Art and Design - Level 3 - Foundation Diploma
Start Date: 1st September 2026
- Length 36 weeks
- Study Full-Time
- Location Carlisle College
Qualification Gained
Level 3 UAL Foundation Diploma in Art and Design
More about the course
What kind of artist are you? Foundation is a transitional year between Level 3 and first year Degree
(Level 4) that helps you discover your creative distinctiveness and develop specialist skills in your choice of Fashion, Fine Art, Graphic Design, Illustration, Animation, 3D, Photography, Textiles, Interior Design…. the list goes on. High-level degree courses require a Foundation qualification and equipped with a professional portfolio our students progress to the best degree courses in the country– but Foundation can also be treated as a creative gap year before deciding on next steps.
An initial exploratory stage encourages creative experimentation through workshops and lectures, before choosing a specialist area to develop your skills and receive ongoing one-to-one support to plan for whatever your next steps may be. With links to local creative industries and to many universities we aim to help you to think like a professional artist, whilst having a year of intensive artistic adventure!
This year students have received offers from Central St Martins, London College of Fashion, Glasgow School of Art, Edinburgh School of Art, Manchester Metropolitan, Leeds Arts Uni, Kingston, Northumbria amongst many others
Art
Meet Your Tutors
Paul Taylor
Tutor for UAL Foundation Diploma in ArtPaul graduated from the Storey Institute, Lancaster with a degree in Fine Art. After moving to Cumbria in 1984 he taught at Cumbria Institute of the Arts. Paul contributed to the development of their Fine Art degree (the first degree award in Cumbria), teaching on it until 2000; Since then he specialised in his passion, Foundation Diploma. With Kate Timney he has presented three papers on the experiences of Carlisle Foundation to conferences of the International Network of Foundation Educators INFE. Alongside this Paul has worked as a practicing artist, exhibiting widely and was director of West Walls Studios from1998 to 2009. He has run public art events in Trafalgar Square, The National Gallery, The British Museum, Somerset House, The Natural History Museum and V & A, and in schools across Cumbria. In 1996 he was artist in residence at the SEAC schools in Hong Kong. From 2005-2008 he was Lead Creative Practitioner with Jan Kelsey at Petteril Bank Primary School for the Creative Partnerships initiative. Since 2009 he has been one of 19 regional Associates of the Campaign for Drawing. Since 1989 Paul has worked as a freelance illustrator, writing and illustrating cartoons and advertising for the award nominated “Animal Defenders” magazine, London; John Lewis Partnership; the Home Office; N.A.V.S; W.S.P.A; The Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, Informer Youth Research in London and New York; numerous marketing companies. In 2012 he designed the branding for the Lion Ark circus animal rescue project and documentary film. He has written and illustrated two books – The Dunmow Changes, based on a long-distance residency with the town of Great Dunmow in Essex, and The Many Lives of Windsor, an illustrated history of the Kings and Queens of England. His most recent illustration project is for the book The Dragon and the Hummingbird by Graham Hall in 2024 and he is currently working on poet Barbara Renell’s book 23. Paul is also the drummer for the band No Soap No Radio, whose second album, 2Birds Falling, was released in August 2024.
Wendy Oxley
Level 1 art Lecturer and Tutor for UAL Foundation Diploma in Art and Design, specialising in FashionWendy is a graduate of Central St. Martins School of Art and Design, London Institute, specialising in Womenswear, with extensive experience in the fashion industry and also costume, performance and creative art direction. Wendy has worked with numerous fashion designers including Alexander McQueen, Ghost, Elizabeth Emmanuel, Whitaker and Malem; fashion editorial for Helen Storey, fashion/ colour predictions with Nigel French, alongside running her own business for many years. Wendy's commercial practice includes: Wardrobe/stylist assistant to British video artist and music director Chris Cunningham (creator of Madonna’s -Frozen), Orange commercials; Creative art direction and lead stylist for legendary Japanese guitarist Tomaso Hotei’s (featured on the “Kill Bill” soundtrack) “Supersonic Generation” album cover and merchandise; amongst styling for other bands in industry, costume for Ian Dury and Billy Connolly. Wendy's film wardrobe experience includes: Wild West starring Dawn French and Catherine Tait (2002), Warner Brothers, “24 hrs in London” (2000) with Sarah Stockbridge; the BBC; Baby Cow productions for Channel 4 – “Human Remains” (2000) starring Rob Brydon, Julia Davis and Ruth Jones - with the costume team winning the Royal Television Society (RTS) award for best costume. Theatre experience includes single-handedly sewing 16 outfits for Ballet Rambert’s 'Cheese' at Sadlers Wells in 2001.
