Specialist northern arts college Cleveland College of Art and Design (CCAD) is looking to the future needs of the ever growing creative industries with an £11m investment in its university-level campus in Hartlepool. The college is planning to build on its success as a leading creative centre of excellence with its new multi-million-pound development taking shape on Church Street.

The College’s state-of-the-art teaching, studio and workshop facility is now well underway, ensuring future generations of artists and designers can access the highest level of creative industry education in the north east and across the UK.

For the past two years the College has been rated joint number one in the UK for art and design graduate employability*, placing it well to meet the expected demand for 900,000 new graduate jobs in the creative sector by 2020.

Not only will this investment in additional studio and teaching space keep the college at the forefront of art and design education in the UK, but the development of the campus is a keystone in the regeneration of the Victorian Church Street area as a centre for innovation and the creative industries.  The college is working in close partnership with Hartlepool Borough Council and only last month plans were submitted for a creative enterprise facility in the Grade II Listed former post office on Whitby Street housing up to 100 creative professionals in 31 new start-up businesses (due to open later in 2018).

The university-level campus also has ambitious plans for growth over the coming years, with further degrees and student accommodation in the pipeline, which will reinforce its track record as the premier specialist art college in the north.

With the new build well in progress, CCAD will continue to offer a unique and inspiring learning environment supported by dedicated high calibre staff, many of whom are practicing artists or creative professionals, and students and graduates will further benefit from the intimate and creative atmosphere.

Martin Raby, Principal, Cleveland College of Art and Design, said: “I’m delighted that this project will enable the college to expand whilst offering exceptional quality new facilities to students, who will enjoy a highly appealing studio environment, as befits undergraduates at one of the few specialist schools of art in the country.”

Pat Chapman, Head of Employability and External Relations at CCAD, said: “Our new studios and teaching facilities are an expression of confidence in the future, not only in the college but in the creative sector in the north of England. These facilities will provide us with the chance to develop and expand the creative education offer that the college is so successful at delivering at the moment, with the creation of new and refreshed facilities for both students and the community in our existing campus around Church Square.

“The college itself now will form an anchor at both ends of the creative cluster and is part of the exciting development of the creative industries sector based around Church Street in Hartlepool, which the college – working closely with Hartlepool Borough Council – has been developing.”

Councillor Kevin Cranney, chair of Hartlepool Council’s Regeneration Services Committee, added: “Hartlepool Council is delighted to be working in partnership with Cleveland College of Art & Design on this magnificent new college campus and other significant developments for the area.

“The development is an integral part of our ambition to create a thriving creative industries sector in the Church Street area where students from our local colleges can hone their skills, creating employment and future prosperity for the town.

“To facilitate the new college, the Council has relocated its Lynn Street depot and over the coming months there will be major investment in the Church Street and Church Square area to significantly enhance and regenerate a key part of the town.”

With funding from Tees Valley Combined Authority, the new 50,000 square ft. building will contain a mixture of flexible studio spaces with a range of industry standard workshops and digital suites. It will also feature two seven metre double-height studios for photography and TV/film, a refectory area, gallery and administration space.

Created on the site of the former Lynn Street bus depot, the three-storey building will host a number of degree programmes for students. These include: BA (Hons) Production Design for Stage and Screen; BA (Hons) Textiles and Surface Design, BA (Hons) Contemporary Textile Products; BA (Hons) Fine Art; BA (Hons) Photography and BA (Hons) Creative Film and Moving Image Production.

The new campus will be complete by Easter 2017 in time to host some of the graduate shows, with full occupancy in September the same year.

Working in partnership with Esh Construction, project managers Turner and Townsend, architects Howarth Litchfield and engineers Cundall, the building’s striking design features innovative materials, including poly-chromatic cladding which changes colour depending on the viewing angle.

Keith Anderson, Partner at Cundall, said: “Cundall is working on a number of projects in the education sector, from new primary schools to university research buildings. Making sure our children and young people receive a good education is the best legacy we can leave. It has been interesting and exciting to be involved in this project, which will provide facilities for both traditional creative arts and the electronic and digital arts medium.”