The Power of Your Support

THE POWER OF YOUR SUPPORT

Impact Report 2013-2015

A warm welcome to the first edition of Bath Spa University’s Philanthropy Impact Report.

I believe passionately that our graduates should be creative, digitally literate, globally connected, able to work in teams, and be entrepreneurial. Philanthropy plays a crucial role in helping us achieve this vision for our graduates.

When I arrived at Bath Spa I was committed to establishing a philanthropy and alumni team.

I was conscious that universities, as education charities, need to consider fundraising as part of their income diversification, but more importantly the value and opportunities it would bring for our students.

Over the coming years the University is moving to a liberal arts model offering students a flexible, cross-discipline, international programme that provides direct work experience. To maximise the worth of this approach, it is vital that we offer students more scholarships, bursaries and awards to provide opportunities to study and work abroad, challenge their perceptions or fund their time at Bath Spa.

In this report we have brought together the stories of our students, alumni, academics and supporters – from student callers talking to alumni during our first telethon; to the awards and work opportunities secured by students participating in placements and industry showcases, all made possible by philanthropic gifts. You can see the value and impact of what can happen when we work as a connected community.

We have also begun to see the value of philanthropic activity in supporting our emerging researchers. Over 50 percent of our research is rated as world-leading and internationally excellent. With growing

2 Vice-Chancellor, Professor Christina Slade, with Bath Spa student recipients of scholarships, bursaries and awards The

demands on research councils, we need to build new funding streams including philanthropy and grant funding.

You can see how important you, our donors, are in helping Bath Spa University face and embrace extraordinary change in higher education and the world at large. You are helping us be resilient in a climate of uncertainty, and achieve our ambitious vision.

Thank you for being part of our community and for your generous support. You have already made a huge difference to our students. I am proud of what we have achieved and look forward to working with you and our alumni over the coming years to give more students exciting opportunities to gain new skills, benefit from experiences outside of university and further their studies.

“The support that you as patrons give to students enables [all of] this to happen. It gives students the ability to process ideas away from the immediate context of their chosen studies. This applies across the board, from the arts and humanities through to science and engineering. And in doing so will make these students far more employable as they can show the ability to think laterally and perhaps link previously separate strands of thinking.

As well as the ability to collaborate with others, people of all disciplines both academic and non-academic. I’d just like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support.”

Simon Hunt, MA Creative Sound & Media, The Porthleven Prize 2015

Professor Christina Slade Vice-Chancellor

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In March 2015, twenty students took to the phones to call Bath Spa Alumni. During the three week campaign they contacted over 900 alumni to find out what they have been doing since graduating, updated them about what the University is like today and asked them to consider making a donation.

Although not everyone was in the position to offer a donation, many of the alumni generously offered to give their time as mentors or help students to secure internships within their organisations.

The Amphitheatre At the very start of our journey of introducing philanthropy, and before we could ask alumni or others to give, we decided that we should come together as an institution.

In 2012, the Board of Governors and Senior Staff were invited to adopt seats in the new amphitheatre. Professor Fay Weldon championed the project: “Bath Spa is a wonderful, creative and inspiring place for a student to study and learn their craft. I have huge respect for what it achieves. It was a pleasure to be the patron of, and the first donor to the Amphitheatre Campaign.”

The callers spoke to alumni from a variety of backgrounds, ranging from the 1960s cohort of Bath Academy of Art alumni to recent graduates. It was a genuinely positive experience for everyone, demonstrated by the laughter heard in the calling room and by the number of alumni who called back to let us know how much they appreciated speaking to such passionate and engaging young people.

This proactive leadership, and grassroots nurturing, swiftly raised the profile of the project and we were soon joined by many generous businesses, alumni and friends of the University adopting seats.

The Amphitheatre opened in 2014 and has since made a significant contribution to the creative and cultural development of our students; providing 150 seats for a variety of outdoor performances for the benefit of students and public audiences. It has also becoming the venue for our annual donor thank you party, during which we celebrate through performances and by bringing together donors and the students they have supported.

