We’re excited to announce that one of our members, Arts University Bournemouth, has been awarded The Queen’s Anniversary Prize for their BA (Hons) Costume and Performance Design program. The prize was awarded for ‘distinguished degree level education in costume design for the UK’s leading creative industries’.
Arts University Bournemouth (formerly known as the Arts Institute at Bournemouth) also received the Queen’s Award in 1998 for outstanding work in education for the film industry. The prize is awarded to twenty-one UK universities by The Royal Anniversary Trust, an independent UK charity that was created to support excellence in education for public benefit.
The prize winners were announced on November 30th at a reception at St James Palace and was followed by a formal presentation of prizes and reception at Buckingham Palace on February 22nd. The award includes a prize certificate signed by Her Majesty The Queen which highlights the incredible reputation and success AUB has had with their program.
"The overall cohort in the subject at under and postgraduate level currently stands at 200, achieving in 2016 an outstanding (100%) rate of progression into relevant employment.
Alumni achievement is evidenced by numerous international awards including Oscar nominations in costume design and extensive involvements in high-profile and internationally successful UK television productions, including “Downton Abbey” and “Sherlock”, and in live theatre. The University was also responsible for innovative and widely acclaimed costume design work for events at Weymouth for the 2012 Cultural Olympiad."
-HM The Queen
One notable recent project Arts University Bournemouth graduates have worked on is ITV’s Victoria, which premiered in August 2016, starring Jenna Coleman as Queen Victoria and Tom Hughes as Prince Albert. They employ many AUB graduates to work on all aspects of the carefully researched, historically accurate costumes. Notably Milly Barter, a 2015 graduate, has worked on both series as a Creative Skillset Trainee.
A huge congratulations to Arts University Bournemouth for their achievement, and we look forward to seeing where their graduating students head post-GFW18!
Words by Robyn Goldhar
Photography by Rory James