Global Challenges

Celebrating students at Arts University Plymouth as they creatively explore global issues facing our world in the 21st century

Thank you to the Global Challenges tutors for taking the time to nominate the work within this publication and all of our judges for selecting the award winners.

Thank you to Stephen Felmingham for his written contribution.

Thank you to BA Hons Graphic Communication student Cynthia Choi for developing the vision for this newspaper and for keeping the momentum going!

HOW MIGHT CREATIVE SOLUTIONS HELP SOLVE REAL WORLD PROBLEMS?

Global Challenges is a second year unit completed by students on all our degree courses at Arts University Plymouth. It encourages deeper thinking about some of the key issues facing our world in the 21st century and through the development of creative campaigns our second years explore ways in which their creativity could help pursue visions of a better world, whilst also learning what it means to be a global citizen.

The student work on display within this publication was nominated by tutors from across the University and represents both individual and group work created throughout the unit. Please join us in celebratiing all the shortlisted students and the winners of the following four awards:

● Collaboration In Action

● Imagining New Futures

● Art for a Living World

● Global Challenges Creativity Award

Mel Brown Assistant Dean

GLOBAL CHALLENGES

The definition of a global challenge is a long term ‘wicked’ problem that encompasses an entire planetary system, has multiple layers of subsidiary problems and resists solution by single individuals, organisations or indeed whole countries and territories. Many of the symptoms of a single global challenge, for example inequality and the increasing gap between rich and poor countries, we see reflected in many of the issues around us in society, for instance homelessness, terrorist acts and mental health challenges. Our question is, what role can the arts play in such a deep rooted and seemingly intractable state?

As an Arts University, this question is at the heart of our actions in the world, and expressed in our statement The World Needs Creatives Now More Than Ever. This simple proposition, both challenging and aspirational, states our position in this desperate moment in global affairs, as an independent, specialist Arts University. It may seem straightforward, but actually is open to multiple interpretations. It is something of a gift to our students who, as developing critical thinkers, will at the very least be putting a question mark at the end and taking up the challenge of debating and deciding what this means for themselves and their practice.

From our definition of a Global Challenge, it appears the world might `really need virologists, economists, doctors, computer coders, engineers and climate-change scientists more than ever. Creative professionals may appear as peripheral to the real world ‘wicked’ problems that are being tackled by technology and science, as artists who produce culture as a ‘nice-to-have’, or a welcome solace from ever-present worries. This narrative is easily derived from our mediastories and the actions of our governments across the world, with their reliance on scientific viewpoints as the way out of our existential problems. However, I believe this dualistic thinking is part of the problem.

Why? Because I believe that learning how to work together is one of the most urgent issues of our time. This again sounds simple, but already if we set up a binary opposition in our thinking and allow the old divisions between art and science to be reasserted, we are in danger of losing the major advantage of human beings: that after homo sapiens, we are homo faber, that is, we are makers and control our fate and environment as a result of the use of tools. It means that fundamentally we are all creative beings because (to paraphrase Sir Ken Robinson after Picasso) ‘all

children are born artists’. This includes scientists and technologists, where science can be as profoundly a creative, dialogic and malleable set of disciplines as we would commonly assume exist within the Arts. It means that technology and science are also thoroughly part of the creativity we need now more than ever. It is all of us. We must all therefore uncover our innate creative drive to collaborate and work together on issues that will certainly test the utmost extent of our human ingenuity and innovation.

This is the immense value of the space and time in the Arts University that we call the Global Challenges Unit: a space of individual and group speculation, of questions, proposals and propositions that exist only because there was a meeting of minds that produced an outcome that was more than any one person could envision.

But more than this, there is the value of the instinct to collaborate with others from multiple disciplines and nations that students will carry forward into the fascinating, precarious and beautiful world that lies ahead of them.

Professor Stephen Felmingham Pro Vice-Chancellor

INTRODUCING OUR JUDGES

After tutors nominated their student’s, Assistant Deans Lucy Leake, Tim Gundry and Mel Brown shortlisted the work to be exhibited at Arts University Plymouth in February 2023. Thank you to all of our judges who then selected our award winners:

Professor Paul Fieldsend DanksVice-Chancellor

Professor Stephen FelminghamPro Vice-Chancellor

Associate Professor Stephanie OwensDean of Arts, Design & Media

Professor Judith NobleHead of Academic Research

Ian HutchinsonHead of Development

Dr Robin KirbyDeputy Vice-Chancellor & Registrar

Through their ingenuity and deep understanding of societal concerns, these students have demonstrated that change is only possible if we open our eyes to the possibility of doing things differently. These projects represent the very best of that spirit and have delivered on a change agenda that has significant implications for all of us. All of the winning projects demonstrate the potential of creativity to speak truth to power, and to challenge us to think differently about our world.

