Leeds Arts University

Specialist arts university in Leeds, England

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Leeds Arts University

Former names

| Leeds School of Art
Jacob Kramer College
Leeds College of Art and Design
Leeds College of Art
Type| Arts university (HE and FE)
Established| 1846; 179 years ago (1846)
University status - 2017
Chancellor| Skin[1]
Vice-Chancellor| Professor Simone Wonnacott[2][3]
Students| 2,170 (2023/24)[4]
Undergraduates| 2,075 (2023/24)[4]
Postgraduates| 95 (2023/24)[4]
Location|

Leeds

West Yorkshire

United Kingdom

53°48′30″N 1°33′06″W﻿ / ﻿53.8084°N 1.5517°W﻿ / 53.8084; -1.5517
Website| www.leeds-art.ac.uk
RankingsNational rankings

Complete (2026)[5]| 111=
Times / Sunday Times (2025)[6]| 92
Dedicated Blue plaque at the Vernon Street site

Leeds Arts University is a specialist arts further and higher education institution, based in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, with a main campus opposite the University of Leeds.

## History

[edit]

Main campus in 2018

It was founded in 1846 as the Leeds School of Art. From 1968 to 1993 it was known as Jacob Kramer College, after Jacob Kramer, having lost part of its provision to Leeds Polytechnic (the future Leeds Beckett University). It was known as Leeds College of Art and Design until 2009, and then as Leeds College of Art.[7] In August 2017, the school was granted university status and the name was changed to Leeds Arts University.[8]

Skin, DJ, fashion icon, actress, activist and lead singer of Skunk Anansie, was appointed as the university's chancellor in 2021.[9]

## Locations

[edit]

The University today has city centre sites at Blenheim Walk and at Vernon Street.

## Academic profile

[edit]

### Further education courses

[edit]

* Extended Diploma in Creative Practice
* Foundation Diploma in Art & Design - one of the largest in the country, with 280 students validated by the University of the Arts London

### Undergraduate courses

[edit]

* BA (Hons) Animation
* BA (Hons) Comic & Concept Art
* BA (Hons) Creative Advertising
* BA (Hons) Creative Writing
* BA (Hons) Fashion Branding with Communication
* BA (Hons) Fashion Design
* BA (Hons) Fashion Photography
* BA (Hons) Filmmaking
* BA (Hons) Fine Art
* BA (Hons) Graphic Design
* BA (Hons) Illustration
* BA (Hons) Photography
* BMus (Hons) Popular Music Performance
* BA (Hons) Textile Design
* BA (Hons) Visual Communication

### Postgraduate courses

[edit]

* MA Animation
* MA Creative Practice
* MA Fine Art
* MA Graphic Design
* MA Illustration and Graphic Novel
* MA Photography

## Student body

[edit]

Like many of the 'traditional' British art schools, it has a modest annual intake, at 2,145 higher education students in 2023/24. Out of 169 UK higher education institutions, it is the 146th largest.[clarification needed]

## Notable alumni

[edit]

* Norman Ackroyd (1938–2024), artist
* Sam Ainsley (b. 1950), artist
* Kenneth Armitage (1916–2002), sculptor
* Glyn Banks, co-founder of Art in Ruins art practice
* James Bateman (1893–1959), painter
* Glen Baxter (b. 1944), artist
* Trevor Bell (1930–2017), artist
* Alison Britton (b. 1948), ceramics tutor at the Royal College of Art
* Henry Carr (1894–1970), painter and war artist
* Michael Chapman (1941–2021), guitarist, musician and singer
* Paul Clark (b. 1962), musician
* Elisabeth Collins (1904–2000), painter and sculptor
* Raymond Coxon (1896–1997), painter
* Diz Disley (1931–2010), musician and graphic artist
* Leigh Francis (b. 1973), comedian
* Marcus Harvey (b. 1963), painter
* Barbara Hepworth (1903–1975), sculptor
* Damien Hirst (b. 1965), artist and 1995 Turner Prize winner
* Jocelyn Horner (1902–1973), sculptor
* Thomas Houseago (b. 1972), sculptor
* Percy Hague Jowett (1882–1955), artist and arts administrator
* Vivien Knight (1953–2009), art historian and gallerist
* Jacob Kramer (1892–1962), painter
* Edna Lumb (1931–1992), painter
* Henry Moore (1898–1986), sculptor
* Peter Murphy (b. 1959), Stuckist artist
* Stass Paraskos (1933–2014), painter and founder of the Cyprus College of Art
* Bob Peck (1945–1999), actor
* Vivian Pitchforth (1895–1982), artist
* Adrian Riley (b. 1971), artist and designer
* Victor Sloan (b. 1945), visual artist
* Bernard Schottlander (1924–1999), sculptor
* Ria Sharma (b. 1992), founder of Make Love Not Scars
* Georgina Starr (b. 1968), artist
* Cecil Stephenson (1889–1965), artist
* Frankie Vaughan (1928–1999), singer
* Hilda Annetta Walker (1877–1960), artist
* Harold Sandys Williamson (1892–1978), painter
* Trevor Winkfield (b. 1944), painter and writer
* Joash Woodrow (1927–2006), painter

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Skin set to stay as Leeds Arts University Chancellor". www.leeds-art.ac.uk. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
2. ^ "Senior Management Team". www.leeds-art.ac.uk. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
3. ^ [1][dead link]
4. ^ a b c "Where do HE students study?". Higher Education Statistics Agency. Students by HE provider: HE student enrolments by HE provider. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
5. ^ "Complete University Guide 2026". The Complete University Guide. 10 June 2025.
6. ^ "Good University Guide 2025". The Times. 20 September 2024.
7. ^ "Leeds College of Art". The Independent. London. 8 July 2009. Retrieved 27 July 2009. "It recently changed its name from Leeds College of Art and Design."
8. ^ "Leeds Arts University Established As Leeds College Of Art Gains University Status!". leeds-art.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 3 September 2017. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
9. ^ "Our Chancellor". www.leeds-art.ac.uk. Leeds Arts University. Retrieved 11 September 2024.

## External links

[edit]

* University site
* LCAD University and College Union (UCU) Branch
* Exhibitions information Archived 15 January 2017 at the Wayback Machine

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