Fine Art BA Welcome Pack
Welcome to Fine Art BA – September 2026.
Dear Students,
Congratulations on receiving an offer to study with us!
On behalf of the Fine Art team, we look forward to welcoming you to your studies at UON. We have prepared a variety of exciting workshops and projects in Year One that have been designed to introduce you to the diversity of approaches to Fine Art practice.
In the first teaching week you will be given your own studio space, and you will begin working alongside other students who share your passion for art.
We look forward to seeing you on Monday 21 September, 10am in the Development Hub building for the start of our Welcome Week.
Staff will be on hand to welcome and direct you at the building entrance.
If you are ill or late arriving, please contact us both on craig.staff@northampton.ac.uk and michelle.keegan@northampton.ac.uk.
We look forward to seeing you soon,
Craig and the Fine Art team
Your Course Leader
Craig Staff
Professor in Fine Art
Additional staff
- Michelle Keegan, Senior Lecturer in Printmaking
- Dr Richard Hollinshead, Senior Lecturer in Sculptural and Spatial Practice
- Dr Andy Hewitt, Professor of Art and the Public Sphere
- Dr Mike Evans, Senior Lecturer in Painting
- Rich Hawkes, Technical Demonstrator, 3D
Preparing for your course
When you arrive at the University of Northampton, there’s plenty to get involved with during Welcome Week. However, there are specific sessions taking place as part of your course induction that’ll help you settle in and prepare for teaching to start the following week.
Monday 21 September
Session: Welcome to BA Fine Art at the University of Northampton
- Time: 10am – 12pm (BST)
- Location: The Breakout Space, Ground Floor of the Development Hub, Waterside campus
This first session will introduce you to the University and the BA Fine Art programme. You will discover all you need to know about Welcome Week activities, learn how your timetable works, meet some of your tutors and find out how your university year is structured. You will also have chance to meet other students on your course and ask any initial questions you might have about your studies, the campus, and life at university.
Session: Meet Your Personal Academic Tutor
- Time: 1 – 4pm (BST)
- Location: DH040, Ground Floor of the Development Hub
This is an opportunity to talk to your Personal Academic Tutor (PAT) and find out how the PAT system works and how you can draw on help and advice from across the university. You can also ask any general questions you have about university life, study skills, career aspirations, and how to make the most of your degree course.
Session: Fine Art Quiz
- Time: 1 – 3pm (BST)
- Location: The Breakout Space, Ground Floor of the Development Hub
Working in teams, the Fine Art Quiz will be a relaxed opportunity for you to get to know other students on your programme whilst testing your knowledge on all things’ art-related!
Tuesday 22 September
Session: Introduction to Fine Art research
- Time: 10am – 3.30pm
- Location: The Breakout Space, Ground Floor of the Development Hub
This session will introduce you to the role research will play in your art practice. As well as covering sketchbooks and research files, we will also be using the library’s physical resources.
Session: Meet Your Personal Academic Tutor
- Time: 11am – 12.30pm, or 1.30 – 4pm
- Location: DH040, Ground Floor of the Development Hub
This will be the second round of PAT meetings.
Wednesday 23 September
Session: Waterside & Northampton Cultural Quarter Orientation
- Time: 11am – 3pm (BST)
- Location: Meet on the Ground Floor of the Learning Hub, Waterside campus
As well as familiarising yourself with the campus including the Printmaking resource area, today’s activity will include a visit to Arts Collective, Northampton’s contemporary art space and the Northampton Museum.
Thursday 24 September
Session: 3D workshop inductions
- Time: 10.30am – 3.30pm (BST)
- Location: Meet in the Breakout Space on the Ground Floor of the Learning Hub, Waterside campus
Running across the day will be small group sessions, lasting approximately an hour, where you’ll be able to familiarise yourself with the 3D resource area and its equipment.
Session: Nature Morte activity
- Time: 11am-3pm
- Location: DH030, Ground Floor of the Development Hub
Working with other students on the programme, you’ll have an opportunity to help set up the still-life arrangement that you’ll be working from during the first few weeks of the semester. Further details will be provided during Welcome Week.
Friday 25 September
Session: Five things
- Time: 11am – 1pm (BST)
- Location: Meet in the Breakout Space on the Ground Floor of the Learning Hub, Waterside campus
In this session, you’ll have an opportunity to share some of your interests with other students on your programme and get to discover a little bit more about who else will be in your year group. Further details will be provided during Welcome Week.
Session: Studio allocation
- Time: 1 – 2pm (BST)
- Location: Meet in the Breakout Space on the Ground Floor of the Learning Hub, Waterside campus
In this session you will be allocated your studio space.
Session: Drop-in
- Time: 2 – 3pm (BST)
- Location: Breakout Space on the Ground Floor of the Learning Hub, Waterside campus
This drop-in session will be for any questions you might have about the programme or that you would like more information on.
Basic Materials List
(Also sold at in the art shop, Development Hub, University of Northampton.)
- A1 Portfolio
- Basic range of good quality drawing pencils
- Masking tape x1 Roll
- Sketchbook (A4, square – or other)
- Combination lock
- Pen Stick (4-8GB) or an external hard drive (not sold at UON Shop)
- Genuine Turpentine (Not turps substitute)
- Purified Linseed Oil small (Daler Rowney)
- Low Odour White Spirit
- Paint Brushes: Graduate (Brand) / 3 sizes of flat brushes (UON art shop)
Reading Lists
We don’t have any set pre-course reading and you do not need to buy any books before starting your course. You will be able to access materials via the University Library and Learning Services shortly after your formal enrolment on campus.
There is no single textbook for the entire first year of the course. Tutors will use multiple resources across each module.
