manufactures and improvements in Scotland as may most conduce to the general good of the United Kingdom". The aim of the academy was to train designers for the manufacturing industries. Drawing and the design of patterns for the textile industries were taught at the Academy's rooms at Picardy Place. The board was responsible for the construction of the Royal Institution (named for the Royal Institution for the Encouragement of the Fine Arts in Scotland), now the Royal Scottish Academy building, on

The Mound The Mound is an artificial slope in central Edinburgh, Scotland, which connects Edinburgh's New and Old Towns. It was formed by dumping around 1,501,000 cartloads of earth excavated from the foundations of the New Town into Nor Loch which was ...

and also commissioned the

Scottish National Portrait Gallery The Scottish National Portrait Gallery is an art museum on Queen Street, Edinburgh. The gallery holds the national collections of portraits, all of which are of, but not necessarily by, Scots. It also holds the Scottish National Photography Co ...

on Queen Street. From 1826, classes were held at the Royal Institution building. The master of the school was always a fine artist, the first being French painter William Delacour. Subsequent masters included

Alexander Runciman Alexander Runciman (15 August 1736 – 4 October 1785) was a Scottish people, Scottish painter of historical and mythological subjects. He was the elder brother of John Runciman, also a painter. Life He was born in Edinburgh, and studied at ...

and David Allan. The academy's focus gradually shifted from applied arts to encompass fine art, and the school gained a reputation for excellence in both painting and design. Scottish artists who were trained at the Academy include John Brown,

Alexander Nasmyth Alexander is a male given name. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history. Variants listed here are Aleksandar, Al ...

and Andrew Wilson. In 1858, the academy was affiliated to the

Science and Art Department The Science and Art Department was a British government body which functioned from 1853 to 1899, promoting education in art, science, technology and design in Britain and Ireland. Background The Science and Art Department was created as a subdivis ...

in London, known as the "

South Kensington system South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþa ...

", under which it became the Government School of Art for the city of Edinburgh. A School of Applied Art was also established under this system. The Drawing School became part of a system of schools managed on similar lines, and distinctive teaching practices were lost. In 1903 it amalgamated with the School of Applied Art. In 1907, the Scottish Education Department took over responsibility for the school, and it became Edinburgh College of Art. ECA was officially recognised by the Scottish Government as a Small Specialist Institution for the teaching of art, design and architecture prior to the merger with University of Edinburgh in 2011. From 1968 it was associated with

for degree awarding purposes but the validation agreement with Heriot-Watt University was due to end in 2012. In 2004 ECA partnered with the

for degree awarding purposes, an Academic Federation Agreement to facilitate closer collaboration was put in place between the two institutions in 2007 and they merged in 2011. At the time the merger plan was announced in January 2011, Scottish Government Education Secretary Mike Russell criticised the financial management of ECA. The joint

Edinburgh School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture The Edinburgh School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (ESALA) is part of Edinburgh College of Art at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. The school was ranked 5th in the UK in the 2013 Guardian University Guide and 4th in the C ...

(ESALA) formed in August 2009 as a joint venture between ECA and the University of Edinburgh. The first professorship in an ECA subject area was the

Reid Professor of Music The Reid Professorship in Music was a position founded within the University of Edinburgh in 1839 using funds provided in a bequest from General John Reid. History On his death in 1807 General John Reid left a fortune of more than £50,000. Subj ...

, which was created in 1839, with the first holder being Scottish composer John Thomson who conducted the first Reid concert in 1841. The

Watson Gordon Chair of Fine Art The Watson Gordon Chair of Fine Art is a professorship at the University of Edinburgh. History The chair was founded in 1880. John Watson Gordon was a Scottish painter who died in 1864. His brother and sister endowed the professorship in his mem ...

founded some forty years later, the first of its kind in the British Isles and a turning point in the teaching of the History of Art. In 2005, the College joined with

Edinburgh Napier University , mottoeng = Without knowledge, everything is in vain , established = 1992 – granted University status 1964 – Napier Technical College , type = Public , academic_staff = 802 , administrative_staff = 562 , chancellor = Will Whitehorn , ...

to launch the

Screen Academy Scotland The Screen Academy Scotland (A Skillset Film Academy) is a collaboration between Edinburgh Napier University and Edinburgh College of Art. It was opened in August 2005 by the then First Minister of Scotland, Jack McConnell, and is based in Edinb ...

