Leeds Arts University - Leeds

Roman

I went in there and it was nice. It's small but it's nice. I don't know if I was dressed up nice or something but people kept looking at me. Surreal experience. Out of this world. Otherworldy. Anyways yeah. Nice ?

Jordan Bell

I only saw the building from outside . Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth and I think Damien Hurst studied here.

Olivia J

Comic and concept art course Is not worth the money. Only know 1 person in the industry and a few more in relevant jobs, even after 3 years graduation, class size of 50-70. Not aware of anyone in lower years in industry either.
There were a lot of problems with the course and unfulfilled promises from both them and the uni itself.
Tutors were lovely but you’re genuinely not taught much, rather left to your own devices. Almost all classes are either a brief or a critique. Classes cost £100+ Per hour.

In our final year we only had 30 mins of class - which was critique - per week.
Never had an end of year show. Tutors promised a year book but never made it. No reimbursement during covid. Silence once you graduate.

Career wise it’s a tough course for employability. They have no industry links and so cannot get you jobs, experience, or placements.
Comics doesn’t really have a jobs market, it’s the kind of thing you have create yourself. I can only think of 1-2 people who are selling their short comics at pop ups, not their job, but a hobby.

And concept art has a lot of people for a very small pool of jobs. You have to be very competitive and driven.
Almost all jobs in concept art (at least near Leeds) is for games. And the industry infamously isn’t the best for graduates. (While also currently struggling with general layoffs). They lack long term skilled professionals (hence why you’ll see many jobs are for lead/senior/ or ask for a few years exp) not grads. Most jobs you’ll find are for character/environ artist which require 3D proficiency. Which we only had a few classes on Zbrush. You’re not taught much 3D at all, certainly not enough for a 3D related job.
I believe there’s only one person from my entire year (and none in lower years) working as a concept artist even 3 years on.

I don’t want to rant too much, because yes this course did have its fun moments. And everyone has a chance at the job they want, it doesn’t matter if it’s 3 or 10 years after grad. You can still do it! (But we shouldn’t be sold a course in which you do have to wait years)
But I feel you may find a better path to your goals than this course. Or at least make it your life mission to apply for every internship you want possible (one of the best perks of uni you may brush over. Esp for concept art. They make almost no attempt to collect up and coming internships and tell you about them, so do look into it yourself)

I just found while we did this course you’d often hear complaints. Things like: at one point the whole class complained about a certain tutor, actually kicking him from the course. Because it was that irrelevant what we were doing.

May have improved since as it’s been 3 years since grad for me. But, In terms of 3yrs & £30,000+ (your loan incurs interest from the first day you take it out, meaning it is much much more than that £9k a year they tell you) I wouldn’t say the course is worth that cost - as you have a 98% chance of paying off the loan with a non relevant job. (Look forward to being a: Barista, teaching assistant, supermarket worker, office worker, unemployed. Which is what real people from this course work as now when they did this course to try avoid that)
With this course you’ll struggle to get a job that’s anything to do with art or design, let alone do comic or concept art.

Hugh Mongous

More of a corporate machine than an educational institution. Went here years ago and remember meeting the vice principle. Looked like a bit of a lizard. Completely and utterly out of touch (think current PM), as all the management were (has it changed? Probably not). It’s a cliquey, pretentious playground that favours rich kids.

Not sure what I spent my £27k on exactly as I pretty much educated myself ?. Absolutely nothing (nothing) in the way of developing your own professional practice, getting a job or any of that, so you’ll be straight back to your mums.

They refused to remark my dissertation, too, which I was fuming about, as I was one of the few that went way above and beyond.

Rebekah Morton

If you are a disabled student, don't bother attending LAU; especially if you are Autistic. None of the staff are brave enough to help suffering students & they have weak ethics. I've spent the last 2 years recovering from attending & being a student at Leeds Arts University & thankfully, I didn't kill myself cause of their awful treatment; how embarrassing would that have been.

Nikita Spires

Good university, but was a real shame with missing out so much with covid lockdowns. You do have to pay for your own materials unlike college, cafe food is mainly vegetarian/vegan and slightly overpriced, only one or two society’s, but you can join Leeds university union for more choice of society’s. Also don’t expect to be taught anything about technical aspects of painting/drawing, you are left to your own ways, lots of job opportunities come up and career aspects, teachers are very knowledgable, especially the technician Joanne. Overall I have enjoyed my time at LAU.

Earth Dragon

LAU let me down, big time. I attended the college course. I was bullied by my tutor, I wasn't the only one he bullied either, he wasn't sacked, even when doing it in front of his colleagues. I'm trans and when I was recieving feedback privately he took it upon himself to give me 'advice' that I shouldn't be transitioning during education. Also, if I was using 'they' pronouns for a friend of mine he would single me out infront of the entire classroom and make me defend my use of 'they' pronouns, simply because it wasn't grammatically correct. (which by the way he's wrong, singular they is grammatically correct and if you don't believe me, google it) Which of course, he never tried to correct anyone else's grammar for any other reason in class. He also made other inappropriate comments, which went past constructive criticism, one example was "you don't deserve a website" after I had spent hours desgining one for a online portfolio. At the time I was 16 and fleeing a household that did not except me for being trans and had just started living independantly after being made homeless, the college and my tutor had known fully about my situation (making the bullying even worse in hindsight) and offered NO extra support, nothing. The support was available, apparently, but nobody ever thought to tell me, and I find it weird that they just forgot one of the most vulnerable under 18s in the year. Oh and lastly, if you're a student reading this, don't specailise in Fine Art, it's a waste of time, they barely teach you anything when compared to the other pathways on offer. There's way more messed up stuff that happened at LAU regarding student welfare, but you'd be here hours reading this so I'll leave it here.

Chris “Vibblez” Jones

Had a tour alongside some other students, the facilities looked amazing, the building itself is in really good shape, location is really well connected to the city centre, and the staff seemed really friendly/helpful