Introduction to the School of Design

You will forever be the graduating year of 2020—not the unfortunate year who missed out, but the year who rose to the challenge. The year who dealt with unprecedented pressure and stress to fulfil your potential and produce the work that you were always capable of. Myself and all my colleagues in the school are proud to have been able to support you, and even more proud to witness the fruits of your labour.

The academic year has ended, programmes are complete, and degrees awarded. Yet for many I am guessing there is a feeling of ‘unfinished business’ and incompletion. The School of Design shares those feelings with you and is committed wherever possible to make it up to you. The amazing work that is compiled in this catalogue is testament to your enduring creative talents and capacity to overcome adversity, and as soon as is practicable we look forward to displaying it in our gallery spaces. Until then it will be distributed widely across our creative community via our planned on-line show.

The range and the quality of the work on display here is outstanding. Across all the disciplines in the School, the ability to work to find and implement solutions for the world as it is and critically re-evaluate the possibilities for the world as it can be, is demonstrated to great effect. As is the increased significance of the relationship between the virtual and the real, the remote and the present. As we retreated into the ‘safety’ of our digital cocoons your creative and critical skills were tested to their limits, and your efforts have been well rewarded. Thanks to you, the School of Design continues to go from strength to strength, and the work presented here attests to its growing reputation and standing as a creative institution of national and international standing.

Thank you for your fortitude and resilience. Good luck for the future, and we look forward to welcoming you back to celebrate with us in person very soon.