, a new centre of excellence in film learning and education.

College buildings

Sculpture Court in the Edinburgh College of Art

With the creation of Edinburgh College of Art in 1907, the institution moved to new premises on Lady Lawson Street. Formerly a cattle market, the site lies above the Grassmarket and opposite

Edinburgh Castle Edinburgh Castle is a historic castle in Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland. It stands on Castle Rock (Edinburgh), Castle Rock, which has been occupied by humans since at least the Iron Age, although the nature of the early settlement is unclear. ...

. The red sandstone main building was designed in the Beaux-Arts style by

John Wilson John Wilson may refer to: Academics * John Wilson (mathematician) (1741–1793), English mathematician and judge * John Wilson (historian) (1799–1870), author of ''Our Israelitish Origin'' (1840), a founding text of British Israelism * John Wil ...

while working for

John More Dick Peddie John More Dick Peddie (21 August 1853 – 10 March 1921) was a British architect. Biography Peddie was the son of the architect and politician John Dick Peddie (1824–1891) and his wife Euphemia Lockhart More. Born in Edinburgh, he atten ...

and

George Washington Browne Sir George Washington Browne (21 September 1853 – 15 June 1939) was a Scottish architect. He was born in Glasgow, and trained there and in London. He spent most of his career in Edinburgh, although his work can be found throughout Scotland an ...

, and was completed in 1909. The main building was listed Category A in 1970. Inside, the Sculpture Court displays casts of the

Elgin Marbles The Elgin Marbles (), also known as the Parthenon Marbles ( el, Γλυπτά του Παρθενώνα, lit. "sculptures of the Parthenon"), are a collection of Classical Greece, Classical Greek marble sculptures made under the supervision of th ...

and other antique statuary, alongside changing displays of contemporary student's work. The Architecture Building was added to the east end of the college in 1961, designed by architect Ralph Cowan, who was a Professor of Architecture at the college. In 1977 the Lauriston Campus was expanded with the addition of the Hunter Building. This L-shaped red sandstone block, designed by Anthony Wheeler in 1971, encloses the college courtyard and fronts Lauriston Place to the south. In the 1990s the college took over a separate group of buildings in the

, for use as a library and teaching space, and also took over the former Salvation Army building on West Port. These buildings in the Grassmarket and West Port were disposed of after the College purchased Evolution House. The nine-storey Evolution House on West Port by Reiach and Hall Architects was completed 2003, adjacent to the main College building. Built as speculative offices, it now houses the art and design library, as well as providing design studios and office facilities for the School of Design. While the college remains mainly concentrated on the Lauriston Place Campus, as a result of the merger with the University of Edinburgh in August 2011, the new enlarged ECA incorporated Minto House on Chambers Street (part of ESALA) and Alison House in Nicolson Square (Reid School of Music). In 2017, the Lauriston Campus expanded to include the former Lothian & Borders Fire & Rescue Service Headquarters, formerly housing the'Museum of Fire', Building (arch. Robert Morham, 1897-1901). The Wee Red Bar serves as the student union bar, and acts as a year-round venue for gigs and theatre shows, and also acts a venue during the

Edinburgh Festival Fringe The Edinburgh Festival Fringe (also referred to as The Fringe, Edinburgh Fringe, or Edinburgh Fringe Festival) is the world's largest arts and media festival, which in 2019 spanned 25 days and featured more than 59,600 performances of 3,841 dif ...

Notable alumni and academics

Architects

* Rab and Denise Bennetts, founders of

Bennetts Associates Bennetts is a specialist insurance broker for motorcycles headquartered in Peterborough, with a contact centre in Coventry, England, owned by Saga plc. On 17 February 2020 it was announced that The Ardonagh Group had agreed to purchase Benne ...

