Wiltshire art students gain invaluable work experience in Porto  

Art students from Wiltshire College & University Centre were given the chance to test their skills and learn new ones alongside traditional craftsmen and women on a recent work experience trip to Portugal. 

A group of 20 Level 3 Creative Practice and Foundation Art and Design students from the college’s Chippenham, Trowbridge and Salisbury campuses spent two weeks on placements related to their specialisms in Porto, thanks to support from the Turing Scheme which part-funded the trip. 

The students, having successfully applied and been interviewed for a placement, were assigned to nine different studios with artists and experts in the historic port city. 

Jen Shutt, Deputy Head of Creative Arts, Media and Performance at the college, explained, “We had placements in studios specialising in leatherwork, ceramics and architecture, among others, and we had some students working at the Escola Utopia art school, painting a mural. There is such a rich history of creativity and art in the area so it was an ideal place for them to go.” 

Some students were given the chance to work on their own projects under the guidance of the experts, while others helped on existing projects. The students who worked at the leather work studio were tasked with designing and creating their own bag and pencil case.

Jen continued, “They cut all the leather and did the sewing to produce their bag and then they were gifted it to take home, which was brilliant. Another student at the leather company was creating content for the company’s social media.” 

All of the students performed well on the trip, which was co-organised by RiSE International.

“Some of them had never travelled abroad before while others had no previous experience of a work placement, so it was challenging and rewarding on a lot of different levels,” said Jen.

“But they approached it with enthusiasm and excitement and got a lot out of it. Working with independent artists allowed them to understand what it is like to become a specialist and have your own studio.” 

As well as taking on board what it means to work in a commercial environment, the students also had to adapt to working abroad.

“It was a cultural shift for them,” said Jen. “Although our students already have a strong understanding of their specialism, experiencing different materials, working methods and artistic influences through another culture broadened their perspective. 

“Porto has a lot of history and that really influences the way people work over there. It was very beneficial for the students to be able to understand that, absorb it and replicate it within their work .” 

Jen, who was accompanied by Foundation Art and Design lecturer Rob Hemmings, said they saw the students’ self-esteem increase over the course of the fortnight.

So far, the college has received good feedback from the placements, with some students being invited back to work with the artists and designers in future.

For more information about arts courses at WCUC visit: www.wiltshire.ac.uk. 

Pictured: Students created a mermaid seascape mural at the Escola Utopia art school