Art and Design

Carlisle College of the Arts is a specialist building dedicated to those with creative minds at Carlisle College. Our specialist art facilities allow you to develop your craft, collaborate with other artists and learn from tutors with years of industry experience.

At Carlisle College we believe in giving you the best possible start to a career in art and design, offering the chance to explore your own creative directions and decide on the route that best suits your skills. We give access to top-level facilities and encourage our students to be ambitious, and with success rates well above the national average there is no better stepping-off point to a career in the arts.

College 16 - 18 Adults 19+

Art and Design

Stuart Vevers

Executive creative director at Coach

Following his time at Carlisle college Stuart Vevers went on to graduate from the university of Westminster. His first job was then at Calvin Klein, followed by Bottega Veneta, Givenchy and Louis Vuitton, where he worked with Marc Jacobs. He joined Mulberry as creative director in 2005 and was instrumental in the company's success, transforming their leather goods into the must-have bags. He has also collaborated with Luella Bartley and Designer of the Year, Giles Deacon. In 2006, he won the British Fashion Council's Accessory Designer of the Year award. In July 2007 it was announced that he had been appointed creative director of Loewe, and, on 25 June 2013, Vevers was announced to be the executive creative director at American label Coach.

Jake Wigham

Tailor, Jake’s London

Foundation was probably the greatest year of my life and I always look back on it fondly. I came into it a few years later than most of the other students in my class as I’d spent a few years working as a bricklayer. If I’m honest I didn’t really know what I wanted to get out of the course, I just knew I wanted to do something creative. Paul was and still is amazing, he recognised my interests and tastes and gave me recommendations and advice that I still carry with me today. From foundation I landed a place at London College of Fashion to study Bespoke Tailoring, I now work as a shirtmaker and have my own small business in London’s Soho. I would’ve never ended up doing this without the help, guidance and freedom that art foundation gave me and I’m forever thankful to Paul for recognising my potential and nurturing it.

Anne Waggot

Artist, Geographer and Arts Consultant

As an older student moving sideways into the arts - a significant career change - the Foundation course at Carlisle College was absolutely transformational. The staff are fantastic. They really took the time to get to know us individually, so I constantly felt inspired and supported. There’s a definite vibe, an energy and an exciting sense of challenge and possibility, that I hadn’t felt in any other learning environment. This course is one of Cumbria’s wildly unsung strengths.” Anne works with organisations inside and outside the arts sector to design and manage creative projects and is a visiting artist researcher at the University of Manchester. She also has her own art practice creating prints, found object sculpture, installations and conversational events. Her focus is on the connections between humans and the natural environment, and she is a strong advocate for rural artists.

Alice Kitching

Independent Freelance Designer

My foundation year at Carlisle completely changed my life. I came into it straight from a heavily science-focused school, feeling really uncertain about my path, but I just knew I wanted to do something creative. If I’m honest, I didn’t really know what I wanted to get out of the course at first, but it gave me the ultimate freedom to explore. Wendy is the entire reason I found my calling in fashion. She helped me believe in myself and trust the creative process, and she’s the reason I found the confidence to pursue this industry. From foundation, I landed a place at Leeds Arts University to study Fashion Design and showed my graduate collection at London Graduate Fashion Week. I then spent five invaluable years gaining industry experience in London, and I’ve recently launched my own independent freelance design practice, Alitkit Studio, which I now run remotely from Hong Kong. I would have never ended up doing any of this, or having the freedom to work globally, without the help and guidance that Carlisle gave me. I’m forever thankful to the team, and especially to Wendy and Paul, for helping me find my feet and my confidence.

Annie Booker

Illustrator and author

“The Foundation Diploma in Art and Design was a pivotal moment for me, and one of the best years of my educational life. When I joined I didn’t know where I fitted into the art world. However, with the tutors guidance and experience I was able to find my way to illustration. The course then gave me time and briefs to explore this way of working, and I quickly built a passion and the beginnings of my creative voice. I couldn’t recommend the tutors enough, I worked closely with Paul and Wendy and with their shared passion for teaching, and their own skills of the arts I felt supported and encouraged to explore every medium and idea. Now I work as a visual storyteller, and create books for children, using my love for the natural world to create fiction and non-fiction books alike. I left the course with a confidence and understanding of what sort of career I wanted within the arts and the skills to pursue it- and it was the greatest outcome I could have hoped for.”

Hannah Garner

Fashion Designer

Foundation felt like a whirlwind rainbow leading into the rest of my life — one of the best years I’ve had so far. It was a place where creativity was carefully nurtured and guided in the direction that suited each individual best. I arrived without ever really having drawn before, and left with a place at Central Saint Martins and am now working on costumes for Lord of the Rings. Wendy and Paul’s care, encouragement, and belief in their students is something I’ll carry with me forever.

Evie Logue

Graphic Designer

After finishing A-Level Art, I felt uninspired and lacked confidence about my next steps. Rather than going straight to university, I chose to take the Foundation Course in the hope of discovering where my abilities could lead. Meeting Paul, Wendy and Kate, the tutors who led the course, completely changed my outlook on creativity. For the first time, I saw myself not just as an artist, but as a designer, creator and creative thinker with real opportunities ahead of me. I would highly recommend the course to those who feel they haven’t quite figured it out yet, or those who have and need time to build on their craft. It provides a safe space to explore and learn, grow and get excited about your future in a creative field. I graduated in 2023 with a BA in Graphic Design from Manchester Metropolitan University and I am now two years into my career. Within my first year in industry, I received “Creative Rising Star” at the Prolific North Awards in recognition of my contribution, development and creative work. My role has since evolved into leading design decisions, managing projects from concept through to delivery, and working closely within a marketing team. Most importantly, the Foundation Course gave me confidence in both myself and my creative ability - something I never expected to gain so profoundly. I’m incredibly grateful for the experience and support it provided.

Emily Frazer

Creative fashion stylist, solutions in business and branding

Since graduating, my career has evolved from freelance creative work into building a specialist production studio supporting fashion, lifestyle, F&B brands across multiple growth stages. I began freelancing during university, working with brands and companies including Koi Footwear, Paul Smith, Leeds International Fashion Festival, SLB PR and more. What started as independent creative projects developed into a long-term career in creative direction, styling and production. Alongside this, I spent four years at The Business of Fashion as an Account Manager, working directly with global fashion brands and industry leaders. During this time, I partnered with companies across the international fashion landscape — from emerging designer brands to established houses — supporting strategic growth, commercial performance and brand positioning within the industry. Building on both my creative and commercial experience, I founded Re-Frase Studio — a production company focused on delivering high-impact creative solutions for start-up and SME brands. The studio operates as an embedded, in-house creative partner without the overheads of a full internal team. Re-Frase Studio works primarily through word-of-mouth and referral, partnering with founders, award-winning start-ups, investment-backed businesses and established brands seeking to redefine their marketing approach. Our work spans marketing strategy, event production, creative direction and styling — with an increasing focus on creative direction and styling as our core specialism. Across my career, I’ve focused on bridging creative vision with commercial strategy — helping brands not only look strong creatively, but also drive sales, grow community and build long-term brand equity.