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

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

Posted: 04/03/26 09:38
0 Comments

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
0 Comments

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
2 Comments

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
0 Comments

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
8 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
2 Comments

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
1 Comments

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,...

MA Fine Art: Reflections

Posted: 05/12/25 09:18
0 Comments

art exhibition art galleries artist curation MA Fine Art sustaining practice

By Caroline Wright

Completing a degree course is not only a significant achievement, it is also a...

Making Meaning: The Journey Through MA Fine Art at OCA

Posted: 14/11/25 09:44
3 Comments

creativity Digital exhibition MA Fine Art online learning sustaining practice

By Caroline Wright

In September 2025, a cohort of internationally based OCA students completed their MA Fine...

OCA Creative Arts: In Conversation – Rachel Smith and Melanie Jeffrey

Posted: 12/11/25 04:44
1 Comments

creativity digital pedagogy interdisciplinarity skills hub sustaining practice

By Rachel Smith

As a theatre production teacher and student of the creative arts, I work across...

OCA Music: Time, Productivity and London

Posted: 09/10/25 01:29
1 Comments

creativity experimentation innovation sustaining practice

By Neil Tomas Smith

There are moments in the life of a creative practitioner when you glimpse yourself,...

OCA News: Jo Whittle John Moores Painting Prize success

Posted: 10/09/25 10:04
4 Comments

creativity exhibition prize sustaining practice

By Emma Drye

Open College of the Arts extends many congratulations to OCA painting tutor Jo Whittle who was...

OCA Creative Writing: Goodbye from your Programme Leader

Posted: 15/08/25 10:53
8 Comments

Academics digital pedagogy online learning tutors

By Barbara Henderson

After twelve years as a creative writing tutor, and ten years as course programme...

OCA Creative Arts: Alumni Interview with Kuch (Kuljit) Bhogal

Posted: 07/08/25 09:07
2 Comments

creativity interdisciplinarity online learning sustaining practice

By Trine Wade

Kuch graduated from the Open College of the Arts in 2024 with a BA...

#WeAreOCA

The Open College of the Arts' blog

Latest Posts

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

MA Fine Art: Reflections

Making Meaning: The Journey Through MA Fine Art at OCA

OCA Creative Arts: In Conversation – Rachel Smith and Melanie Jeffrey

OCA Music: Time, Productivity and London

OCA News: Jo Whittle John Moores Painting Prize success

OCA Creative Writing: Goodbye from your Programme Leader

OCA Creative Arts: Alumni Interview with Kuch (Kuljit) Bhogal