* David J. Burney, commissioner at the

New York City Department of City Planning The Department of City Planning (DCP) is the department of the government of New York City responsible for setting the framework of city's physical and socioeconomic planning. The department is responsible for land use and environmental review, ...

Alan Balfour Alan Balfour (born 1939 in Edinburgh, Scotland) is the former dean of the Georgia Tech College of Architecture. He has also held research and/or faculty positions at MIT, Rice University, Architectural Association School of Architecture, and Re ...

, former dean of the Georgia Tech College of Architecture * Theodore S. Clerk, (1909–1965), city planner, first Ghanaian architect and developer of the port city of

Tema Tema is a city on the Bight of Benin and Atlantic coast of Ghana. It is located east of the capital city; Accra, in the region of Greater Accra, and is the capital of the Tema Metropolitan District. As of 2013, Tema is the eleventh most po ...

* Sir Nicholas Grimshaw (born 1939), architect of the

Eden Project The Eden Project ( kw, Edenva) is a visitor attraction in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, UK. The project is located in a reclaimed china clay clay pit, pit, located from the town of St Blazey and from the larger town of St Austell.Ordnanc ...

, president of the

Royal Academy The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly in London. Founded in 1768, it has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects. Its purp ...

since 2004 * Sir William Kininmonth (1904–1988), architect of Adam House and

Pollock Halls Pollock Halls of Residence is the largest halls of residence for the University of Edinburgh, located in St Leonard's, Edinburgh, Scotland, near the foot of Arthur's Seat. The complex of buildings houses more than 2,000 undergraduate students ...

, both in Edinburgh *

John McAslan John Renwick McAslan (born 16 February 1954) is a British architect. Education and career John McAslan was educated at Dunoon Grammar School, Dollar Academy and University of Edinburgh, Scotland, obtaining an MA in Architecture in 1977 and ...

, architect * Sir Robert Matthew (1906–1975), designed the

Royal Commonwealth Pool The Royal Commonwealth Pool is a category-A-listed building in St Leonard's, Edinburgh, Scotland that houses one of Scotland's main swimming pools. It is usually referred to simply as the Commonwealth Pool and known colloquially as the 'Commie' ...

and founded

RMJM RMJM (Robert Matthew Johnson Marshall) is one of the largest architecture and design networks in the world. Services include architecture, development management, engineering, interior design, landscape design, lead consultancy, master planning ...

* Sir James Dunbar-Nasmith (born 1927), conservation architect and head of ECA's Department of Architecture 1978–1988 *

Patrick Nuttgens Patrick John Nuttgens CBE (2 March 1930 – 15 March 2004) was an influential English architect and academic. Early life Nuttgens was born in Whiteleaf, Buckinghamshire, the fourth of five children to Kathleen Mary (''née'' Clarke) an Iris ...

(1930–2004), academic and writer on architecture * B. Marcus Priteca (1889–1971), theatre architect *

Sir Basil Spence Sir Basil Urwin Spence, (13 August 1907 – 19 November 1976) was a Scottish architect, most notably associated with Coventry Cathedral in England and the Beehive in New Zealand, but also responsible for numerous other buildings in the Modern ...

(1907–1976), architect of Coventry Cathedral and the New Zealand Parliament Building (nicknamed 'The Beehive') in Wellington, New Zealand

Artists

* Sarah Gough Adamson, landscape painter *

Sam Ainsley Sam Ainsley (born 1950) is a British artist and teacher, living and working in Glasgow, who was the founder and former head of the Master of Fine Art (MFA) programme at the Glasgow School of Art. Biography Ainsley was born in North Shields, the ...

, artist *

Barbara Balmer Barbara Balmer RSA (23 September 1929 – 31 December 2017) was a Scottish artist and teacher. Biography Balmer was born in Birmingham and, between 1946 and 1951, studied art at Coventry School of Art and then at the Edinburgh College of Art. ...

