Falmouth University

My daughter is very keen to pursue a fine arts degree at Falmouth Uni in Cornwall.
Has anyone studied there? It would be great to get some feedback or insight before we trek down there.

cheers Al

My mate went there, took four years to finish, took ALL THE MDMA and became some sort of dj god. It sounds like a very fun place and the art school is second to none.

A mate of mine went there, he came out a great designer...

I've heard good things about Falmouth, I didn't study there but I believe it has a very good reputation.

Spotter went to Famlouth

When i was 17 its where I really wanted to go just because of the surfing but then was persuaded to stay in london

I interviewed there this year. Definitely worth the trip, beautiful place and the campus is very impressive. They seem to be throwing money at it too

Loads of my mates loved it, it sounded nice crawling out of grotty student house partys at 8am onto a lovely beach.

on of my mates from school is doing photography there, seems to be having a nice time. His facebook/instagram/flickr feeds are full of lovely seasidey snaps

What does she want out of it?

Personally I think going to do fine art at University is a fantastic waste of money. You do not need art uni to be an artist. But Falmouth particularly will be the art school dream of an arty student wanting to be where the cool kids are etc..

If she genuinely wants to be an artist, Id recommend going to a university in another country. Really pushing what herself into the unknown. It shouldn't be about being in a fun location and amongst the cool kids, but rather somewhere extremely challenging and competitive.

But I still reckon just exploring things without university or studying something useful is a much better way to do things and not blow enough money to buy a small house.

Great feedback everyone, I guess art foundation first, I want my girl to be free to choose what degree she wants to do. So 4 years of Uni away from home living a students life will be great.

I went to Falmouth (graphic design at Woodlane), lovely place in summer, a little too quiet/desolate in winter.

The establishment was overhauled/funded by the EU: amazing facilities, good guest speakers, great links to industry (considering the location) and it's fairly easy to both party lots (fun times) but also get your head down and be enthralled in your work.

Most people there are left-leaning and a little alternative, the courses generally seem to be focussed on getting the most out of each individual rather than putting everyone through a prescribed process (there isn't a typical Falmouth grad in my experience).

There is a weird locals versus students vibe as the surrounding area is pretty poor and students push rents up and generally exploit the area somewhat. It's very hard to find decent part-time work as a student unless you know a bar owner (or similar).

This is perhaps a little worrying (if the cuts in staff wages continue).

Definitely go to an open day and try not to be too overwhelmed by the palm trees and idyllic setting! I would thoroughly recommend the courses/university but it's not for everyone.

I guess art foundation first

My advice would be to save money (if you need to) by doing the art foundation at a local/cheap art college instead, although the Falmouth foundation year is meant to be very good if you can afford the additional year of rent, etc.

Id recommend going to a university in another country.

Isn't this more expensive than studying in the UK?

My daughter needs to escape London and free herself of the over anxious, low self esteem, lack of confidence her mum brings to our household. I can afford the education/digs, but daughter needs to go there for a few days see the town and the campus. I can well imagine quite a divide in what is a poor part of the country. We have spent her entire childhood of summers down there, working at the Minack Theatre performing / supporting stage productions. I also need her the complete AS levels this month and continue next year with A levels. And not wing it with an interview and strong portfolio..

What does she want out of it?

Personally I think going to do fine art at University is a fantastic waste of money. You do not need art uni to be an artist.

If she genuinely wants to be an artist, Id recommend going to a university in another country. Really pushing what herself into the unknown. It shouldn't be about being in a fun location and amongst the cool kids, but rather somewhere extremely challenging and competitive.

But I still reckon just exploring things without university or studying something useful is a much better way to do things and not blow enough money to buy a small house.

I disagree with the first part-to teach in art schools as a means of supporting yourself later on it's increasingly necessary not just to need an MFA but also start doing Doctoral research given the competition. You also get decreased job security and working conditions for the privilege.

Having studied in a few different countries I'd also urge caution-I had a great time but the quality of education is hit and miss so you really need to know it's got a good rep and visit first, speak to other students and see how happy they are. The plus side is that many EU uni's will be free and are keen to have native english speakers. For fine art especially you'd be better with some competency in the native language or you can be very isolated-art schools don't generally do the whole Uni-style clubs and societies to meet people and the students can be very eh, eccentric, about making any kind of effort or turning up.

Sad to say that with the third bit, I'd agree. After 10 years of struggle and massive debts, I am now ditching postgrad study in the arts to get a professional qualification that will guarantee me a decent income whilst I keep pursuing opportunities on the side. This is something I wish i'd done before, as if anything, in the increasingly professionalised metier of the arts, having some professional experience is very very useful going into a fine art course and gives you a massive advantage over your peers who won't be as focused or savvy about how the system works. And it is just one dirty big system that mirrors banking or anything else.

