In 1836, the Government Select Committee on Art and Manufactures produced a report highlighting concerns about the standard of design in the industry. Higher standards abroad forced manufacturers to buy or copy foreign designs. Later in 1836, the Board of Trade established the ‘Government School of Design’ in London, where, in 1837, it opened at Somerset House.[2]
In order to encourage Practical Art in other populous areas of the UK, a ‘Government School of Design’ was then established in each of several provincial towns, where manufacturing industries were already in existence. Inevitably, the original title was adjusted to include the name of the town where it was located – whilst locally, being simply referred to as, the ‘School of Design’.
The ‘School of Design’ opened on the 1 April 1843, at the People's Hall[6] in Beck Lane (now Heathcote Street), moving to Plumptre House in Stoney Street in 1852, and to Commerce Square, off High Pavement, in 1858. In 1863, a site was purchased in Waverley Street for the construction of a building specifically for the school.
The School of Art and Design is based at the university's City site, about half a mile from the city centre.
Art and design facilitiesedit
All of NTU's art and design courses are based at three buildings on the university's City site.
Bonington building — a labyrinthine three-story building.
Opened in 1969 by the Duchess of Kent,[8] and upgraded in 2005.
Included in the design, at the heart of the building, is a high-ceilinged exhibition space, known as 'Bonington Gallery'. It is one of the oldest art galleries in Nottingham.[9]
Bonington was officially re-opened in May 2006 by Sir Paul Smith.[10]
Modern art and design studios, workshops, ceramics and glass kilns
Photographic studios
Fashion studios, electronic garment and knitwear technology
Digital textile printing, digital loom and embroidery equipment
Computer suites, CAD systems, image and sound editing studios
Exhibition galleries
Art and design shop
Café and social spaces
Waverley building — a restored, listed building with design heritage.
The Waverley building houses the Nottingham School of Art and Design since 1865.
As part of the NTU's buildings regeneration plan, and in recognition of its importance and provenance, the university arranged for constructional adjustments and refurbishment to upgrade all the facilities, including an exhibition space, disabled access and an improved environment for both staff and students. The upgrade being completed in the year 2000 at a cost of £1.4M[11]
Gallery and exhibition foyer
Working studio theatre
Design workshops and studios
Wardrobe department including dye and production facilities
Audio and video suites with editing facilities
Integrated Windows and Mac IT suites
Maudslay building — a centre for industry and technology.
During 2006, the Maudslay building was upgraded to incorporate design facilities and studios.
Product and furniture workshops: wood synthetics and metal fabrication facilities
Design studios and working display areas
IT learning unit, with computer-aided design (CAD) suite
'Rapid prototyping' modellers: machines creating a 3D solid object from a virtual computer model
Waterjet cutter: latest generation technology to cut and shape solid materials, such as glass, steel, granite and marble using a precision waterjet that travels at twice the speed of sound
CNC (computer-numerical control) router and brand new laser cutter
Location of designated placement office support unit for all courses
The Hive was designed for NTU staff, students and graduates, but was open to anyone with an idea they wanted to develop.[12] During 2021 these facilities were transferred to the Dryden Enterprise Centre[13]
Coursesedit
Courses are offered at undergraduate levels (BA Hons in numerous disciplines)[14] and also MAs[15] in a wide range of subjects.
There is an MA by 'Registered Project or thesis', offered as a flexible postgraduate course, allowing students to tailor their course specifically around their areas of individual interest.[16] There are a variety of Part-time, Art and Design MA courses beginning in 2024 and 2025.[17]
The university has international liaison staff, course tutors and trained counsellors to give international students advice and practical help, and also offers a detailed orientation programme the week before term begins.[21]
University representatives regularly travel to international education fairs to give advice and information to overseas applicants.[22]
Many of NTU's undergraduate courses offer the opportunity to spend time studying at a university overseas. Students can do this in Europe through the Erasmus Programme, previously known as the Socrates programme from 1994 until 1999, and then Socrates II from 2000 until 2006. For countries worldwide, there is the university's study abroad scheme.[24]
The NFFC Badgeedit
In early 1973, R. Lyon, the deputy director of Trent Polytechnic, and W. Payne, the Associate Head of the Graphics Department of the College of Art, were approached by the Nottingham Forest Football Club, for advice regarding the design of a new badge. The Nottingham Evening Post Sports Editor was then consulted, resulting in a competition being organised, which was announced in March 1973.[25] There were 855 entries, some from other countries. (587 in the adult section and 268 in the junior section.)
