Notice: Due to unforeseen circumstances, the upcoming Creative Education Festival has been postponed. Attendees have been notified via email. Stay tuned for updates on the new date!

Attendee guidance

General Guidance for Attendees 

  • The Creative Education Festival is being hosted at UAL School of Pre-degree Studies, Lime Grove. The event will take place across the second floor and the ground floor. All spaces have lift access.  
Ground floor 
A010 Rest space 
C012 & C017 Library space and exhibition 
B003 Student exhibition 
Student Lounge Exhibition, creative workshop and soft seating zone 
Courtyard Refreshments, lunch and entertainment 
Second floor 
A205, A206, A207, A208, B204, B206 Block sessions 
A209 Video screenings and talks 
B208 Sound installations 
B201 Rest space 
Canteen Drop-in workshops, refreshments and lunch 
  • The Festival is open to UAL staff, students and a limited number of external guests.   
  • This event is ticketed. We will hold tickets on the door but encourage attendees to book in advance.   
  • There will be a welcome desk with all the details you will need about the day, and someone there to guide you.  
  • There will be Festival Assistants on site to support your experience throughout the day including wayfinding and access support.  
  • Multiple water points and bathrooms are available on all levels of the building, and can be found on the map.  
  • You are encouraged to bring a water bottle to stay hydrated.  
  • There will be a self-serve bag store on the ground floor near the entrance where you may leave larger baggage at your own risk. This will not be staffed and we encourage you not to leave valuables unattended. 

Session Formats 

Sessions are curated into 50 minute ‘Blocks’ where there will be a mixture of session formats across the Festival, ranging from shorter form ‘lightning talks’ with Q&A discussions to some more engaged ‘workshops’, enabling you to choose a pace and mode that works best for you.  

The core session types and approximate runtimes are:  

  • Panel discussion (50 mins)  
  • Workshop (50 mins)  
  • Conversation (25 or 50 minutes)  
  • Paper (25 mins including 15 mins + 10 mins discussion)  
  • Lightning talk (5 mins per presenter + 20 min group discussion at the end)  

On top of this, there will be drop-in exhibitions, creative participatory making/doing workshops, film screenings and immersive sound installations to explore and drop into across the day offering multiple entry points to engagement.  

The installations and exhibitions will be in situ all day. The crafty drop-in workshops change from AM to PM.  

When attending timed blocks, we ask that you attend the full session to minimise disruption in the space. You’re invited to explore the drop-in programme of exhibitions and crafty workshops in a relaxed way, at your own pace. 

Headline Sessions 

Two headline sessions will run in parallel both during the morning and afternoon, taking place in B204 and B206. These sessions will be held in-person and streamed live to several other session spaces for more relaxed viewing.  

Both headline sessions will be recorded and made available to watch shortly after the Festival. 

Running Order 

9 am – 10 am  Arrival  
10 am – 10:50 am  Morning headliners   
11 am – 11:50 am  Sessions: Block 1 
12 pm – 12:50 pm  Sessions: Block 2    
12:50 pm – 2:20 pm   Lunch and social 
2:20 pm – 3:10 pm  Sessions: Block 3 
3:20 pm  – 4:10 pm Sessions: Block 4 
4:20 pm – 5:10 pm   Afternoon headliners  
5:15 pm – 7:30 pm   Social   

Themes 

Following an abundant response to our open call, the Festival programme themes have been shaped by our creative education community at UAL.  Five themes clearly emerged: 

  • Teaching as Creativity: Reflecting on arts university teaching as a site of experimentation and innovation. 
  • Imagining Belonging: Creating inclusive learning environments through collective practice, care and participation. 
  • Justice in the Making: Addressing climate, racial, and social justice by changing practice and taking action. 
  • Unmaking Practice: Critically challenging and reworking established approaches to teaching, research and evaluation. 
  • Living Creative Futures: How students navigate and experience creative careers, professional identity and work in a challenging landscape. 

Filming and Photography 

We would like to inform you that event photography and filming will be taking place during this event. The captured images and footage may be used for promotional purposes, including but not limited to:  

– Social media posts  

– Event recaps and highlights  

– Future event promotions  

– Organisational newsletters and reports  

If you have any concerns or prefer not to be photographed or filmed, please inform the event staff upon arrival. We will provide you with a no-photography sticker to indicate that you do not consent to the use of any images or footage captured.  

Session Recording 

We have decided not to record most Festival sessions, due to:   

  • the number of hours of material   
  • to encourage a safe space and a spirit of trust and openness in discussion and   
  • to avert breaches of confidentiality and privacy in managing this complex event.  

Headline sessions that start and close the day will be recorded and available to view afterwards.    

Health, Safety and Wellbeing 

Please take note of the following provisions:  

  • Rest spaces: There will be a rest space available for your use on each floor of the Festival activity, in A010 and B201. Feel free to use this area if you need a break or time to yourself.  
  • First aid: A first aider will be on site to assist with any medical needs or emergencies; Moderators and Festival Assistants will be able to direct you.  
  • Fire safety: There will be no fire drills during the event. If you hear the alarm, please make your way to the nearest exit promptly and safely.  
  • Hydration: Please bring a refillable water bottle. There will be several water points on site to keep you hydrated throughout the event.  

We aim to create a safe and comfortable environment for everyone. If you have any specific needs or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the event staff.  

Food and Drink 

This event is fully catered to ensure your comfort and enjoyment throughout the day. Here’s what you can expect:  

  • Arrival: Start your day with a selection of teas, coffees, light breakfast pastries and fruit.   
  • Lunch: A full buffet lunch will be provided, offering a variety of vegetarian and vegan options.  
  • Evening social: The event will conclude with a social featuring both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.  
  • General: Tea and coffee will be available consistently throughout the day.  

If you have any allergies or dietary restrictions, please inform the Festival team ahead of time at educationfestival@arts.ac.uk to ensure your needs are accommodated.  

Moderators 

There will be a moderator in each room. They will offer some ‘light touch’ hosting, manage timekeeping, introduce speakers if necessary or be on hand to get in touch with the event team for technical assistance. 

Questions?  

If you have any queries before, during or after the Festival, please contact educationfestival@arts.ac.uk.