Applied Art
Applied art is a creative discipline concerned with making objects and artefacts that are both beautiful and functional, fusing artistic sensibility with the knowledge of materials and techniques needed to realise work in three dimensions. It encompasses ceramics, metalwork, jewellery, mixed media, and a broad range of craft-based and material practices that have a long tradition in design and applied arts education. Applied art takes the concerns of fine art, regarding form, surface, colour, and concept, and realises them through the specific properties and resistances of physical materials.
At Wrexham University you will study this programme part time, with a foundation year available to provide additional creative and academic preparation before the main degree begins. The first year of the main programme introduces you to the breadth of materials and techniques within the applied arts, giving you the opportunity to work across ceramics, metal, and mixed media before you develop a more focused specialism. This exploratory approach reflects the established tradition of foundation-level making practice in art and design education, where breadth of experience leads to more informed and confident specialisation.
Across the full programme you will develop your creative practice, your technical mastery of your chosen materials, and your understanding of the applied arts within their historical and contemporary contexts.
Applied art graduates pursue careers as studio craftspeople, makers, designers, and artists in ceramics, jewellery, metalwork, and mixed media. Many work as independent practitioners selling work through galleries, craft fairs, and commissions. Others move into related careers in education, community arts, museum and gallery curation, and the design industries, where the combination of material knowledge and creative practice is valued.
Some graduates also continue to postgraduate study in art, design, or a specific applied arts specialism, developing their creative practice and professional networks further.