Central St. Martins

Summary

Central Saint Martins is a public art school in London, England. It is a constituent college of the University of the Arts London and offers full-time courses at foundation, undergraduate and postgraduate levels, and a number of short and summer courses. Throughout its history, the college has had a reputation for change-making through creative practice. The students and staff of Central Saint Martins create and practise ideas, materials and actions across art, design and performance,  for a better future.

The College has a legacy of engaging with the global debate about the arts, performance and design, and their role in societal transformation. This is at the heart of what it does: it challenges what people think they know about the arts, performance, and design, and how it shapes and impacts us all. Central Saint Martins has three Schools of Thought: C School [Culture], S School [Systems] and M School [Material]. The strategy emphasises the whole [C + S + M = CSM], champions the power of imagination and actively seeks collaboration across schools to break new ground within and beyond its disciplines.

History

Central Saint Martins was formed in 1989 through the merger of two prestigious institutions: Central School of Art and Design, founded in 1896, and Saint Martin’s School of Art, founded in 1854. Each school brought with it a distinct identity, a commitment to excellence, and a shared belief in the transformative power of the arts.

The Central School of Art and Design originated with the Arts and Crafts movement, emphasizing craftsmanship and design as integral to industrial progress and cultural life. It nurtured figures like Terence Conran and Lucian Freud and established itself as a powerhouse in the applied arts. Saint Martin’s School of Art, on the other hand, became known in the 1960s for fostering radical new approaches in fine art—its sculpture department, under the guidance of Frank Martin and Anthony Caro, revolutionized British sculpture and inspired a generation of internationally celebrated artists.

Following the merger, Central Saint Martins became part of the London Institute (now University of the Arts London), enabling it to expand its reach, develop interdisciplinary programs, and invest in world-class facilities. The move to a purpose-built campus at Granary Square in King’s Cross in 2011 was a major turning point, uniting all departments under one roof and cementing its place at the heart of London’s cultural and creative renaissance. This state-of-the-art building supports everything from fashion and textiles to drama, performance, and communication design.

In 2011, the institute moved to its award-winning building in King’s Cross, where all of these elements flourish under one roof. Over the decades, it has produced a staggering list of alumni who have shaped global fashion—Alexander McQueen, Stella McCartney, John Galliano, Gilbert & George, and Steve McQueen, to name just a few. Alumnus and illustrious fashion designer Riccardo Tisci tells Vogue, “It’s hugely successful because they basically don’t teach you in the traditional sense. They allow you to be yourself and they don’t impose their ideas on you. They give you the skills you need to come out of school and face the tough fashion world, technically and spiritually.”

In 1998 the London Institute earned a Queen’s Anniversary Prize for the “massive contribution” of Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design to the growth of the fashion industry in Britain. The University of the Arts London won a Queen’s Anniversary Prize in 2013, for the contribution of CSM industrial and product design graduates to commerce, industry and the design profession. Today, the institute remains committed to the values that have always underpinned Central Saint Martins: a belief in the arts as a force for societal change, a dedication to nurturing bold ideas, and an unshakable respect for the creative process.

Courses

Central Saint Martins programmes share an approach of exploring the boundaries of their discipline. The students and staff are continually curious and restless in developing beyond the accepted norms of their subject, so the work emerging from Central Saint Martins is at the forefront of its area. The college inspires its students and staff to be alert to new approaches and ideas. The resulting journey can be challenging, but is never dull.

The course has an excellent staff team of highly experienced practitioners and researchers with international profiles who come from diverse backgrounds and remain connected to their industry and are at the forefront of fashion. Students are innovators, critical thinkers, and trailblazers and thrive within the lively and dynamic art school environment. BA Fashion Design comprises five pathways: Womenswear, Menswear, Knit, Print, and Communication. The Knit pathway is fashion and design oriented, with focus on technical ability. Students extend and challenge concepts underpinned by a variety of techniques, from hand skills to computerised machinery. They also experiment with fibres and focus on regenerative and sustainable yarns and materials.

BA Fashion Communication comprises three pathways: Image and Promotion, Histories and Theories, and Journalism. The popular ‘Fashion Communication: Histories and Theories’ focuses on the research, writing and curation of fashion histories. Students draw upon approaches from cultural theory and material history. They will be asked to consider the design, manufacture, promotion and consumption of fashion in relation to social, historical and cultural contexts. While this pathway analyses the history of fashion, it is also concerned with the contemporary fashion industry

The MA Fashion course provides learning and teaching structured around the specialist subject of fashion. Project-based teaching is delivered through a combination of individual tutorials, workshops, seminars, group critiques and peer reviews. Emphasis is placed on creativity, identity, and professional development, supporting authentic, sustainable solutions and accountability in design practice. Digital learning will also enable students to experiment with using emerging technologies for application in design development and communication.

Students can try for -:

• LVMH Scholarships MA Fashion
• Jane Rapley Scholarships
• L’Wren Scott Scholarship
• Sarabande Foundation Scholarship
• Alexander McQueen Scholarship
• Ports 1961 Scholarship
• Self-Portrait Scholarship
• The Honourable Daphne Guinness Scholarship
• UAL Home Postgraduate £7,000 Scholarships
• UAL International Postgraduate £50,000 Scholarships
• UAL International Postgraduate £7,000 Scholarships
• University Hardship Fund

Job Integration Rate

At University of The Arts London, of which Central sAINT martins is a part, the Careers and Employability team empower students and graduates to make a living doing what they love. UAL has a track record for launching and furthering careers. Their graduates can be found in every part of the creative and cultural sectors, from heads of global businesses to self-employed practitioners, and on shortlists for awards ranging from the Turner Prize to the Oscars. 89 percent of their recent graduates are undertaking further study or are working; over a quarter are freelance or have their own business. Among the alumni of the school are the Turner Prize winner Laure Prouvost, the musician Jarvis Cocker, and iconic fashion designers including John Galliano, Stella McCartney, Alexander McQueen, Zac Posen and Riccardo Tisci.

References

• https://www.arts.ac.uk/colleges/central-saint-martins# University of the Arts London
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Saint_Martins Wikipedia
•  UAL appoints Dr Rathna Ramanathan Pro Vice-Chancellor. University of the Arts London.
•  Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design. Bloomberg BusinessWeek. .
•  Best British Art Schools. The Times.
• A change of scene for Central Saint Martins. The Guardian.
• University of the Arts London (formerly The London Institute) A Brief History. University of the Arts London.
• Lethaby, William Richard (1857–1931): Plaque erected in 1957 by London County Council English Heritage.
• Central School of Art and Design
• History Lessons Archived Frieze Issue 142
• Overview: St Martin’s School of Art. Oxford Reference.
• Frank Martin: Visionary teacher who inspired a generation of great British sculptors (obituary). The Guardian.
• “Drama UK Member Schools”. Drama UK.
• “Drama Centre London”. Drama UK.
• Drama school to close after review reveals courses ‘pushed students to the edge’. Arts Professional.
• Drama Centre London to close following damning review. The Stage.
• The London Institute The Royal Anniversary Trust.
• University of the Arts London. The Independent.
• University League Table 2014. Complete University Guide.
• University League Table 2018. Complete University Guide.
• Our Programmes. University of the Arts London: Central Saint Martins.
• Locations and Map. University of the Arts London: Central Saint Martins.
• Fashion week: Why does Central Saint Martins produce so many designers?. BBC News.
• Jeremy Till – Professor of Architecture. University of the Arts London: Central Saint Martins.