, painter * Violet Banks, painter *

Wilhelmina Barns-Graham Wilhelmina Barns-Graham CBE (8 June 1912 – 26 January 2004) was one of the foremost British abstract artists, a member of the influential Penwith Society of Arts. Early life Wilhelmina Barns-Graham, known as Willie, was born in St Andrews ...

, artist * Mardi Barrie, artist * Dame Elizabeth Blackadder, artist * John Blair, artist *

Elizabeth York Brunton Elizabeth York Brunton (1880 – c. 1960) was a Scottish artist known as a painter in both oils and watercolours and for her use of colour woodcuts. Although she lived in Edinburgh for most of her life, her exhibiting career was mainly overseas. ...

, painter and printmaker * Hugh Buchanan, artist * Alexander Beauchamp Cameron, painter * Paul Carter, artist * John Kingsley Cook, artist and College lecturer * Stanley Cursiter, artist *

Alan Davie James Alan Davie (28 September 1920 – 5 April 2014) was a Scottish painter and musician. Biography Davie was born in Grangemouth, Scotland in 1920, the son of Elizabeth (née Turnbull) and James William Davie, an art teacher and painter who e ...

, artist *

Mabel Dawson Mabel Dawson (13 October 1887 – 1965) was a Scottish artist who painted a wide variety of subjects, including animals and birds, in both watercolour and tempera. Biography Dawson was born in Edinburgh and studied at the Edinburgh College of A ...

, painter * Isobelle Ann Dods-Withers, painter * Yvonne Drewry, painter and printmaker * Jean Duncan, painter and printmaker * Moyna Flannigan, painter and printmaker * William Geissler, artist *

William George Gillies Sir William George Gillies (1898–1973) was a renowned Scottish landscape and still life painter. He is often referred to simply as W. G. Gillies. Life Gillies was born in Haddington, East Lothian. He had just enrolled at the Edinburgh C ...

, artist *

Tom Gourdie Tom Gourdie MBE, DA, FSSI (18 May 1913 – 6 January 2005) was a prominent Scottish calligrapher, artist and teacher. He also was the author of several books, mainly on subject matter related to calligraphy. Early life and initiation into call ...

, artist * Sir James Gunn, artist *

Charles Martin Hardie Charles Martin Hardie (16 March 1858 – 3 September 1916) was a Scottish artist and portrait painter. Born in East Linton in East Lothian in Scotland, the son of Mary ''née'' Martin (1817–1901) and John Hardie (1820–1870), a Master Car ...

, artist * William Hole, artist * Gwyneth Leech, artist * Tessa Lynch, artist * William McLaren, artist * Wendy McMurdo, artist * Caroline McNairn, artist * David Michie, artist * John Maxwell, artist * Robert Montgomery, artist and poet * Katie Paterson, artist and Honorary Fellow of the

(2013) * Sir Robin Philipson, artist * John Platt, artist * Nina Pope and Karen Guthrie, aka Somewhere * Barbara Rae, painter and printmaker *

Anne Redpath Anne Redpath (1895–1965) was a Scottish artist whose vivid domestic still lifes are among her best-known works. Life Redpath's father was a tweed designer in the Scottish Borders. She saw a connection between his use of colour and her own. ...

, artist *

Patrick Reyntiens Nicholas Patrick Reyntiens OBE (; 11 December 1925 – 25 October 2021) was a British stained-glass artist, described as "the leading practitioner of stained glass in this country." Personal life Reyntiens was born in December 1925 at 68 Cadog ...

, artist * Paul Rooney, artist * Helen Stevenson, printmaker * Alan Sutherland, artist * Adam Bruce Thomson, artist *

Clare Twomey Clare Twomey (born 1968 in Ipswich) is a London-based visual artist and researcher, working in performance, serial production, and site-specific installation. Education and academic career Twomey attended the Edinburgh College of Art from 199 ...

