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Photos: David Povilaika | View the full photo album

To kick off the academic year, Arts SU teamed up with University of the Arts London Creative Computing Institute (CCI), to deliver a one-day collaborative symposium. Focusing on the social mission of CCI, the symposium took a student-led and student-centered look at digital inclusion, diversity in technology and digital entrepreneurship. Part of Arts Student Union’s Art + Tech programme's vision of the day was to bring together students who have an interest in access to and representation within technology.

Underscoring the Student Union’s own mission of being member-led, we have worked to ensure that this symposium was an opportunity for students at CCI to upskill their facilitation experience by bringing a programme of workshops that unpack and underscore their research and time at the CCI. Find out more about their workshop experience below. 

The Students’ Union is currently developing thean ongoing events programme of events for Art + Tech. We aim to deliver a programme specifically for UAL students to provide: 

• New experiences in art and technology.  

• Rethinking the way artists engage with mixed reality, the physical and the virtual.  

• Provide new skills, creative practice enhancement and experience for creative entrepreneurs, to help ensure their success in the creative industry during and post university.  

• Reacting to the current climate, this series will allow students (no matter their year, college or course) to learn new approaches and practices in art and technology to enhance their professional practice. 

...As well as providing opportunities for students to discuss, collaborate, skill share to progress their own knowledge and interests. 

If you are a UAL student and you have an idea for a workshop, a topic for a panel discussion, or a tech medium you would like to explore, please do reach out to see if it is an idea we can build into this year’s professional development programme for you and other UAL students. 

Email your idea or interest to artsprogramme@su.arts.ac.uk  

We caught up with the symposium's speakers, Yining and Charmiane, to hear about their experiences of the day.

Yining Jiang

Yining Jiang is a motivated, highly creative computing artist with 5 years of experience in digital media industries. Rich experience in group work and individual assignments making video and board games, as well as interactive installations design. Recently, she has been working on designing prototypes for iterative design to combine Chinese hieroglyphs and interactive video games, giving the audience the opportunity to engage with and learn about ancient Chinese characters. 

“Participating in the workshop as a symposium facilitator was a serendipitous journey that unfolded through the UAL Slack opportunity channel. It was an invitation from the student union to collaborate on organizing regular symposiums in partnership with CCI that caught my eye. Little did I know that this opportunity would be a transformative experience. 

As I prepared content for the symposium, I found myself sharpening my logical and critical thinking skills. Crafting engaging discussions pushed me to think deeply and critically about the subject matter. When it came to facilitating the actual event, I honed my communication and public speaking abilities. This experience also boosted my self-confidence significantly. 

One of the most enriching aspects of the workshop was the opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals within my field. I was fortunate to make numerous new friends, especially among the more experienced peers in the industry. Engaging in conversations with them expanded my horizons, deepened my understanding of the subject matter, and provided me with invaluable insights to improve the quality of my work. 

Not only did I learn from the participants, but I also absorbed valuable lessons from the audience. Their feedback and shared content inspired me to explore new possibilities in the relevant field. It was truly motivating to see how the discussions ignited creativity and encouraged exploration. 

Reflecting on my workshop experience, I believe that such opportunities are invaluable for university students, especially freshmen. They provide access to academic resources, effective learning methods, and even potential career paths. I would wholeheartedly encourage other students to seize similar opportunities, as they not only enrich one's academic journey but also help in personal and professional development. 

In conclusion, stumbling upon the symposium facilitator role through the UAL Slack channel was a stroke of luck that led to a profound learning experience. I am grateful for the chance to participate and would encourage fellow students to explore similar opportunities to embark on their own transformative journeys.” 

Charmiane Mayibongwe Chikiwa 

Instagram : @c.chikiwa

Website : https://charmianechikiwa.wixsite.com/mysite-1/navigation-1

Charmiane Chikiwa is a multidisciplinary creative currently studying Production Arts for Screen with Creative Computing at Wimbledon College of Arts. Her work explores the intersections of creativity, mental healthcare, and education. She's dedicated to making art and technology spaces more inclusive. Recently, she participated in a panel discussion on diversity and inclusion practices at UAL and has collaborated with institutions including Leeds Art Gallery and the Van Gogh House. 

“Last year I studied the Creative Computing Institute’s Diploma in Creative Computing. Being on this course made me realise many ways that art and technology can interact. In my main degree, I study Production Arts for Screen at Wimbledon College of Art and as much as I enjoy my degree and the skills I am learning, I've realised I enjoy working in community engagement/student support roles.  

Not every student wants to graduate from their course and go into an industry that is directly related whether you study fashion design, art direction or fine art. I am pursuing a career in Art Therapy and the course I am on is most tailored to the skills I want to learn for my creative practice.  

The CCI diploma had fewer film industry-specific briefs and it gave me newfound confidence to explore and define what technology is and means to me. I now wanted to help other students do the same.  

My favourite thing about technology is that even under the computers and the gadgets we use every day there is a deep sea of history and multi-cultural influence. I like exploring how we can modify how we approach technology to suit our personal everyday needs. My final project at CCI explored how we can recycle everyday larger items of tech such as ATMs, phone booths and TVs. I shared my project conclusions as a workshop that encouraged participants to reach their own conclusions about their visions for tech.  

Through the few months, we worked with Arts SU, we were given training on how to interact with workshop participants, and how to approach delicate topics and were provided with a safe space to build our confidence. Instead of having these ideas in my head and not getting a chance to practise my public speaking skills and how to share my creative ideas through workshops and activities, I got to practice and refine my skills whilst still a student. I got to work with a coach who talks about how to have more confidence in the ideas I have to share with the world. I was given access to a wealth of knowledge that allowed me to not only practise planning, facilitating and coordinating workshops but also taught me to have the confidence to approach art galleries and other community spaces with the ideas I want to share. It taught me to know my worth as a young artist.  

This experience opened up my eyes to how much support there is available for students at UAL.  I seriously encourage any students to give this opportunity/ similar opportunities a chance, it was such a wonderful experience! You will learn so much from giving yourself a chance to do the difficult thing which is learning how to confidently communicate your ideas whilst you're young. I do not doubt that these skills will help me build my creative career as I approach graduation!”