Yesterday, at the Royal Festival Hall in London, 1,201 students became graduates of Central Saint Martins and we could not be more proud.
Attended by staff, graduating students and their friends and families, the day was a moment to celebrate and look to the future. Opening the ceremony, Chancellor of University of the Arts London (UAL), Grayson Perry, said:
“You’re now heading out on a road, a long road, careers in the arts take time. It can take years, or even decades, for a creative person to find their full voice. Your voice will form over time, from skill, hard work, experience and a good dollop of that unsung quality luck. A career in the arts though, is a marathon not a sprint… You are heading out on a pilgrimage and what you’re looking for at the end of that pilgrimage is something that is very precious in our world. You are looking for meaning… It’s your job, and people in the arts particularly, to give life meaning.”
Vice-Chancellor of UAL, Nigel Carrington, presented honorary awards to Central Saint Martins alum and graphic designer, Morag Myerscough, cultural theorist Professor Dr Mieke Bal, graphic designer Richard Hollis and chair of the Swarovski Foundation, Nadja Swarovski.
"It is good to remember you do not have to be limited by your choice of specialism; your practice can always evolve. You can change, you can reinvent yourself throughout your life. Your work can do the same. It’s a process of constant re-evaluation and discovery. I want you to be strong and I want you to be bold. Don't be afraid to express yourself and never stop facing your fears."
Morag Myerscough
The student voice, beyond the cheers, was represented by Adeola Elizabeth Gay (BA Culture, Criticism and Curation) and Lou-Elena Bouey (BA Architecture).
"For the past three years, I have come to the realisation that the world does not have to catch fire as long as there are people like you in it. That the world is, in fact, not burning at all. Your work, your thoughts, your voices, are shining so loudly and brilliantly that all I can see is a future glimmering with hope, talent, and opportunities, carried by each and every one of you."
Lou-Elena Bouey