This year Lancaster Institute for the Contemporary Arts (LICA) at Lancaster University presents its first-ever 'Festival'. On this supplementary website we are thrilled to showcase the remarkable achievements of our 120 graduating students, representing all five disciplines of Architecture, Design, Film Studies, Fine Art, and Theatre, Drama, and Performance.The 2023 Festival, aptly titled 'DISRUPTION', will feature a diverse range of final projects, including captivating films, mesmerizing artworks, innovative designs, and captivating performances. Spanning across five venues, including the Nuffield Theatre, Bowland Annexe, the LICA building, Bailrigg House, and the renowned Dukes Cinema in Lancaster, this festival promises an immersive and enriching experience.

Our 2022 Degree Show, ‘RE-BOOT!’, is a very special celebration of Art, Design, Film and Theatre students work. It is, in fact, a double celebration this year signalling - at last - a return to a substantial physical series of exhibits on campus here at Lancaster University at the Lancaster Institute for the Contemporary Arts. Join us at our free open night celebrations on Thursday, 23 June from 6pm. Visitors can expect to see painting, drawing, sculpture, new media work, film, innovative design projects, performances and film and theatre screenings. In addition, we invite you to more undergraduate Film screenings at The Dukes, Lancaster on Tuesday, 28 June from 3.30 - 5.30pm.

Art, Design, Film and Theatre students at Lancaster Institute for Contemporary Art (LICA) at Lancaster University will showcase their work exclusively online this June.

However, lockdown circumstances have not prevented the students from showcasing a wide range of skill and talent in their final year degree show celebrations, which opens live, online at 6pm on Thursday, 24th June 2021.

Visitors can expect to see painting, drawing, sculpture, new media work including animation; design innovation projects; performances; and vibrant and intelligent film and theatre screenings – something for everybody.

The Show demonstrates diversity across artistic mediums and fresh perspectives reflecting, and sometimes challenging, our perspectives on life lived through the lens of Covid and much more.

‘YOUR PERSPECTIVE’ is a free online exhibition. It enables audiences to tour the website in a variety of ways, searching via theme or medium, or randomly exploring the diverse work made in the Department. 

You can join the LIVE opening by bookmarking this page and joining us at 6pm on 24 June, 2021 by following the official link above.

Our online show replaces the traditional on campus celebration and is part of nation-wide #degreeshowsunited activity.

‘Borderless’ is the culmination of three years’ innovative work by students from Fine Art, Design, Film and Theatre. Their varied and engaging work demonstrates that diversity in artistic mediums is truly borderless: from painting, drawing and sculpture to new media work, film, design projects, and performances; many of these disciplines expand and cross boundaries resulting in exciting new possibilities in an uncertain age.

The online exhibition is designed to stimulate flexible audience interaction– audiences can traverse and tour ‘Borderless’ in a variety of ways, searching via theme or medium, or randomly exploring the diverse work made in the department. It represents the creative solutions that have been adapted in what many consider restrictive times, replacing the traditional physical on-campus exhibition which draws over 500 visitors each year.

“Our 2019 Degree Show, ‘Coordinate’, will be the biggest exhibition we have ever had here at Lancaster University. This is because we will be showcasing some amazing talent from across a range of subjects in addition to Art – Design, Film and also Theatre. Historically, we have welcomed over 500 visitors just for the Art shows and so due to its popularity we have extended the duration of the event and it is also open on Saturdays. Visitors can expect to see painting, drawing, sculpture, new media work, film, innovative design projects, performances and film and theatre screenings – so there’s something for everybody. This year we will see the largest amount of performance artists exhibiting, examples of which are shown above, capturing the contemporary arts ethos of Lancaster University. It’s free and attracts talent scouts and art collectors from all over the country.”

Pip Dickens, Degree Show Coordinator and Lecturer in Fine Art