Blog - The Open College of the Arts | Distance Learning Degrees and Courses

Funding Your Creativity: A Guide to Student Finance Northern Ireland

Posted: 16/04/26 12:23
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By Emma George

Starting your degree is a significant step toward your creative goals. For students in...

Funding Your Creativity: A Guide to Student Finance Wales

Posted: 16/04/26 11:31
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Admissions Fees and Funding SFW Student Finance Wales

By Emma George

Investing in your creative future is a big step. The support from Student Finance...

Funding Your Creativity: A Guide to Student Finance England

Posted: 16/04/26 07:25
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Admissions Fees and Funding SFE Student Finance England

By Emma George

We know that a degree is a significant investment. However, OCA offers one of...

Funding Your Creativity: A Guide to the SAAS Part-Time Fee Grant

Posted: 15/04/26 11:34
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Admissions Fees and Funding Part-time Fee Grant SAAS Scotland

By Emma George

Through OCA’s partnership with the Open University, Scottish students can now apply for the...

OCA Fine Art: Student Stories – Shirry Insole

Posted: 09/04/26 04:36
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artist residency collaboration digital pedagogy online learning sustaining practice

By Hayley Lock

Fine Art Programme Tutor, Hayley Lock, discusses the student journey so far with Shirry...

OCA Student Stories: Anna Pike

Posted: 19/03/26 03:31
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creativity degree digital pedagogy exhibition online learning painting

By Emma Drye

Stage 3 BA (Hons) Painting student Anna Pike is currently preparing to exhibit at...

OCA News: Lifelong Learning Entitlement

Posted: 16/03/26 11:13
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degree funding lifelong learning

By Craig Dewis

Funding for studies is changing. Radically. And yet just over 1 in 10 people...

OCA News: Martin ‘Fred’ Bates – A Tribute.

Posted: 04/03/26 09:38
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By Christian Lloyd

Martin ‘Fred’ Bates, our Director of Teaching and Programme Tutor on the Graphic Design...

OCA Drawing: Showcase

Posted: 11/02/26 09:51
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creativity degree digital pedagogy online learning showcase sustaining practice

By Emma Drye

We are pleased to share a showcase of work from the BA (Hons) Drawing...

OCA Student Stories: Beneath The Surface – Paul McGinty

Posted: 06/02/26 10:27
8 Comments

abstraction colour digital pedagogy exhibition history narrative

By Emma Drye

Stage 3 BA (Hons) Painting student Paul McGinty is currently exhibiting at the Adam...

OCA Painting: Showcase

Posted: 27/01/26 02:51
6 Comments

creativity degree digital pedagogy online learning showcase sustaining practice

By Emma Drye

We are pleased to share a showcase of work from the BA (Hons) Painting...

Lorna Hall – How Textiles Became My Creative Escape

Posted: 26/01/26 08:00
1 Comments

BA hons textiles degree creativity neurodiversity open day student work Textiles

By Lorna Hall

My name is Lorna and I am just about to begin the last unit...

Felicity Talman – How My OCA Degree Led to Postgraduate Study

Posted: 26/01/26 07:34
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creativity fine art OCA students open day Postgraduate studies

By Felicity Talman

My name is Felicity Talman, and I recently completed a BA (Hons) Fine Art...

Alix Brown – Flexibility, Feedback and Finding My Voice

Posted: 25/01/26 08:31
4 Comments

creativity Illustration illustration student neurodiversity open day student work

By Alix Brown

I’m Alix Brown, and I’m currently studying Creative Arts at OCA. At the time...

Angharad Thomas – Creativity and Life Long Learning

Posted: 24/01/26 08:26
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creativity Foundations open day student stories student work

By angharad thomas

I’m retired from a mixed career in teaching, youth work and textile design. I...

Helen Snooks – School Run to the Shutter Speed

Posted: 23/01/26 08:40
2 Comments

open day Photography photography student student stories

By Helen Snooks

My name is Helen, and I’m a 34 year old mother of three (eldest...

Gaëlle Vallée-Tourangeau – The Gap

Posted: 23/01/26 07:46
9 Comments

BA (Hons) Painting degree Foundations open day painting painting student progression

By Gaelle Vallée-Tourangeau

I was 49 when I enrolled in OCA’s Foundation Painting course. People were dubious....

OCA Creative Arts: Tutor News – Rachel Smith

Posted: 12/01/26 11:46
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Book Arts Contemporary creativity exhibition interdisciplinarity sustaining practice

By Adam Thompson

Congratulations to our Creative Arts tutor Rachel Smith for being one of five nominated...

OCA Fine Art: Student Journey, Jess Reid

Posted: 11/12/25 09:59
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contemporary art film making Gender identity interdisciplinary performance

By Hayley Lock

Fine Art Programme Tutor, Hayley Lock, discusses the student journey so far with Jess...

In Conversation: Nina Milton and Lizzy Perkins

Posted: 10/12/25 09:33
3 Comments

BA Hons creative writing creativity graduation publishing sustaining practice

By Nina

Reaching the final unit of your stage 3 (HE6) studies is a thrilling moment,...

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Latest Posts

Funding Your Creativity: A Guide to Student Finance Northern Ireland

Funding Your Creativity: A Guide to Student Finance Wales

Funding Your Creativity: A Guide to Student Finance England

Funding Your Creativity: A Guide to the SAAS Part-Time Fee Grant

OCA Fine Art: Student Stories – Shirry Insole

OCA Student Stories: Anna Pike

OCA News: Lifelong Learning Entitlement

OCA News: Martin ‘Fred’ Bates – A Tribute.

OCA Drawing: Showcase

OCA Student Stories: Beneath The Surface – Paul McGinty

OCA Painting: Showcase

Lorna Hall – How Textiles Became My Creative Escape

Felicity Talman – How My OCA Degree Led to Postgraduate Study

Alix Brown – Flexibility, Feedback and Finding My Voice

Angharad Thomas – Creativity and Life Long Learning

Helen Snooks – School Run to the Shutter Speed

Gaëlle Vallée-Tourangeau – The Gap

OCA Creative Arts: Tutor News – Rachel Smith

OCA Fine Art: Student Journey, Jess Reid

In Conversation: Nina Milton and Lizzy Perkins