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Winners of the Arts Awards 2025

A couple of people chat and laugh together at the Arts Awards 2025. They are surrounded by many other people all having their own conversations.

Written byStudent Communications
Published date 23 May 2025

On Wednesday 21 May, the Arts Awards 2025 ceremony took place at CSM’s LVMH Lecture Theatre, celebrating staff and students who have made outstanding contributions to the teaching, learning and student experience at UAL. It was an evening dedicated to celebrating excellence, strengthening community and rewarding the impact of education at UAL.

The Arts Awards are not just about individual excellence - they are about partnership and community, where students and staff come together to co-create and inspire. Let’s not underestimate the power of one person, as tonight shows the impact just one person can have on many. Thank you to everyone who nominated someone or were nominated themselves, for your commitment to making UAL a better place for everyone.

— Yemi Gbajobi, Chief Executive Officer of Arts SU

A big thank you to the Arts SU team and the Teaching and Learning Exchange for coordinating the Arts Awards, which are a highlight of our annual celebrations. They are a lovely way to recognise the amazing work that individual staff and students across UAL play in delivering a great student experience and fostering our wonderful community. Congratulations to all the nominees and winners. Your contribution has made a real difference to the student experience at UAL and this recognition is so well deserved.

— Karen Stanton, Vice-Chancellor of UAL

Who are the winners?

A panel of elected Arts SU College Officers and UAL staff selected the winners. Massive congratulations to all those nominated and the chosen winners.

Your Arts Awards 2025 student winners are:

Outstanding Contribution to Student Community - Ramma Pande and Jolyn Jiaying Yin
Student Campaigner of the Year - Beatriz De Sousa Mendes Costa
Student Rep of the Year (CCW and CCI) - Pranith Yasa, Sunhui Ye and Yifan Xu
Student Rep of the Year (CSM) - Madeleina Kay
Student Rep of the Year (LCC) - Crystal Zhang
Student Rep of the Year (LCF) - Alix Damar
Student and Staff Collaboration of the Year - Eliza Salnikova and Robin Jarek

Your Arts Awards 2025 staff winners are:

Making a Difference - Ronit Zilkha and Jessica Chan
Outstanding Technical and Operational Support (CCW and CCI) - Hester Woodward and Eddie Niles
Outstanding Technical and Operational Support (CSM) - Barbara Paes
Outstanding Technical and Operational Support (LCC) - Thom Kaczmarek
Outstanding Technical and Operational Support (LCF) - Aiyana Phokeerdoss
Outstanding Contribution to Social Justice - Alejandro Martínez
Outstanding Postgraduate Support - Alyssa Becht and Mia Taylor
Advocate for Student Voice - Alix Hanson
Outstanding Teaching (CCW and CCI) - Colin Priest
Outstanding Teaching (CSM) - Cai Tuomivaara
Outstanding Teaching (LCC) - Max Houghton
Outstanding Teaching (LCF) - Keren Brat
Excellence in Student Services - Betty Wong
Outstanding Contribution to Sustainability - George Barker
Student and Staff Collaboration of the Year - Fotis Begklis
Students' Union Special Recognition - Creative Shift team (Charline Caceres, Decarla Phillip-Riley, Lora Ghany, Sat Sehmbey and Tessa Read)

Hear from the winners

Thom Kaczmarek, Senior Lecturer in Games Design at LCC and winner of the ‘Outstanding Technical & Operational Support – LCC' award, had this to say on his win:

“I refer to the Latin phrase Primus inter pares - “first among equals” - because to be nominated and recognised for your contribution is amazing. I think all nominees are winners for the impact that they have on students and me being declared as ‘winner’ doesn’t change that. But of course a trophy is nice for the collection!”

Thom smiles to the camera while holding his trophy and certificate — **Thom Kaczmarek | Photograph: Orion HallTurner**

Fotis Begklis, Senior Lecturer in Film and Television Postproduction at LCC and winner of the ‘Students’ Union Special Recognition' award along with his students Robin Jarek and Eliza Salnikova, said:

“You have to be flexible when working with students as they have their own timetables and their own assignments to complete. You must take the lead when they don’t have time and know when to give them space and room to grow when they have capacity. It’s important to have recognition like this because it gives you a sense that you are doing something right and motivates you to do more, pushing yourself to another level.

Robin added:

“There was a whole team involved who weren’t represented tonight so I’m honoured to be here on behalf of them. To be recognised like this at the halfway point of our project gives us so much motivation to go on. Collaborating with mentors like Fotis is incredible and he deserves so much praise and recognition because he puts so much effort into what he does. I hope he knows how much he deserves this!”

Robin and Fotis hold their trophy and smile at the camera — **Robin Jarek and Fotis Begklis Arts Awards 2025 | Photograph: Joe O'Brien**

Tessa Read, Associate Head Retention and Belonging Creative Industries and part of the Creative Shift team who won the 'Students’ Union Special Recognition' award, said of the win:

“The team are thrilled to receive the Students’ Union Special Recognition Award. It means a lot to us to be recognised for our work in helping students from underrepresented backgrounds break into the creative industries. We know there are many barriers to entering the creative industries, and we're proud of the role we play in supporting students on their creative journeys.

Through Creative Shift's work collaborating with industry partners on live briefs, masterclasses and networking, we aim to give our students the best opportunities. We’re excited to keep building on this work, supporting our brilliant students and helping to shape a more diverse, inclusive, and accessible creative sector."

Creative Shift team smile and hold up their trophy — **Creative Shift team Arts Awards 2025 | Photograph: Orion HallTurner**

What’s the story behind the trophies?

A paid opportunity was offered to students, where they were invited to ideate, design and propose their take on a trophy for this year’s awards. The successful student was first year MA Industrial Design at CSM student Yasmin Acar. On her design, Yasmin explained that:

“My trophy design represents a group of hands coming together, symbolising teamwork, shared achievement, collaboration and community. In the centre of the trophy, I included the message ‘Arts Awards 2025’, emphasising how the awards are at the centre of the UAL community. I focused on sustainability from the start and ultimately went with an all-wooden design as it offers durability, sustainability and ease of production. This was the first time I felt absolute joyful creative freedom in a project, and it meant a lot to me.”