BA (HONOURS) Fine Art at Sheffield Hallam University

• Develop your skills as an artist in state-of-the-art studios and workshops.
• Work with curators to exhibit your work and become part of the creative community.
• Learn about contemporary art and culture from leading experts.

This course develops artists and creative thinkers to attain practical skills while developing your critical and theoretical knowledge of fine art. In the studios, you'll explore and experiment through practice in a vibrant environment. We celebrate the breadth of possibilities contemporary art offers, supporting the development of the creative, critical and analytical skills needed for a range of professional art-related careers.

This interdisciplinary course is based on your individual art practice in studios and workshops. Your work will be supported by the development of a theoretical and historical understanding of art. You'll also learn how to exhibit your work and develop relationships with industry professionals – preparing you for a fulfilling career in the arts. 

You’ll learn through

• practical workshops
• lectures and seminars
• group and individual tutorials
• exhibitions and presentations
• study trips
• independent study
• demonstrations
• applied industry (live) projects
• Blackboard online learning portal                                                             
• presentations and feedback sessions
• peer group activities

Work placements

You’ll have the opportunity to arrange a single or multiple work placement/s in between your second and third years. Placements give you real-world experience to prepare you for your future career. Previous students have worked in galleries with practising artists and in schools, while others have set up their own artist residency in Greece. You may also be able to work or study abroad with the possibility of funding (subject to the UK’s continued participation in the Erasmus+ programme following the Brexit transition period). 

Live projects

You'll have many opportunities to take part in live projects, including exhibitions and events in the public domain. In the second and third year of the course, you’ll exhibit your work in a gallery, open to the public.

Field trips

We offer opportunities to go on study trips and visits in the UK and abroad – with free travel and accommodation for all mandatory field trips. These could include workshops, conferences or visits to practitioners’ studios, museums and special collections. You may further enhance your studies with optional field trips, though these will incur additional costs. Recently the course has visited the Venice Biennale and Berlin. These trips are valuable for the experience of seeing work first-hand and understanding the professional world of contemporary fine art.

Networking opportunities

As our academic staff actively work in the professional art world, you can benefit from their connections and networks. You'll be able to attend regular guest lectures with leading artists, curators and thinkers. We have strong links with many local venues including the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Site Gallery and artist-run studios and galleries such as Bloc Projects and S1, (some of which were set up by our graduates). These connections will help you gain experience by forging relationships and attending private views and events.

Future careers

This course prepares you for future study and careers in

• art
• curation
• film direction
• production
• editing
• set design
• prop-making
• novel writing
• scriptwriting
• art direction
• animation
• art therapy

Previous graduates who have become successful in their field include

• Martin Clark, director of Camden Arts Centre
• Kid Acne, internationally renowned artist and illustrator
• George Shaw, Turner Prize nominee 2011
• Rosalind Nashashibi, Turner Prize nominee 2017
• Nick Park, Oscar-winning creator of Wallace and Gromit
• Hannah Duraid, The Great Escape Game entrepreneur
• Dawn Shadforth, British music video and documentary director