Professor Paul Fieldsend-Danks Vice-Chancellor & Chief Executive

“We strive to offer a porous curriculum that is always connected to the changes and challenges of the world in which we live. Our students are free to specialise and develop their own unique interests and pathways, but we structure our curriculum in a way that encourages every student to address what we have in common, embrace difference and think about how best to bridge divides. Whether this means building bridges between subject areas, peoples, culture or broader difficulties faced by society, it’s vital that we empower students to recognise that what they do and what they create lives within a broader societal context, helping them foster meaningful impact in the world outside of their studios as well as within them.”

Associate Professor Stephanie Owens

Dean of Arts, Design and Media

All of the entries explored Creativity and Global Challenges in new, provocative and accessible ways. This made for a truly unique and engaging exhibition.

Dr Robin Kirby University Registrar & Deputy Vice-Chancellor

WORLD AWARD ART FOR A LIVING

FORAGING ZINE

ZARA LILY

MCDERMOTT BA HONS ILLUSTRATION

Walking, hiking and being in nature and an awareness of the advantages of including more plants and wholefoods into our diets have both been proven to improve our physical mental well being. Foraging as an activity is a solution to both of these issues. This outdoor excursion forces us to be present in our surroundings, gain nutrients from wild foods all while enjoying the benefits of nature. The zine also explores how foraging is a free way to access great and nutritious food right on your doorstep. “My foraging zine is a representation of my love for illustration and health and wellbe -

ing. By sharing this information in a visually appealing way, I hope to educate and inspire others to explore the world of foraging and discover the many benefits it can have for our overall health.

Having my zine nominated this award and then winning was such an honour and fulfilling experience. It was really rewarding to have my work recognised and celebrated. I'm hugely grateful for this opportunity, and want to continue pursuing my passions and sharing with the world.”

Zara McDermott

Zara created an artefact that welcomes new audiences to the world of foraging. Her publication identified positive benefits to this activity, including engagement with and care for green spaces, dietary awareness and improvement of mental and physical health. Zara's advocacy was delivered through vibrant illustrations and a warm written tone and she was careful to consider the ethics surrounding her project, from health and safety through to accuracy of information. Zara worked openly and positively with art direction throughout the creative process - a pleasure to work with and a well deserved award winner.

Philip Trenerry, Illustration Lecturer

SIZE? / NEW BALANCE CAMPAIGN

GENDER EQUALITY AND WOMEN'S RIGHTS

POPPY STROUD BA HONS FASHION COMMUNICATION

This campaign is a pitch for the creation of a film for New Balance and Size? to sit exclusively on Size?s website, focusing on the proud women who work in New Balance's UK production factory in Cumbria.

Poppy chose gender equality and women's

New balance m920gwk, asphaltgold.com

rights for her project to shine a spotlight on the women who do such high quality work in the UK, using their stories to bring awareness to the conditions that other female garment workers are forced to work in around the world.

New

SIZE? / NEW BALANCE CAMPAIGN OCEAN POLLUTION

SOPHIE GOLLOP BA HONS FASHION COMMUNICATION

Sophie's campaign focuses on the global challenge of ocean pollution and the environmental impact of the fashion industry in general. Her proposal for a series of sculptures made from sea waste is thoughtful and well-connected to both brands we collabo -

rated with, Size? And New Balance. Sophie thought carefully about how she could make the brand's target customers care about the impact of their consumption of fashion while also making a creative, physical response to continue the conversation in-store.

Balance (2022) Mens Lifestyle shoes

SIZE? / NEW BALANCE CAMPAIGN MEN’S MENTAL HEALTH

AMELIA CLIFTON

BA HONS FASHION COMMUNICATION

Amelia's response to the project was borne out of very personal experience of how valuable and life-saving mental health charities can be.

Amelia pitched a collaboration between a

series of smaller mental health charities from around the UK who are supporting men to take control of their mental health through a special edition trainer released through Size?s releases platform.