The funds raised through the campaign, over £22,000, are being used to support the development of Bath Spa students through the Vice-Chancellor’s Masterclass Series, which sees internationally renowned experts working in collaboration with students across disciplines.

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During the telethon we raised over £5,000, which will provide a student scholarship of £1,000 for five years. This is a fantastic result for our first telethon and a great place to build from.

Telethon 2015 Charlotte Claydon, BA Acting

“If I’m honest the original reasons that I applied to do the telethon were for extra money and extra experience to add to my CV. However, I found that actually doing it gave me so much more than that. The telethon was hard work, but so rewarding.”

Charlotte Claydon, BA Acting, 2014 “I was given the opportunity to chat with some wonderful alumni, who all shared not only their experiences and memories of the University, but also offered some valuable advice about how to succeed both during university and post-graduation.”

Alicia Oke, BA Creative Writing, 2014 -

Student caller team, Telethon 2015

Final year acting students performing Arabian Nights at the annual Amphitheatre Reception, June 2015

This year we will be welcoming artist Richard Long to work with Geography, Art and Film students and Professor Alison Oddey will collaborate with Music, Performance and Education students.

The impact of every gift made to the Amphitheatre will resonate with students for many years to come.

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The Enterprise Showcase Many of our students self-fund their end of course exhibitions, performances and events, whether here at the University or at industry showcases. With the help of our Ambassadors, and other donors, we have started the Enterprise Showcase Fund to support them in these endeavours. To encourage students to be entrepreneurial, and to give them insight into funding their work, grants are offered on a £1 for £1 matched basis.

The Tempest, second year acting students 2013/14

“When I retired as a Governor from Bath Spa University last year, following a most enjoyable 18 year term, I was honoured to be asked to Chair this exciting new initiative, which is intended to enhance and build on the University’s success to date and to directly benefit our students.

We understand that one of the most satisfying elements for our donors is the relationship with the University and seeing the students that they have supported thrive.

Members of the Ambassadors’ Circle are vital to ensuring that every one of our students has the opportunity to follow their dreams.

Our priority is to ensure that members can engage with our academic staff and students, and benefit from our rich cultural programmes. We show our gratitude by, for example, inviting members to attend

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lectures, graduate performances and exhibitions; offering access to the University’s Libraries; hosting an annual event with the Vice-Chancellor; and keeping members up to date with University news.

Every donation we receive goes directly to supporting Bath Spa students. Donations are split between the Enterprise Showcase Fund and the Greatest Need Fund, as well as supporting a new student prize.

If you are not already a member, I would like to take this opportunity to ask you to join me as a member of the Ambassadors’ Circle. This will enable you to convert your passion for education and desire to see this wonderful University grow from strength to strength – and build on its many achievements to date.”

Julian Amey, Chair of the Ambassadors’ Circle

This year we supported a number of BA and MA students from Textile Design for Fashion and Interiors, Contemporary Arts Practice, 3D Design (Ideas Materials Objects) and Fashion Design. They attended Graduate Fashion Week, New Designers and/or Free Range.

All are important events for emerging designers in the UK. They are highly respected and successful platforms for bringing new talent to the attention of industry professionals. The University selects students to attend these shows, but can only give limited support towards attendance fees, leaving students to fund their travel, accommodation and production costs.

Success has been seen in awards and placements – Chloe Gregory, BA (Hons) Textile Design for Fashion & Interiors 2015, won The Sanderson/Zoffany Award and secured a placement with Joules, where she is joined by Annie James, BA (Hons) Textile Design for Fashion & Interiors 2015, who also made the John Lewis Loves List and has an internship with Scion Wallpaper; other students have opportunities with Debenhams Children’s Wear and Hallmark.

Chloe Gregory

The Fund gave Theodore Frazer, BA (Hons) Music and Performing Arts, and Sam Young, MMus Performance, a grant towards staging their new musical “Dennis!” in the University Theatre for the public; giving them the opportunity to understand the complexities of theatre production and promotion.

