GRACE YAN-AU

My Foundation course at the Art Academy was exactly what I needed after finishing my A-Levels – it’s ideal for exploring current and new interests and skills that would benefit me for future projects and prepare me for university life. During A-Levels, I didn’t really have the time to think about which course I wanted to do as a degree or have the support I needed to better my chances of getting into university – until I did this Foundation course. The Foundation tutors are incredibly supportive of each individual’s own practices and interests and put in the time to make sure that we get the step-by-step support for our UCAS applications and our personal projects.

The skills modules gave me the opportunity to explore new and different art practices; some of my favourite electives were Collaborative Installation and Moving Image. I had never worked with digital art before and the skills courses were suitable for beginners like me, and diverse in allowing us to experiment as well as honing in on particular skills or themes to be explored. I was excited to learn that I very much enjoyed digital art, as it presented a new way to create (and it was also great that I no longer needed to worry about ruining everything I own with paint!). Exploring digital art has allowed me to learn how to edit videos, use projectors for installations, and go into animation, which are transferable skills I can use for future projects, in the workplace, and both during and after university.

It has been refreshing to be around people from all walks of life and still be able to come together and connect over what we will have in common: a love for art! Being in a community of people who are interested in your art practice and inspirations, and learning the same about them, is very eye-opening and exciting. I highly recommend this course if you are unsure in your aspirations for academic learning or simply want to learn new skills and meet people who love creating art as much as you do.

Grace will be studying an Arts Management BA at Goldsmiths after graduating from the Academy.