Fine Art Advanced Course
This is a one year full-time course designed to support those interested in spending time exploring and developing their practice in greater depth which provides you with a permanent studio space accessible all days of the week throughout the course. Alongside self-directed briefs we shape the course tutoring to meet the individual student’s needs, aiming to provide you with 18 hours of tutor contact time in a shared environment each week. Explore Printmaking, Portraiture, Sculpture, Drawing, Performative based practice.
Typically, our graduating students continue their own studio practice or apply for postgraduate study. Weekly tutorials support the continuous progress and direction of your work, while gallery and artist’s studio visits support students writing on the cultural context of their developing work. Application is by portfolio interview with the Principal.
Course Aims
The course will develop and consolidate the learner’s practice through exploration and discussion. It will provide a context in which learners can identify their strengths and ambitions building a sequential series of works. Students will develop an informed awareness and understanding of the relationship between their strengths, ambitions, and achievable targets.
Work by student Bhumija Dipti Panchal
Course Structure & Modules
Full-time students will receive up to 18 hours of tutored shared studio time per week. The course runs from September through to June. With reading weeks and holidays in line with our Autumn, Spring & Summer Terms. Your final self-directed major project will be externally assessed and exhibited in the end of year exhibition.
Mixed Media Collage by student Rosy Coleman
Studio
Students have access to the Advanced Course Studio located at The Lodge, a few minutes from HSoA main studios, seven days per week, Mon-Thurs 9am-9pm | Fri-Sat 9am-7pm | Sun 10am–4pm.
Studio of student Mahshid Alaghband
Schedule
All our tutors are practicing artists with diverse studio practices that cover the broad range of ideas in contemporary art. You will receive one-to-one tutorials with your personal tutor and/or course leader schedulled each term. You will have weekly classes, between 10am-1pm & 2-5pm, in 2d-3d materials exploration on Tuesdays, often followed by film club. Tutorials and supported studio work on Wednesdays, and life drawing/painting on Thursdays. The visiting lecturer programme incorporates artists, alumni, and curators, sharing in their specialist knowledge.
There is also the opportunity to attend additional termly classes at a reduced price, where available, independantly from your scheduled course timetable.
Group Crits
The relaxed and informal format of the crit provides a chance to show works in progress and share ideas that are still developing, without the pressures of formal presentation. Group Crits will be held each week and students are expected to attend.
Final Exhibition
At the end of the course student's work will be assessed by the External Examiner through a Portfolio Submission and Final Public Exhibition in the HSoA Gallery.
End Year Exhibition work by Mahshid Alaghband
End of Year Exhibition work by Kerri McEvoy
End of Year exhibition work by Abi Yentis
Artist Studios & Gallery Visits
The course offers the rare opportunity for intimate studio visits to internationally acclaimed artists. In the last 18 months, we have visited the studios of Philip King PRA, Gerry Judah, David Breuer Weil, and Zadoc Ben David.
Advanced Course students are encouraged to attend and participate in our organised gallery and museum visits. In the last twelve months, students have visited major institutions including Tate Modern, Tate Britain, Royal Academy, V&A, British Museum, Imperial War Museum along with visits to various private galleries.
Student visit to Zadoc Ben-David's studio
Student visit to Gerry Judah's studio
External Exhibition Opportunities & Collaborations
As part of your professional development, we offer students the opportunity to participate in our external collaborations. Recently these have included a Waste Not project working with Gail's Bakeries across London and the Hampstead Village Giant Eggs Public Sculpture event.
Hampstead Giant Egg by student Amy Patton Prevost
Student Bhumija Dipti Panchal's solo exhibition at Nehru Centre, Mayfair
Field Trips
We like to introduce students to different learning environments, whether this is drawing on Hampstead Heath or visiting the Henry Moore Studio and Gardens. In Summer students have the opportunity to visit partner art centres abroad. The costs for visits outside London are not included in the course fee.
Further Study & Alumni
Recent students have received postgraduate offers at Central St.Martins, Chelsea School of Art, City & Guilds, Goldsmiths, and The Royal College of Art whilst others have received recognition for their studio practice with exhibitions and commissions.
Painting by alumni Raoul Orzabal, which won the 2019 Art Gemini Prize
Forum by Alistair MacKinnon, who is a current Masters student at Chelsea School of Art
Entry Requirements
Applications are open from January with interviews for the next academic taking place in the following months. On occasion, late applications are accepted. Ideally, we would like to see a portfolio of work that relates to your application. This should be no more than 10 digital images. However, as a not-for-profit charity, our aims and objectives are to reach out to everyone who wishes to explore and discover art and design. Applications are reviewed on an individual basis, if you are interested in taking the course please call or email the office to discuss your position info@hsoa.co.uk
Opportunities for all
We welcome applications from mature students who are looking to explore their artistic potential in a sustained learning environment. Each year our student cohort is a diverse group of ages, languages, and ethnicities. For students for whom English is not their first language, we can offer private tuition. This supplementary cost will give the student the support to sit the IELTS level 6.0 exam, which is currently a minimum requirement for postgraduate study at the majority of academic institutions in the UK.
Fees
The course fee is £8,000. A one-off, non-refundable registration fee of £100 is payable on acceptance to the course and an £250 examination fee due in May. Fees are to be paid in full in July before the Autumn Term.
Bursaries - Allocated in February
The Sir Frank Bowling Bursary
Thanks to the generosity of our patron we are able to offer the Frank Bowling OBE RA bursary. The bursary is for those that are unable to pay the tuition fee and is awarded on creative merit and a commitment to learning. After successful application to the course and following portfolio meeting with the Principal or her representative, the bursary is decided in accordance with the student's needs and ambitions. We are proud that Sir Frank is a Patron of HSoA. The Frank Bowling Bursary is allocated in January of each year.
Lady Rachel Scott Bowling Bursary
Thanks to the generosity of our patron Lady Rachel Scott Bowling we are able to offer this bursary. The bursary is awarded to those who are unable to pay the tuition fee and is awarded on creative merit and a commitment to learning. After successful application to the course and following portfolio meeting with the Principal or her representative, the bursary is decided in accordance with the student's needs and ambitions. We are proud that Lady Rachel is a Patron of HSoA.