School of Creative Arts, Film and Media (SCAFM)
Creative Arts
The philosophy of Creative Arts is to broaden, strengthen and encourage creative talent, skills and aspirations. We do this in a thriving creative environment where staff and students combine to produce and reflect on new work and develop into knowledgable arts professionals. Virtually all the work showcased in Creative Arts is wholly original, created by students.
Creative Arts' individual areas of creativity can be studied independently or collaboratively, using fresh and innovative methods of expression. The range of single-discipline areas that we focus on largely depends on existing areas of staff expertise. Currently, foundation skills focus on Drama, Music, Video Production and Creative Writing skills.
During a typical semester's work in Creative Arts you might devise and perform a piece of music theatre, create a film script and produce it on video, explore the art of storytelling through maskwork and puppetry, develop poetry on the page and stage, produce a new play written by fellow students, or create a film score using the electronic studios of our colleagues in Creative Technologies.
All of these projects would be supported by thorough reflection using historical, theoretical and evaluative approaches. We encourage academic reflection on both process and product alongside the production and presentation of original work. As a Creative Arts student, you will encounter key discussions in theory and criticism, and are encouraged to evaluate and analyse both your own work and that of others.
Our Department
Students in Creative Arts can also be involved with the University Choir, Orchestra, Big Band and Drama Music Society, all of which perform regularly at public venues, recently including the King's Theatre, the New Theatre Royal, Portsmouth Cathedral, the Wiltshire Studios and various local churches and arts centres.
In addition, students run their own society, the Show Committee, which supports and nurtures the talent of its members in an un-assessed, extra-curricular environment.
The department benefits from many excellent facilities:
- a fully workable studio theatre with flexible seating accommodating an audience of up to 80 people
- state of the art video production facilities, cameras and editing suites
- a soundproof live recording suite
- several music practice rooms equipped with pianos
- rehearsal facilities including a mirrored dance space
- access to digital music technology and recording equipment
Alumni
Previous students have developed careers in a wide range of fields including performance, arts administration, journalism, the media, freelance as creative practitioners, or in pursuing further postgraduate study or vocational training in key arts areas.