, artist * Richard Wright, artist, winner of the 2009

Turner Prize The Turner Prize, named after the English painter J. M. W. Turner, is an annual prize presented to a British visual artist. Between 1991 and 2016, only artists under the age of 50 were eligible (this restriction was removed for the 2017 award). ...

Painters

* John Bellany, painter *

William Crozier William Crozier may refer to: * William Crozier (artillerist) (1855–1942), American general, artillerist and inventor * William Crozier (Scottish artist) (1893–1930) *William Crozier (Irish artist) (1930–2011) *William Crozier (cricketer) (187 ...

, painter *

Victorine Foot Victorine Anne Foot (1 May 1920 – 2000) was a British artist who worked in oils, watercolours and pastels. Foot is best known for her work during World War II on military camouflage and for her post-war career as an artist and teacher in Sc ...

, painter * William Gear, painter *

Alan Gourley Alan Stenhouse Gourley (13 April 1909 – 9 September 1991) was a South African-British painter and stained glass artist. He attended the Glasgow School of Art in 1928 and the Edinburgh College of Art between 1929 and 1931. He moved to Sou ...

– painter and stained glass artist * Nicola Green, painter *

Callum Innes Callum Innes (born 1962) is a Scottish abstract painter, a former Turner Prize nominee and winner of the Jerwood Painting Prize. He lives and works in Edinburgh, Scotland. Early life and education Callum Innes was born in Edinburgh. He studied ...

, painter and

nominee * Lady Caroline Kininmonth, painter * David McClure, painter * Alexander McNeish, painter * Sir William MacTaggart, painter * Emily Murray Paterson, painter * Janet Pierce, painter *

Samuel Robin Spark Samuel Robin Spark (9 July 1938 – 6 August 2016) was a Scottish artist. He was the son of Sidney Oswald Spark and writer Muriel Spark. Prolific in his work, he created more than 1,000 paintings, photographs, and short texts and articles about ...

, painter *

David Dougal Williams David Dougall Williams FRSA (June 1888 – 27 September 1944) was a Cheshire-born artist and art teacher who lived and worked in Dundee. Early years David Dougall Williams was born in 1888 in Liscard, in Cheshire, the third son of four to Ba ...

, painter

Sculptors

Phyllis Bone Phyllis Mary Bone RSA (15 February 1894 – 12 July 1972) was a 20th-century Scottish sculptor. She has the particular claim to fame as being the first female Academician of the Royal Scottish Academy. Although primarily the creator of smal ...

, sculptor * Mary Syme Boyd, sculptor * Alexander Carrick, sculptor and academic * Fanny Lam Christie, sculptor * Christopher Hall, sculptor * David Harding, sculptor * Pilkington Jackson, sculptor of the

Robert the Bruce Robert I (11 July 1274 – 7 June 1329), popularly known as Robert the Bruce (Scottish Gaelic: ''Raibeart an Bruis''), was King of Scots from 1306 to his death in 1329. One of the most renowned warriors of his generation, Robert eventuall ...

statue at

Bannockburn Bannockburn (Scottish Gaelic ''Allt a' Bhonnaich'') is an area immediately south of the centre of Stirling in Scotland. It is part of the City of Stirling. It is named after the Bannock Burn, a stream running through the town before flowing in ...

, and the college war memorial (1922) *

Donald Locke Donald Cuthbert Locke (17 September 1930 – 6 December 2010) was a Guyanese artist who created drawings, paintings and sculptures in a variety of media. He studied in the United Kingdom, and worked in Guyana and the United Kingdom before movin ...

, sculptor * Hew Lorimer, sculptor * Elizabeth Ogilvie, sculptor *

James Pittendrigh MacGillivray James Pittendrigh MacGillivray (1856 – 29 April 1938) was a Scottish sculptor. He was also a keen artist, musician and poet. He was born in Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, the son of a sculptor, and studied under William Brodie and John Mossma ...

, sculptor *

Sir Eduardo Paolozzi Sir Eduardo Luigi Paolozzi (, ; 7 March 1924 – 22 April 2005) was a Scottish artist, known for his sculpture and graphic works. He is widely considered to be one of the pioneers of pop art. Early years Eduardo Paolozzi was born on 7 March ...