The winning design was by Trent Polytechnic graphic designer and lecturer, David Lewis.[26] To maintain anonymity, Lewis entered his design using his mother's maiden name. The reason being, that one of the five judges was W. Payne, his head of department at Trent Polytechnic.[27]
After winning the competition, Lewis adapted his entry to produce the final design.
His explanation, describing the new badge, is reproduced below, as printed on page eleven in the Forest Programme of Saturday 8 September 1973:
' The main visual elements in the final design: Equal thickness of heavy line treatment gives a ″completeness″ (fairly weighty appearance is much more likely to identify with supporters than a spindly one). The straight and relatively short tree trunk gives strength and prevents the tree top and the water becoming too separate. The tree achieves a unique quality through its shape — the triangular shape adds stability. The small ″E″ in ″Forest″ helps give a personal identity to the name — it becomes something more unique than just the word.[28][29]
David Lewis — Designer/Lecturer in Graphic Design, Trent Polytechnic. '
Notable alumniedit
Rayner Hoff – Public sculptor who rose to prominence in Australia.[30]
Graham Ibbeson – British artist and sculptor, known for the realistic figurative sculptures he has created for public commissions in the United Kingdom.[32]
^Limited, Alamy. "LONDON, UK - OCTOBER 15TH 2015: The club crest on a Nottingham Forest FC shirt, on 15th October 2015 Stock Photo - Alamy". www.alamy.com.
^"The Art and Work of Joseph Else FRBS". Nottingham Journal. England. 23 August 1939. Retrieved 18 March 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^"Fine Tribute to Worth of Mr. J Else". Nottingham Journal. England. 29 June 1939. Retrieved 18 March 2018 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^Saunders, Gill (2015). Bawden, Ravilious and the artists of Great Bardfield. London: V & A Publishing : in association with the Fry Art Gallery. p. 201. ISBN 9781851778522.
^"Biography". Tom Sandberg Foundation. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
^"Mary Gillick: Her Art in Your Pocket, exhibition at the Henry Moore Institute". Retrieved 16 July 2020.
^"The Nottingham School of Art". Nottinghamshire Guardian. England. 26 November 1869. Retrieved 27 January 2019 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^Brodie, Antonia (20 December 2001). Directory of British Architects 1834–1914: Vol 2 (L-Z). Royal Institute of British Architects. p. 910. ISBN 082645514X.
^"Nottingham Municipal School of Art". Nottingham Evening Post. England. 10 September 1891. Retrieved 17 June 2019 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^"James Woodford R.A." Royal Academy of Arts Collections. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
^Martin Postle & William Vaughan (1999). The Artist's Model From Etty to Spencer. Merrell Holberton Publishers. ISBN 1858940842.
^[1] Archived 9 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine Trashed: A Post-YBA Couple's Collaborative Shadow Play. Village Voice, 18 November 2003
^Farry, Eithne (15 September 2007). "Rob Ryan: blade runner". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 7 November 2011.
^Clare, Dwyer Hogg (12 April 2008). "Designer Rob Ryan: Cut it out!". The Independent. Archived from the original on 13 April 2008. Retrieved 7 November 2011.
^"Artist Dai Roberts". Saatchionline.com. Retrieved 25 May 2012.
^"Diaspora-artists: View details". new.diaspora-artists.net. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
^"Tiramani, Jennifer Jane, (born 16 Aug. 1954), theatre designer and dress historian; Principal, The School of Historical Dress, since 2009". WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U59843. ISBN 978-0-19-954088-4. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
^Chandler, David, & Kobena Mercer, 1997. "Keith Piper: Relocating the Remains", Institute of International Visual Arts (Iniva).
^Demarco, Richard Artwork No. 105, August/September 2000
^Patterson, Mark (10 January 2014). ""You could say I am from here" says Damon Albarn at Nottingham exhibition". Nottingham Post. Archived from the original on 4 February 2015. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
^"Notts treasures: Spooner's Goose Fair". Nottingham: Local History. BBC. May 2009. Retrieved 20 September 2011.
^Paul, Hart. "Paul Hart Biography". paulhartphotography.com. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
'Nottingham School of Art', Mapping the Practice and Profession of Sculpture in Britain and Ireland 1851–1951, University of Glasgow History of Art and HATII, online database 2011 Nottingham School of Art - Mapping the Practice and Profession of Sculpture in Britain and Ireland 1851-1951