Aardman Academy is the training and talent development arm of Aardman, the Bristol-based, multi-award-winning studio behind Wallace & Gromit, Chicken Run and Morph. Alongside Aardman’s film and TV production, the Academy runs practical, industry-led courses and mentorship in stop-motion animation, character development, model-making and directing, and works to open up that expertise to students beyond Aardman’s own studio walls.
In 2022, the Academy launched a global Partnership Programme for universities and colleges, offering online and in-person animation training, portfolio feedback and a suite of masterclasses across three tiers: Partner, Member and Associate. The Northern School of Art became the first UK Partner on the programme, one of only five UK institutions to hold that status, alongside ten international partners including New York’s School of Visual Arts as a Member.
The partnership spans four of the School’s degree programmes: Animation, Illustration, Modelmaking & VFX, and Production Design for Stage & Screen. Aardman talent helped shape the School’s Animation honours degree ahead of launch, and students on the partnership benefit from masterclasses, direct feedback from Aardman professionals, studio visits to Bristol, and places on Aardman Academy Foundation courses and Animation Days. Lecturers take part in the Aardman Academy Lecturer Development Programme, keeping teaching connected to current industry practice.
Mark Simon Hewis, Head of the Aardman Academy, said the partnership scheme lets the Academy plug directly into degree courses and work closely with academics and heads of school. For The Northern School of Art, it means students training in animation and related disciplines learn alongside one of the most recognised names in British animation, with a direct line into the industry they’re aiming to join.