SARAH DRURY, CRAIG GRANT, LISA MCELENY AND LIZ VASS BARBIESHAMBLES

The Barbieshambles campaign focused on working and living conditions in a factory setting to highlight the issue of forced labour and worker exploitation. The team gathered feedback from viewers during a two day installation in the AUP foyer. A strong feeling was demonstrated by the AUP population for the need for a more ethical and sustainable Christmas, with a range of responses provided,

including practical considerations such as ‘give time and hugs not gifts’ and more philosophical opinions including ‘Christmas is an exercise in commercialism’. In the hope that their Instagram campaign would trigger some level of ethical conscience, they timed it to be released two weeks before Christmas in order to highlight the issue at a time of year where many people buy gifts for others.

PHOEBE ENGLISH LIVE BRIEF

EMILY WOODALL, LYDIA

PENNELL, HOLLIE DABINETT, DARCEY BALL, BAILEY DOE BA HONS FASHION DESIGN

This collection is centred around repurposing waste within the fashion industry in order to find a feasible solution for the current crisis within fashion and the global community. The team worked alongside renowned sustainable designer Phoebe English and Makers HQ manufacturing in Plymouth to produce a range of garments that were not only sustainable in terms of environmental impact but also economically viable and ethically produced.

The design journey was turned on its head, using what was available from leftover stock and fabric scraps that would otherwise end up in landfill, to inform ideas and create beautiful textiles.

Zero waste pattern cutting was also a technique used, giving the garments a unique silhouette. The overall outcome was to create a capsule collection that could be treasured for years to come using nothing but waste.

The Year 2 BA Fashion group produced a collection centred around repurposing waste within the fashion industry. This approach is in stark contrast to traditional design development methods of buying new fabric to fit the design.

This group embraced this change in thinking positively, creating a capsule collection that could be treasured for years to come using nothing but waste.

Katie Furzer Fashion Design Lecturer

ACTION AWARD COLLABORATION IN

SIGNALLING CHANGE

MEGAN BLACKWELL

BA HONS INTERIOR DESIGN & STYLING

The Royal Society of the Arts (RSA) design competition brief Signalling Change challenged Megan to rethink the role of transport hubs sincere many people aren’t aware of the negative impact of poorly built infrastructure on the users’ well-being. Megan designed the central ticket and grab-and-go coffee station with well-being at the forefront of her design,

whilst thinking about the entire sensory experience for the user. The concept of the design was based on sustainability, materials, lighting and biophilic elements that contribute to a positive mental state. The glass cylinder in the centre allows natural light to flood the space whilst harvesting rainwater to be used throughout the building.

https://sites.google.com/aup.ac.uk/megan-blackwell/work

IG: @blackwellinteriors

The rich to poor gap is a global challenge that has developed over decades. The COVID-19 pandemic and recent increases in the cost of living have exacerbated issues and caused more people to face homelessness as a result.

Matilda and Dannielle’s chosen RSA brief was Signalling Change, sponsored by Network Rail and centred around beneficial changes to the rail network and how it can change people’s perspective and lives. They designed a convertible sleeping pod that can be used for both seating and sleeping, a design they hoped to help improve the lives of the homeless in Plymouth and those facing financial insecurities.

SIGNALLING CHANGE

MATILDA SHELLEY DANNIELLE HUNTER

BA HONS INTERIOR DESIGN & STYLING

BLINKING ABOUT IT

HEATHER WILLIAMS

BA HONS PAINTING DRAWING & PRINTMAKING

The inspiration for this short film came after hearing the words of a popular 1960s song, ‘In an English Country Garden’ by Jimmie Rogers.The lyrics seem to encapsulate everything quintessentially thought to be English. Heather hoped to give the viewer a reason to

step back and drop the rose-tinted glasses that we are all so quivck to put on, and see our world as it really is. The filming was simply made by using a photographic lightbox, some acetate film with simple images drawn onto it, a camera and a computer for editing.

SUSTAINABLE EATING HABITS

HELENA PASS

BA HONS ILLUSTRATION

This project addresses issues around food consumerism by advocating choices such as zero-waste shopping, ethical food produce, plant-based, seasonal and local produce, growing your own food and reducing food waste. Through lively, characterful approaches to illustration, the result is an upbeat, solutionsorientated non-fiction picture book.

IMAGINING NEW FUTURES AWARD

“The Film and Screen Arts students used the Global Challenges unit to develop their use of visual and auditory language to communicate challenging ideas, without reliance on text or spoken word. Molly definitely succeeded here, creating a beautiful visual poem that is both mesmerising and intriguing. She experimented with new methods of making work,

and this definitely paid off. The research Molly undertook into mental trauma, and her lived experience working in a Trauma Informed School, gave this work real integrity. We’re excited to see Molly’s film practice develop in future units.”

