School of Art & Design – Wolverhampton

Ring Rd Wolverhampton WV1 1SA

The Municipal School of Art and Crafts officially opened on 21st June, 1885.

In May 1950 the School of Art and Crafts became Wolverhampton College of Art.

Its aims were to maintain and develop the closest possible relations with industry, collaborate with employers to develop new training courses, and to maintain a high level of achievement in the fine arts.

In 1963 the college began running its first degree-level course in the form of a Diploma in Art and Design. Three years later the college had a new Principal, Robin Plummer who oversaw the building of a new college alongside Ring Road St Peters. Work on the new site began in the summer of 1967, and by early 1969 the new building had appeared. 

Architects: Diamond Redfern and Partners with A Chapman Borough Architect

The first degree show was held there on 12th June, 1969 and the first full academic year started in September 1969. The building was officially opened by an ex student, Sir Charles Wheeler on 23rd October, 1970.

Wolverhampton College of Art merged with Wolverhampton College of Technology to form The Polytechnic Wolverhampton – which was founded on 1st September 1969.

History Website

A group of interested parties visited the College, as part of a photographic walk lead by Black Country Type aka Tom Hicks with the cooperation of the School of Art, organised by the Modernist Society.

Being a product of the Great British Art School Challenge I was delighted to find the college to be in rude health. Floor after floor of well equipped studios and workshops which service the needs of hoards of eager students.

Accessed by raw shuttered concrete stairwells.

As a historically inky individual I was particularly taken with the extensive printmaking facilities.

Don’t delay enrol today!

3 thoughts on “School of Art & Design – Wolverhampton

  1. I was a student here from 1967 to 1970 doing a ceramics degree course. It started at Causeway Lake in an old school then progressed to the new building in Wolverhampton. I believe that at the time this was one of the top places to study ceramics. We had a terrific team of tutors and ancillary staff and for the first time all the different disciplines of art came together in one new building. I have attended many subsequent degree shows over the years and now sadly see its demise. Paul Boswell.

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  2. I was a student at the painting school at Monmore Green on the Bilston Road from Sept.1966 until June 1968. We studied etching as well as painting, Charles Pulsford was the head of department at the time but later on Roy Ascot and Tom Phillips took over.

    Cynthia Rowe

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