, sculptor and artist * Scott Sutherland, sculptor

Musicians

* Louise Alder, Soprano * Sandy Brown, Scottish jazz clarinettist *

Anna Clyne Anna Clyne (born 9 March 1980, in London) is an English composer, now resident in New York, US. She has worked in both acoustic music and electro-acoustic music. Biography Clyne began writing music as a child, completing her first composition a ...

, Composer *

Django Django Django Django are a British art rock band based in London, England. Formed in 2009, the band has released four studio albums starting with their self-titled debut in 2012. Their latest album '' Glowing in the Dark'' was released on 12 February ...

, band *

Al Fairweather Alastair Fairweather (12 June 1927 – 21 June 1993) was a British jazz trumpeter, born in Edinburgh, Scotland. Educated at the city's Royal High School and Edinburgh College of Art, Fairweather served his National Service in Egypt. In 194 ...

, Scottish jazz trumpeter * Futuristic Retro Champions, Scottish ElectroPop band * John Maclean, member of

The Beta Band The Beta Band were a Scottish musical group formed in 1996. Their style was described as being "folktronica", although it was mainly a blend of folk, psychedelia, electronica, experimental rock and trip hop, often involving stylistic experiment ...

and The Aliens. * Sir James MacMillan, Composer and Conductor * The Magnificents, Scottish rock band *

Jamie Muir Jamie Muir (born 1943 in Edinburgh) is a Scottish painter and former musician, best known for his work as the percussionist in King Crimson from 1972–1973. Biography Muir attended the Edinburgh College of Art during the 1960s, and began pl ...

, percussionist with Music Improvisation Company,

King Crimson King Crimson are a progressive rock band formed in 1968 in London, England. The band draws inspiration from a wide variety of music, incorporating elements of classical, jazz, folk, heavy metal, gamelan, industrial, electronic, experime ...

, Giles, Muir, Cunningham *

The Rezillos The Rezillos are a punk/ new wave band formed in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1976. Although emerging at the same time as other bands in the punk rock movement, the Rezillos did not share the nihilism or social commentary of their contemporaries, ...

, 1970s new wave band, featuring

Jo Callis John William "Jo" Callis (born 2 May 1951) is an English musician and songwriter who played guitar with the Edinburgh based punk rock band The Rezillos (under the name Luke Warm), and post-punk band Boots for Dancing before joining The Huma ...

who went on to

The Human League The Human League are an English synth-pop band formed in Sheffield in 1977. Initially an experimental electronic outfit, the group signed to Virgin Records in 1979 and later attained widespread commercial success with their third album '' Dare ...

Donald Runnicles Sir Donald Cameron Runnicles OBE HonFRSE (born 16 November 1954, Edinburgh, Scotland) is a Scottish conductor. Life and career The son of William Runnicles, a director of a furniture supply company and a choirmaster and organist, and Christin ...

, Conductor * Rebecca Saunders, composer *

Roy Williamson Roy Murdoch Buchanan Williamson (25 June 1936 – 12 August 1990) was a Scottish songwriter and folk musician, most notably with The Corries. Williamson is best known for writing " Flower of Scotland", which has become the de facto national an ...

, member of

The Corries The Corries were a Scottish folk group that emerged from the Scottish folk revival of the early 1960s. The group was a trio from their formation until 1966 when founder Bill Smith left the band but Roy Williamson and Ronnie Browne continu ...

, and author of '' Flower of Scotland''

Writers

John Arden John Arden (26 October 1930 – 28 March 2012) was an English playwright who at his death was lauded as "one of the most significant British playwrights of the late 1950s and early 60s". Career Born in Barnsley, son of the manager of a glass f ...

, playwright * Alan Bold, poet *

Ruthven Todd Ruthven Campbell Todd (pronounced 'riven') (14 June 1914 – 11 October 1978) was a Scottish poet, artist and novelist, best known as an editor of the works of William Blake, and expert on his printing techniques. During the 1940s he also wrote d ...

