-

You must be logged in to vote
Back to list
  • 60 score
    62 voters

    Grant Alumni Access to Facilities

    Submitted 5 months ago by Anonymous
    Current
      23comments
      The university has a great range of specialist, purpose built facilities which are invaluable assets. Such facilities include photographic studios, darkroom, workshop areas, kilns for ceramics, screenprinting, presses for bookbinding, etc to name a few. These facilities incur a large financial outlay to setup, a cost that early-career graduates cannot afford. Currently, members of University Alumni cannot access these facilities after finishing their course. I have come to learn that graduates have been offered access to facilities in the past, although this may have stopped due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The situation is ever-changing as we are now able to gather in lectures and do workshops. Is it not conceivable that access to facilities might once again be available to Alumni? These facilities are assets which could transform the trajectory of alumni careers, propelling their success. The Arts are constantly being under-funded. Other universities give their Alumni lifetime access to their facilities. As graduates we will have already done inductions and workshops to use the facilities. If necessary, the facilities could be available on a membership scheme, similar to that run by the library. A monthly / day-pass payment scheme or similar could be implemented which would bring welcome funds back into the university. Of course, the current student cohort would take priority. A timetable of availability could be made accessible online to pre-book (alumni only) slots, weekends, evenings, summertime perhaps? Cheltenham faces a battle to retain the local talent, let's change that.
    Lucinda Taylor
    12:17pm on 18 Jan 24 I’d happily pay a fee for this facility, it would greatly help to launch a career by supporting the early stages.
    Magdalena Kwapisz
    12:29pm on 18 Jan 24 I would be very interested in it. Such a great idea! Most photography students don’t have access to studios after they finish.
    Hollie-Anne Prior
    1:06pm on 18 Jan 24 I would happily pay a fee to get acess to the facilities here, finding facilities as good as here is nearly impossible after leaving
    Stefania Distante
    2:30pm on 18 Jan 24 I welcome this proposal. I would happily pay a fee and use the facilities when available and after current students have been prioritised. These facilities are invaluable in the early career of emerging artists who have graduated from the UOG!
    Nicholson Henderson
    3:18pm on 18 Jan 24 On the day I came in for my interview for the MA, it was the facilities on offer which went a long way to sway my decision to study at UOG. It happily coincided with the impressive MA Photography show launch that evening in Hardwick Gallery. I would happily pay a fee and use the facilities when available after current students have been prioritised. Cheltenham on the whole struggles to retain a lot of it's local talent, largely because of limited access to suitable facilities/studio space, etc. Let's do something to change that.
    Cathal Lynch
    4:19pm on 18 Jan 24 What a great idea! Bearing in mind how facilities tend to be vacant during holidays etc. this would be a win-win if UoG had the option of a alumni membership at a reasonable fee.
    Trina Hayes
    5:49pm on 18 Jan 24 Excellent idea to make use of facilities by x students who already know how to use them.
    Zoe Simmons
    9:41am on 19 Jan 24 This is an amazing idea! It would allow graduates to continue doing what they love, since access to studios is so limited.
    Daisy Kent
    10:24am on 19 Jan 24 Access to the university's facilities would be invaluable to alumni. The harsh reality is that many creative facilities are inaccessible to us, especially in this day and age, so offering access *at a reasonable fee* would help support those in our community after graduation to build and develop their career. As the university wants to push the Three UoG Promises, this would be considerably in line with the Careers Promise, and show that the university really does care about their current alumni being successful within their field once graduating; the support that the university offers needs to be inclusive of those who need access to its facilities in order to build a career for themselves. If the university wants to scream and shout about how great the career prospects are here, they need to support their graduates and help them continue doing what they love!
    James Fletcher
    10:32am on 19 Jan 24 Access to the University studios and facilities such as the darkrooms would be incredible for alumni, especially with the lack of local and affordable facilities. It would allow for graduates to continue creating work that they may not have been able to otherwise which could really help boost their careers. I for one would be more than happy to pay a reasonable fee to access the university facilities. Not only that but this could help to strengthen the photography community and relationship between current students and graduates.
    Emily Arundale
    10:39am on 19 Jan 24 This would be an absolute game changer for alumni to continue exploring new ideas and creating work to aid them with their on going careers. It would so benefit current students and help bridge the gap between students and alumni.
    Megan Bendall
    11:27am on 19 Jan 24 I think this is a brilliant idea, I know when I graduated, the sudden loss of creatives around all the time and the jump into working world meant I didn’t push myself to try different things such as darkroom and studio work, so I definitely think alumni and graduates would benefit greatly from this!
    Brandon Scrimshaw
    1:53pm on 19 Jan 24 This would be an incredible opportunity to graduates, even in a paid system it would respark the network of creatives at the uni. It would also provide amazing assisting opportunities for current students to work with graduates and gain experience outside of the course in an environment which they know and equipment they have used. Absolute no brainer for myself and other alumni, really hope this goes through!
    Cathy Dean
    2:15pm on 19 Jan 24 This seems like such an obvious no-brainer to me I'm surprised it doesn't happen already. The opportunity for cross-fertilisation of ideas across the local artistic community seems too good to waste
    Nicholson Henderson
    2:20pm on 19 Jan 24 Thanks everyone who has already voted and left comments. Really appreciative of the support, keep it coming.
    Louise Wilson
    4:16pm on 19 Jan 24 Amazing opportunity for graduates, good promotion for future students. As it is very hard to access good facilities once graduating this well help career progression of leaving students as well. Overall, positive outcomes for the future and past students.
    Afruza Aktar
    5:17pm on 19 Jan 24 This would be great idea. Positive sign for all students.It will be good if it is applicable for students of all faculties.
    Benjamin Brain
    5:31pm on 19 Jan 24 Not only would this help graduates to continue to work on bigger and better projects, it would be so helpful to current students to see projects like that being done!
    Jonny Nolan
    11:14am on 20 Jan 24 The facilities the university has are fantastic and mostly unused out of term time, for alumni like myself and many others would find this immensely useful for not only our benefit but to also provide opportunities for current students to help us out. Continuing to build the community of the photography courses. Additionally, this is a service a lot of people would be willing to pay for.
    Jade Fisher
    12:49pm on 20 Jan 24 As alumni of the university being able to have access to the facilities would be incredible. Not only can the university receive a fee for the services that could go back into the university but the current students can get first hand experience what the creative world is like by networking and learning from the alumni. I think if this goes through it will really help bridge the gap from being a student to being a graduate .
    Kate Makepeace
    9am on 25 Jan 24 Having just graduated and now trying to find my own feet, I can say trying to find spaces that can offer even close to what the university does for students, is nigh on impossible. There are many places that are just studio hire or just dark room facilities or just equipment hire, but never all the same place meaning they are all an additional cost. I feel that at a reasonable cost, it would be so lovely to be able to invite alumni back to share the facilities and space with the students to connect more, which could both influence students and give opportunity to assist graduates as well as helping graduates boost their careers.
    Abiola Afolabi
    8:21pm on 27 Jan 24 Sounds like a fair and very Impactful proposition for the University and its alumni
    Melanie Betterton
    8:43pm on 12 Feb 24 I see it as a win win for the university to back Alumni to have access to studios and facilities. Students and Alumni would be a creative community collaboration. Summer use of studios and facilities by Alumni would enable students opportunity to explore personal projects. Also, workshops could be offered.