Don't mean to sound bleak, but really in today's climate you need to think much harder and be very pragmatic about what will see you through. I've done so many minimum wage skivvy jobs I want to puke and any satisfaction my work has given me is scrubbed out by the drudge of paying my way. Factor in that art is supposed to be about freedom and self-realisation, it's a kick in the balls to be in an art institution and feel like the people around you (including your tutors who for the most part i've found to be insipid, incompetent arseholes) have been hand-picked by some dippy Alan Sugar and would otherwise be great for a career in sales.

Basically, if I ever have a kid (poor kid) I'd encourage him/her to do engineering or something... That sounds terrible but it's the way it is even if it shouldn't be-arts degrees are very useful and very fulfilling in lots of ways that are difficult to quantify, but if you don't have the coin to sustain yourself after then you're set for a precarious life indeed and all the people i know that are doing well are sponsored by mummy and daddy and exploiting networks.

My daughter needs to escape London and free herself of the over anxious, low self esteem, lack of confidence her mum brings to our household. I can afford the education/digs, but daughter needs to go there for a few days see the town and the campus. I can well imagine quite a divide in what is a poor part of the country. We have spent her entire childhood of summers down there, working at the Minack Theatre performing / supporting stage productions. I also need her the complete AS levels this month and continue next year with A levels. And not wing it with an interview and strong portfolio..

Art schools now love things over and above portfolios-a p/t job in a gallery, independent exhibition that she has documentation of (no matter how small or tenuous) and a good awareness of some very contemporary artists (start from the tate turbine hall artists and work your way out...) will count for a lot in an interview along with a very well presented porfolio-if you do architecture as I think you do (?) you'll know exactly how to present things.

My cousin is in year two at the Amsterdam school of the arts.
http://www.ahk.nl/en/prospective-students/application-and-admission/tuition-fees/

Facilities are excellent, it's affordable and Amsterdam is a fun city being a student.

You'll also save a fortune in tuition fees.

Über, great words and advice.

My daughter has just read the entire post, what is excellent free advice. I never had a university education, started at the lowest place possible took myself to technical college and became an Architectural Technician at a time when education was free or relatively cheap and skipped A levels. I have 25 years of practical experience, earn an architects salary, delivered some noteworthy buildings and debt free for most of my working life. I could take my Part 3 and qualify. only really worth it if i want my own practice. But it's been pretty dull and a long road. When ever I go on site I am surrounded by professionals with better career prospects and salaries, ironic really.

What does she want out of it?

Personally I think going to do fine art at University is a fantastic waste of money. You do not need art uni to be an artist. But Falmouth particularly will be the art school dream of an arty student wanting to be where the cool kids are etc..

If she genuinely wants to be an artist, Id recommend going to a university in another country. Really pushing what herself into the unknown. It shouldn't be about being in a fun location and amongst the cool kids, but rather somewhere extremely challenging and competitive.

But I still reckon just exploring things without university or studying something useful is a much better way to do things and not blow enough money to buy a small house.

You dont have to want to be an artist to study fine art. Ive never wanted to be an artist despite studying it. You can go into many jobs with a fine art degree.

I would recommend heavily in your daughter doing a foundation. Its free for her if she applies straight away in her last year of school for one of the london art schools

DFP, your advice has reached Welsh* standards... Congratulations...

** No offence to Wales, great place...
*

Falmouth is my endz; only got good stuff to say about it as a place, only really got experience of the uni from a distance though. When are you heading down? I'll be around from the end of the month, do come and say hello/drink beer in the garden.

It has all been said here al, I went there too. Nice place, by the sea and good reputation in the creative industry. (if you have any specific questions PM me and I would try to answer them)

Disagree with DFP; art school's a great place to learn about art.

Great stuff everyone. My girl is smart enough to know how things will work out for the future. Spent plenty of hours either at my work, with modelmakers, on film sets and on stage. I have plenty of friends in those industries, but she needs to grasp the opportunities when they come along. More than anything though, I want my girl to be herself and be guided and inspired. I think Falmouth can do this and more.

I will be PM a few of you.

Falmouth is my endz

Oh. You never struck me as very falmouthed.

Bit late to the party, but as pooface mentioned I went to falmouth. Feel free to hit me up with any questions you have

looks like we are going to Falmouth in October for the campus open day..
any nice / reasonably priced places to stay in town?
cheers