, poet, novelist

Other

* Dorothy Angus, embroidery artist *

Harriet Braine Harriet Braine is a musical comedian and archivist. In 2017 she won the Funny Women Awards, for which she was mentored by Ellie Taylor, and she was Best Newcomer at the Musical Comedy Awards. The same year Braine was a finalist in the So You Thin ...

, musical comedian and archivist * Shashi Caan, interior architect/designer and president of

The International Federation of Interior Architects/Designers The International Federation of Interior Architects/Designers (IFI) represents professional interior architects and interior designers. Founded in Copenhagen, Denmark on September 20, 1963 as a not-for-profit, limited liability company to unite ...

Rose Ferraby Rose Ferraby is an archaeologist and artist An artist is a person engaged in an activity related to creating art, practicing the arts, or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse refers to a ...

, archaeologist and artist * Holly Fulton, fashion designer *

Tom Gauld Tom Gauld (born 1976) is a Scottish cartoonist and illustrator. His style reflects his self-professed fondness of "deadpan comedy, flat dialogue, things happening offstage and impressive characters". Others note that his work "combines pathos w ...

, cartoonist and illustrator *

Supriya Lele Supriya Lele is an Indian-British designer with an eponymous fashion brand founded in 2016. Lele was a finalist of the LVMH Prize 2020 and shared the €300,000 prize fund with the other 7 finalists when the final leg of the competition was cance ...

, fashion designer *

Katie Leung Katie Leung (born 8 August 1987; ) is a Scottish actress. Initially famous for playing Cho Chang, the titular character's first love interest in the ''Harry Potter'' film series, she is also known for her roles as Caitlyn in the animated se ...

, stage and screen actress - obtained photography degree * John Maclean, film director * Ryan McHenry, film director *

Kerry Anne Mullaney Kerry Mullaney is a Scottish film director, writer and producer. She won the 2009 Best Director (Silver Unicorn) award at the 10th Estepona International Horror and Fantasy Film Festival for her 2008 triller/horror film '' The Dead Outside''. She ...

, film director *

David Shaw Nicholls David Shaw Nicholls (born 1959) is a Scottish architect and designer based in New York City, Italy and Glasgow. He became internationally known by his minimalist ASFLEXI settee, conceived while in school. Life Nicholls was born in 1959 in ...

, designer & architect * Sandy Paris, cricketer * Aileen Paterson writer and illustrator of children's books *

Adam Robson Adam Robson (16 August 1928 – 15 March 2007) was a Scotland international rugby union player. He played as a flanker. Rugby union career Amateur career He was playing for the Edinburgh College of Art. A relative Andrew Gordon suggested he pl ...

, rugby player, former head of the

Scottish Rugby Union The Scottish Rugby Union (SRU; gd, Aonadh Rugbaidh na h-Alba) is the governing body of rugby union in Scotland. Styled as Scottish Rugby, it is the second oldest Rugby Union, having been founded in 1873. The SRU oversees the national league ...

* Alexander White, footwear designer

References

* ''Notes on the Early History of the Royal Scottish Academy'', George Harvey, (Edmonston & Douglas, 1873)
Archives of Scottish Higher Education

External links

Edinburgh College of Art home page
{{coord, 55, 56, 42.68, N, 3, 11, 53.52, W, type:edu, display=title 1760 establishments in Scotland Art schools in Scotland Architecture schools in Scotland Buildings and structures completed in 1907 Category A listed buildings in Edinburgh Educational institutions established in 1760 Listed educational buildings in Scotland

Art Art is a diverse range of human activity, and resulting product, that involves creative or imaginative talent expressive of technical proficiency, beauty, emotional power, or conceptual ideas. There is no generally agreed definition of wha ...

Arts in Edinburgh Contemporary art galleries in Scotland

History

College buildings

Notable alumni and academics

Architects

Artists

Painters

Sculptors

Musicians

Writers

Other

See also

References

Further reading

External links