Lucy Leake, Assistant Dean

JOURNEY OF THE NEURONS

MOLLY VIVIAN

BA HONS FILM & SCREEN ARTS

For this project, Molly focused on mental trauma and the brain. Molly had always wanted to tackle this subject since taking a Trauma Informed Schools training course as part of her job in a local primary school. Dealing with children’s mental health correctly is incredibly important for their learning, and a stable mind in a child is crucial for them to take in educational information properly. Molly is consequently fascinated with the brain, and how the

Amygdala in your brain plays a crucial role in how you respond to traumatic events. “When that part of your brain senses danger, it signals your brain to pump stress hormones, preparing your body to either fight for survival or to flee to safety.” (Nunez, 2020). By experimenting with a range of techniques and creating a soundtrack inspired by Basinski’s 2003 album Disintegration Loops, Molly created a film that was surreal and slightly unsettling.

Too many mainstream media outlets portray migrants in one of two ways. Either by implying that jobs are being stolen by the migrant community or that the migrant’s presence is only an enforced one. This project set out to challenge these stereotype representations and work to create a community where everyone can share their unique stories and experiences. By sensitively photographing migrants and allowing their stories to be told, we created a series of images that convey the experiences of migration. Each member of our team photographed each individual in their own unique style in order to provide a visual representation of this one-of-a-kind life experience.

LOOKING THROUGH MIGRATION

KIRA SHARPLES, HARRIET RAWLINGS, TAMARA WOJCIK

FAMINE NATIONS

YUET CHOI (CYNTHIA)

BA HONS GRAPHIC COMMUNICATION

An educational game to learn about the importance of diversifying the foods we eat to benefit ourselves, the environment and future generations in the hope of tackling global food challenges. Players will learn about the many benefits of ancient grains from around the world and within the game's

illustrations will be many diverse and different cultural elements making the product easily accessible to all and develop a strong sense of belonging and feeling of togetherness. Famine Nations invites its players to pursue interests in ethical change and hope for the future.

THE BENEFITS OF BLUE

RUTHIE HOLMES

BA HONS TEXTILE DESIGN

From her research into mental health and wellbeing, Ruthie explored why the sea and images of the sea have a restorative effect and found out about ‘Blue Health’ which boosts your mood, helps you relax and improves quality of sleep.

Ruthie’s contribution to helping others was to create work that captured her interpretation of being by the sea - a creative installation that could be housed in a doctor's surgery. Her creative outcome could allow a person,

regardless of whether they have a mental illness or not, to feel uplifted, and those with mental health issues to feel a connection that could help them feel present. After the process of experimenting with indigo dyes and acid dyes on norwegian wool and recycled yarns, Ruthie went on to select and combine colour palettes that would create a visual connection to the sea. Those were then woven into samples that could be developed for the creative installation.

WHAT YOU DIDN’T KNOW…ABOUT THE MENOPAUSE

CATHERINE WITCHER

BA HONS ILLUSTRATION

Society has severely under-supported women's health research and education with the Menopause only recently added to the UK national curriculum in Sept 2020. In her explorative practice, Catherine is especially passionate about advocating, supporting and educating people upon issues of importance, to help make a difference.

This accessible animation bridges current gaps in our education, reduces stigma and enhances current media conversations surrounding the Menopause. This conversational and inclusive approach helps to not only normalise, but spark interest around this subject, and sign-post viewers to further information.

GLOBAL CHALLENGES

CREATIVITY AWARD

VOTED BY AUP STUDENTS & STAFF

TUTOR quotes

She Is Me is a feminist group whose excellent collaborative project for Global Challenges consisted of several solution-based activities that sought to address issues of gender stereotypes, sexual health, and disparity of rights for women. The group worked brilliantly in developing workshops (such as the Reusable Period Pads workshop at the SU) and a social justice social media campaign during the

project. Their project has been bursting with ideas of how to communicate often difficult subjects with audiences in meaningful ways. They have demonstrated impactful activities and have worked constructively as a team to ensure their theories are put into practiceand are well deserved recipients of the Global Challenges Audience Award!

