Business / community
Brighton is one of Europe's most vibrant and creative cities, offering inspiration from the bustling cosmopolitan atmosphere of the city, sea, and South Downs. In 2009 a Department of Culture Media and Sport survey ranked Brighton & Hove as the most cultured UK city outside London. The largest arts and culture festival in England, the Brighton Festival, is an annual highlight each May.
Business links
Brighton has a history of creative traditions that are intrinsically linked with the faculty. Grand Parade, one of the faculty's key sites, is an essential part of Brighton's cultural quarter that includes Brighton Museum and Art Gallery, Jubilee Library and the Royal Pavilion. Our theatre and gallery make Grand Parade a leading centre for the visual and performing arts in the city.
Students have access to these inspirational resources alongside numerous art galleries, independent shops and creative new media organisations such as arts agency Lighthouse, and leading live-art venue The Basement.
Working with the community
The faculty's links with the community contribute to the depth and breadth of students' experience. For example, students work with artists with learning disabilities from the Access to Art programme. This award-winning programme involves students as art advocates for artists with learning disabilities. It allows the artists to develop their artistic skills, access equipment and integrate into the mainstream arts course at Sussex Downs College.
We launched the international celebration of photographic practice Brighton Photo Biennial in 2006 and the Brighton Film Festival Cinecity in 2003.
We are committed to supporting social and economic engagement in the region. Our influence in the region is demonstrated by the robust relationships we have with Brighton and Hove City Council and key organisations such as the Arts Commission, and networks such as Creative Brighton, South Coast Design Forum, and Wired Sussex. We also have strong relationships with leading local creative institutions including photography hub Photoworks, leading South East arts agency Lighthouse, the South East Dance agency and community publishers QueenSpark.
Through Short course programmes we seek whenever possible to offer the skills of the Faculty of Arts staff to a wider community audience through a range of workshops and classes.