Student Unions are independent from university, providing a platform to represent your student voice. Keep reading to learn more about ways you can get involved, as well as a check-in with Katwamba Mutale, Arts SU’s LCF Officer, as we approach elections.
Katwamba Mutale is LCF’s current elected sabbatical office for 2024/25. As an LCF graduate of BA (Hons) Fashion Photography, Kat can directly relate to the LCF student experience on a personal level.
My time as LCF Officer has been a wild, fulfilling, and incredible experience! I was elected against the backdrop of LCF’s move to East Bank, and there have been many changes as everyone adjusts to the new building. Part of my role has involved helping to enhance the student experience through feedback from academic staff during this transition.
Overall, it has been wonderful meeting students and learning about their impressions of the new building, as well as collaborating with staff to determine how best to support them. Enhancing Arts SU’s presence in the building has also been rewarding. Since the grand opening of our Arts SU Office at LCF last May, we have worked diligently to ensure that students know who we are and what the union can offer.
My main priority has been building an LCF community by organising events and encouraging student-led initiatives, e.g. through our societies, and working with staff behind the scenes to provide feedback on ways to improve the student community. I have centred on making processes more manageable for students, for example ensuring exhibition spaces like the Wolfson Studio can be student-led.
The second priority for the team has been to reduce the attainment gap that unfortunately affects Black home students and mixed and international students at LCF on specific courses, as well as to work on decolonising the curriculum to ensure it reflects more than just a Western perspective. I have collaborated with the LCF Equality Diversity and Inclusivity (EDI) Officer to identify strategies for bridging the attainment gap. Additionally, I have worked with the Social Purpose team at LCF, specifically with Carole Morrison, Head of Social Purpose in the Curriculum, contributing to their efforts towards developing a decolonised curriculum. Other examples include co-planning a workshop on how to decolonise your course alongside London College of Communication (LCC) Changemakers as part of our Course Rep Conference, organised by our Education Quality Team, which took place in February 2025.
Lastly, in May, I will release an ‘Attainment Gap and Decolonising your curriculum toolkit’, which will empower students to act within our courses and initiate change.
My final priority has been collaborating with university staff to advocate for better funding processes and opportunities and to ensure that courses do not require students to pay for equipment to achieve better grades.
What I have enjoyed most is enhancing student community. Witnessing students host their events or simply assert their presence and make LCF their own has been enlightening, inspiring, and uplifting. I am confident the student community will continue to grow after my term concludes!
I have worked on numerous key projects to engage students and foster collaboration. These include delivering a speech at the LCF East Bank Student Launch, organising events through our Liberation Month programme, and collaborating with our former LCF Student Ambassadors to explore ways to enhance the student community last year.
Furthermore, last term, I participated in a Student Community Improvement Committee alongside academic staff, where we discussed strategies to enhance the community. Part of my role on this committee involved facilitating essential feedback, advocating for more straightforward event processes, and improving communication regarding our events. For instance, the installation of notice boards has proven to be a simple yet effective means for students to broaden their networks by posting their collaborations and networking events.
Finally, I have collaborated with the LCF Cultural Programming team to organise events for LCF After Dark series.
Feel free to get in touch with Katwamba via email or Instagram, where you can also find all the latest updates and projects Kat has been working on, and look out for the next LCF Officer who will be appointed following the Arts SU elections.
The LCF Student Union officer reception is based on room 122 on the first floor at East Bank, behind the barriers.
The reception is open Tuesday – Thursday between 10am - 4pm, and students can also contact the Arts SU by email or phone.
You can also read more about and get in touch with Sayali Waghmare, who represents the interests of student Societies, Sports and Liberation Groups, supporting them in devliering events and activities. Chihiro Tateno works on Arts Students' Union activities, facilities and services, working to ensure they are accessible to all students.
Voting for the Arts SU elections opens on 3 March, until 7 March.
In collaboration with Arts SU, there is a monthly student-led ‘takeover’ event in the Canteen on Thursdays from 2pm onwards. These events will provide opportunities for pop-ups, networking, and collaboration. The next takeovers, LCF InterACT, are scheduled for 20 March and 24 April.
More information will be shared in the YOUR.LCF student newsletter.