Tom Milnes, Fine Art Lecturer

SHE IS ME

AMBER ASH EBSWORTH, DEZETA FANTIE SEREN MARTIN, BETHANY PEARSON, JADE WINTER

BA HONS FINE ART

She is Me is an intersectional feminist group whose purpose is to raise awareness about topics labelled as taboo within society, provide educational knowledge and generate conversation to dismantle any shame or negativity directed at those feminist subject matters. They focused on period poverty during the delivery of the unit and provided a free ‘DIY Reusable Pad’ workshop to university students, documenting their work on thier instagram page @_she_is.me

"The She Is Me team feel honoured to have

won the Global Challenges Creativity Award and are extremely thankful for the AUP community voting for us.

The core purpose of She Is Me is to advocate for equality and female rights, our group of female Fine Artists knew that we wanted our focus to be on connecting with people through education and empowerment. The aim of our project was to raise awareness about topics labelled as taboo within society, provide educational knowledge and generate conversation to dismantle any shame

or negativity directed at feminist subject matters such as gender stereotyping, domestic trauma and violence, ethnic minorities and period poverty. Our collective values art that is accessible and sustainable so during the unit we hosted a free DIY re-usable pad workshop using second hand fabrics.

We look forward to the future of She Is Me, as we hope to host more events and will release dates via @_she_is.me on Instagram and Facebook."

She Is Me

LEVEL 5 COHORT BA HONS COSTUME PRODUCTION

This work is the whole cohort’s submission for the international student competition for the Prague Quadrenniel 2023 whose theme this year is Arrive with No-thing, Create Something, Return to No-thing.

Their proposal was an audience centred piece of installation theater exploring Plymouth and Plymouth’s history and the notion that ‘In times of conflict, leisure and the spirit of people prevails’

Plymouth Hoe has a rich history and throughout key moments in Plymouth’s lifetime it has been a central meeting point for the people of the city. During one of the more turbulent events in Plymouth’s history (World War 2) Plymouth Hoe saw the devastation that happened around it, yet Smeatons Tower, the lighthouse monument that dominates the scene, was not destroyed. The team’s key focus was to highlight that even in times of turbulence and conflict, the spirit of people and their need to come together will always prevail.

The intention was to have 6 performers, each dressed in costumes that are representative of the eclectic mix of people in Plymouth. The performers would act as a catalyst for audience involvement throughout the performance.

YOU THANK

A huge thank you to all our students for their thought provoking work and their care and concern for others expressed in these projects.

WELL DONE!

CONTACT US

Arts University Plymouth is the UKs newest specialist Arts University, run by artists and designers for artists and designers.

Our vision is for a new kind of arts university for the 21st century, preparing graduates who are uniquely placed to provide creative solutions to the complex global challenges of our times.

Founded in 1856 as the Plymouth Drawing School, our independent University offers a comprehensive spectrum of specialist undergraduate, postgraduate and pre-degree study in Arts, Design and Media – combining over 165 years of creativity with contemporary thinking and cutting-edge, industry standard resources.

Arts University Plymouth, Tavistock Place, Plymouth, PL4 8AT

Website: aup.ac.uk

Email: enquiries@aup.ac.uk

Instagram: @artsuniplym

BEHIND THE SCENES

As I reflect on my experience designing for the Global Challenges Newspaper, I am filled with a sense of accomplishment and gratitude. I would like to extend my deepest thanks to Arts University Plymouth for selecting me for this creative opportunity and providing a platform to showcase my design talents. I am also immensely grateful to Mel Brown, our exceptional editor, for her invaluable assistance in gathering crucial information to make this project successful.

The design concept for the Global Challenges Newspaper revolves around a unique color palette, utilizing secondary colors orange and purple. Orange, a blend of yellow and red, and purple, a combination of blue and red, together represent the inclusion of all three primary colors. This color choice embodies our holistic approach to addressing global concerns and providing answers to the challenges we face. Additionally, I have incorporated topographic maps shaped as circles to symbolize the interconnected nature of these challenges.

I would also like to express my heartfelt gratitude to my tutors Amy and Sue for their expert guidance throughout this journey. Their insight and feedback have been instrumental in refining my design concept, helping me create a visually compelling and meaningful newspaper. Furthermore, I am thankful for the input and suggestions from my fellow students, whose diverse perspectives have enriched my work and broadened my understanding of the various global issues we face.

In conclusion, I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to work on the Global Challenges Newspaper and for the unwavering support of Arts University Plymouth, Mel Brown, my tutors, and my fellow students. This project has not only honed my skills as a designer but has also expanded my perspective on the world and the challenges it confronts. I eagerly anticipate applying my talents to future projects that positively impact our global community.

YUET CHOI (CYNTHIA) CYNTIACHOIDESIGN

https://www.cynthiaportfolio.com/