Cleveland College of Art and Design, which will unveil its £11million development with new teaching and workshop facilities in the summer, is opening its doors and calling out to the next generation of talent to join its creative community.

On Wednesday 22 March, staff at CCAD will be on hand to welcome potential students to the college’s university level campus in Hartlepool and provide information and advice on a wide variety of degree courses, student accommodation and the application process.

The open day event, which runs from 3pm until 7pm, is offering a programme of activities to help prospective students make the best choice when it comes to higher education in the arts. This includes a welcome talk by Principal Martin Raby, and a series of programme talks by academic staff on degree courses ranging from textiles and photography, to fashion and production design for stage and screen.

For the past two years the college has been rated number one in the UK for art and design graduate employability*, and is looking to the future needs of the ever growing creative industries. The college is planning to build on its success as a leading arts centre of excellence with its new multi-million-pound development on Church Street, which will ensure future generations of artists and designers can access the highest level of creative industry education in the north east and across the UK.

CCAD alumni have gone on to achieve commercial and creative success both during and after studies. Eaglescliffe artist Alan Vest, who graduated in 2016 with a degree in Illustration for Commercial Application, is now an illustrator for The Guardian, a role he secured during his course. Photography degree student Grant Hegedus from Billingham was recently recognised by the judges of the 2017 Sony World Photography Awards for his work and shortlisted as one of the top ten in the world in the awards’ Professional Still life category.

Film graduate Kyle Dollard, 23 from Roseworth in Stockton-on-Tees, has also achieved industry success after winning a prestigious award from the Royal Television Society. At the Yorkshire RTS Student Television Awards, he received the Craft Award in the Comedy and Entertainment category for his camerawork on the film Slaps.

Kyle said: “One of the shining moments of the Creative Film and Moving Image degree course was the flexibility, as we had the artistic freedom to do what we want. The degree gave me plenty of opportunity to be creative and to pursue what I want to do in my career.”

Visitors to the open day will be able to meet with the course programme leaders and view the department facilities, allowing an opportunity to see a range of student work and gain a deeper insight into the modules covered on the degrees.

In addition, there will be tours of the campus facilities and student accommodation facilities at Crown Halls in Hartlepool, as well as a question and answer sessions by student services on support and finance, and information on employment and enterprise opportunities. Student ambassadors will also be on hand throughout the day to help with queries and also give first-hand experience on what it is like to be a student at CCAD.

Visitors are encouraged to book in advance, and can select their areas of interest to tailor the open day to their specific needs. Parents, guardians and friends are also welcome to attend.

Pat Chapman, Head of Employability and External Relations at CCAD, said: “It is really important for potential students to make the best decision for them when it comes to the right course and college, and so getting expert advice is critical.

“We offer unique courses and the highest quality of art and design teaching, and our creative staff members can guide students through the options available and find the right academic path for them. A visit to the campus to meet our student ambassadors also offers a great opportunity to discover the benefits of a specialist art and design college and a friendly, welcoming atmosphere.

“To potential students, 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. The future employability of our students is also a key focus of our work, providing dedicated support through our employability service. Our students get access not just to our in-house staff but a wide range of nationally and internationally recognised creative industry figures and businesses, giving them the head start needed to find employment and develop their career in the creative field.”