UAL Creative Education Festival 2026

UAL’s annual Education Conference returns this year as the Creative Education Festival (CEdFest), organised by the Learning and Teaching Directorate and hosted at UAL School of Pre-Degree Studies, Lime Grove on Thursday 17 December 2026.

This event is open to UAL staff, partner institutions, external collaborators, PhD and Masters students, and colleagues from across the creative education sector.

Overview

CEdFest brings together educators, practitioners, students and creative communities for a full day of exchange focused on creative education.

Through talks, workshops, discussions and informal activity across the Lime Grove campus, this festival event creates space to reflect on the challenges facing creative education, explore new possibilities for practice, and connect across disciplines, roles and institutions.

Building on the traditional conference format, CEdFest centres meaningful exchange between staff, students and collaborators from across the wider creative education community.

Programme

As in previous years, much of the programme is shaped through an open call for contributions.

As we had to postpone the festival due to unforeseen circumstances, some of the programme is likely to shift due to availability and capacity around the new date.

The July line-up is now live on the website. While we hope to retain as much of the originally scheduled programme as possible, this is subject to change.

The full revised programme will be live later in the Autumn term.

Key information

CEdFest is designed as a relaxed and flexible festival experience. You are welcome to attend for the full day or join at different points throughout the programme.

Your ticket includes access to:

• Talks, workshops and interactive sessions across the day
• Informal drop-in activities and discussion spaces throughout the campus
• Social and networking spaces for conversation, collaboration and reflection
• Quiet and rest spaces
• Morning pastries, tea and coffee
• A seasonal vegetarian and vegan lunch
• The evening social event with music and drinks (please book the add on for this so we can gauge numbers)

When & Where

Thursday 17 December
Festival: 09:00–17:00
Social Event: 17:00–19:30

In-person at the Lime Grove Campus

Ticket Information

When registering, you can choose tickets for:

• the daytime Festival programme (09:00–17:00)
• the evening Social Event (17:00–19:30)
• or both

Festival Tickets (09:00–17:00)

• UAL Staff Admission: Free
  For UAL staff attending the festival and workshop programme.
• UAL Student Admission: Free
  For UAL PhD and Masters students. Includes access to the full festival and workshop programme.
• External Admission: £95 (Student Price £35)
  For colleagues and attendees external to UAL. Includes access to the full festival and workshop programme.
  Payment details will be shared separately after registration.
• External Presenter Admission: Free
  For external collaborators presenting as part of the programme alongside a UAL colleague.

Social Event Tickets (17:00–19:30)

• UAL Staff Admission: Free
  For UAL staff attending the evening Social Event.
• UAL Student Admission: Free
  For UAL PhD and Masters students attending the Social Event.
  Payment details will be shared separately after registration.
• External Admission: £10 (incl VAT)
  For attendees external to UAL attending the Social Event.
  Payment details will be shared separately after registration.
• External Presenter Admission: Free
  For external collaborators presenting as part of the programme alongside a UAL colleague.

Extra information

Cancellation

If you can no longer attend this event we’d appreciate it if you could cancel your place within the booking system. This gives others the opportunity to take your space.

We reserve the right to cancel this event if we do not get enough numbers, or due to other circumstances outside of our control. You will be notified via email if this happens.

Accessibility

The Learning and Teaching Directorate strives to make both our physical and online events accessible for all our participants. If you would like to discuss your needs prior to booking please contact us: educationfestival@arts.ac.uk .

If you have any allergies or dietary requirements, please let the festival team know by Wednesday 1 July at educationfestival@arts.ac.uk .

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Images:Photos from ExEd Conference LCF 2025, photographers Sara Romanin Jacur & Shaw Liu.

Graphic design by Preksha Shah