Lancaster Institute for the Contemporary Arts (LICA)

Stduents walking over the LICA Building bridge
2nd

In the UK for Drama, Dance & Cinematics

The Complete University Guide 2026

3rd

In the UK for student satisfaction in 

Architecture

The Complete University Guide 2026

Top 10

In the UK for Art & Design

The Complete University Guide 2026

Top 10

In the UK for Architecture

The Complete University Guide 2026

Top 15

In the UK for graduate prospects in 

Art & Design

&  student satisfaction in 

Drama, Dance & Cinematics

The Complete University Guide 2026

The Lancaster Institute for the Contemporary Arts (LICA) advances learning, knowledge and professional proficiency within a thriving multi-disciplinary and diverse Department. It has five broad subject areas: Architecture, Design, Film, Fine Art and Theatre. Our students and staff are leaders of creative and cultural practice locally, nationally, and internationally, finding creative solutions to global problems.

A quote from Professor Emma Rose Head of Department

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Explore our courses

  • Architecture

    Develop an unbeatable mix of practical skills, creative vision, and real-world experience. Your career in Architecture starts here.

  • Design

    Respond to complex business and societal challenges by honing practical skills in design research and collaborate on industry projects.

  • Film

    Study the aesthetic and intellectual complexity of cinema and gain a rich understanding of the ways film shapes identities and experiences.

  • Fine Art

    Equip yourself with the skills and experience to succeed in the creative economy. Fulfil your creative potential and ambitions in Fine Art.

  • Theatre

    Create ground-breaking and thought-provoking performances that respond to the world around us. Socially engaged theatre at the heart of LICA.

  • Doctoral Research

    Refine your doctoral research with support from internationally renowned researchers and cutting-edge creative practitioners.

LICA Festival '25

Discover creative works from Architecture, Design, Film, Fine Art and Theatre.
View  their outstanding work here 

Research Centres

LICA is committed to leading interdisciplinary and international research in contemporary arts and rigorous enquiry into the relationship between creative practice, theory and criticism. Research at LICA

  • ImaginationLancaster

    ImaginationLancaster is an open and exploratory design research lab which conducts applied and theoretical research into people, products, places and their interactions.

  • Creative Cultures and Context

    Creative Cultures and Context bring together colleagues across all disciplines to conduct historical and theoretical research about cultures, art, and interconnecting lives.

  • Interrogating Practices

    The Centre for Interrogating Practices is a forum for advancing creative, critical, and theoretical understanding of practice-based research in the contemporary arts.

Engagement and Facilities

CUT/TO Film Journal

CUT/TO, the Lancaster University Film Journal, was created by students to explore and exhibit all the ways we value films in our lives through a combination of academic, comical, and thought-provoking media. 
Read the latest issue here.

The cover of CUT/To issue 3 (The Lancaster University Film Journal).

A welcoming community

The Lancaster Institute for the Contemporary Arts (LICA) is home to over 500 undergraduate students and 145 postgraduates, with sister campuses at Beijing Jiaotong University (BJTU), China and Sunway University, Kuala Lumpur. We're proud of our diverse community and collaborative partnerships.

  • Sustainability at LICA

    Being a part of LICA means you’ll join a passionate team who are focused on embedding sustainability and collaboration at all levels of study.

  • Discover our global experiences

    Connect with world-leading creative institutions, travel internationally, and learn from eminent artists and designers.

Lancaster University Design Society

The Lancaster University Design Society is a vibrant and dynamic community of creative minds, dedicated to encouraging innovation and design excellence on campus and Lancaster. With a diverse range of design disciplines, the society provides a platform for collaboration, skill development, and networking opportunities. From workshops and guest lectures to design competitions and exhibitions, the Design Society empowers students to explore their passion for design and make a meaningful impact both within the university and beyond.

Lancaster University Design Society
Geometric Banner on a black background with coloured shapes.

News

Róisin McMullan siiting in a theatre setting surrounded by blue chairs

Graduate’s reviews topped the bill at Edinburgh Fringe

A Lancaster University student who came top in a writing award at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the world's largest arts festival, is now looking toward a career in Arts journalism.

Image shows a smiling Dr Emily Woof in her graduation gown and hat against a leafy green backdrop

It was ‘all about the place’ for actress Emily Woof’s dance to PhD success

A movie actress, who starred in The Full Monty and Oliver Twist, was awarded her Doctorate this week by Lancaster University.
Four pictures in black and white of snow capped mountains

Cultivating Data Natures – come and see how data shapes futures

Lancaster University is all set to host a special event exploring how data shapes our relationship with place, environment, and the future
Grassland in the Forest of Bowland with a person holding a placard saying are you lost? in the centre of the image

Exciting new Lancaster Arts project coming to the Forest of Bowland

An exciting and ambitious new art project, produced by Lancaster Arts at Lancaster University, is set to open to the public for the first time on Saturday 28 June in Nelson.

 

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Events

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