Photo credit: India Gibborson

The Ambassadors’ Circle

“…the funding allowed me to work in the area of production, which I wish to move into... As the production manager for the show I have had to work in all types of roles. I have learned so many new skills making me a better person for prospective employers. On behalf of the production team, the creative team and the cast, I thank you.” Theodore Frazer The Fund also supported Matt Leece in producing a new artwork for 5x5x5’s Forest of the Imagination event in Bath’s city centre in 2015.

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Academic Projects We work closely with academic colleagues to secure funding from grant funders and businesses to support public engagement and research projects that enhance the University’s reputation. These projects also offer students opportunities to work on public facing activities.

Illuminate 2015 Illuminate 2015 presented a programme of eight large scale projected installations, artworks and performances over eight nights in central Bath with a theme of interactivity, participation and light. The artworks were located around Bath Abbey, in and around the Roman Baths, on Pulteney Bridge and the Holburne Museum. The artworks were created by a mix of local and international artists, and Bath Spa students and staff.

A team of 26 volunteers welcomed over 20,000 visitors and took a role as invigilators and exhibition interpreters. Many of the artists, including Lyndal Jones (Australia) and Leila Sujir (Canada) were also out on the street engaging with members of the public and sharing their own artistic vision.

The event has proven influential on public policy within Bath and North East Somerset Council, being included in their new Cultural and Creative Strategy.

“Our staff who came on different evenings, all had a unique experience. The ones that visited on several nights, loved the way the event evolved over the week. They commented that it was an excellent event, and they saw real value in the approach taken.”

Nicholas Pearson Associates 91% of visitors were very positive and would attend similar events.

“Fantastic event a great way to explore a beautiful city” “Amazing free arts event and free entrance to the Roman Baths” “Thank you for inviting me to Illuminate 2015.

I had a super time at the festival: it was really creatively rich and has made me think about the festival as a lab space residency that allows us to engage in conversations with audiences, to experiment, to resolve the art project and open up research questions. I was particularly intrigued with the people attending multiple times, who wanted to talk and were curious and attentive to what had changed. I was really taken with the different responses from a wide age range, from the children and teenagers to young adults, and the older generations - all were game to try on the 3D glasses and to experience the public (elastic) space.”

A walk about time and the land, exile and belonging, the drift of memory and forgetting: memorialising in an era dense with anniversaries.

Forced Walks is a programme of artist-led performative, socially engaged, public walks, digitally connected and mindful of those refugees, migrants, tramps, water-carriers and others who were/are forced to walk to survive.

The programme seeks to reveal hidden stories of those dispossessed of land and home by war, economic and climate change and to generate contemporary and locative resonances.

The first project: Forced Walks: Honouring Esther took the route of a Nazi Death March and transposed it onto the English countryside.

The walk took place over two days from Frome in Somerset to the old Jewish Burial Ground in Bath, culminating on 15 April 2015, the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the Belsen Death Camp; the walk was documented and materials gathered for exhibition held at the 44AD Gallery.

Supported by

Sponsored by Arts Council England Bath and North East Somerset Council Nicholas Pearson Associates The Trevor Osborne Charitable Trust Enlightened Lighting

Forced Walks: Honouring Esther

The Stephen Clark 1957 Charitable Trust Leila Sujir and her work Elastic City Spacey projected on to the Roman Baths

Julia and Mathew Simmons Mr Bruce Haines Mr Peter Jackson Susan and Ian Hull Mrs Rachel Joseph Contributions by visitors to the Forced Walks exhibition.

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Santander Universities Santander Universities Global Division signed a new partnership with Bath Spa in 2014, offering students and staff a series of funded academic opportunities.

In the first year 48 awards have been made including: 12 part-funded internships with SMEs Lianne Hyam, BA (Hons) Business & Management 2015, secured an internship with Cloud Direct. It went so well, they have offered her a 12-month graduate business internship earning £18,000 a year.

3 Pioneer Awards of £5,000 each for staff and students to study or conduct research overseas

2 Formula Santander Scholarships supporting international students to study at Bath Spa 15 mobility awards supporting international travel

Pablo Perez Zarate, PhD Creative Music Technology, Research in Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and Peru.

Santander has also supported other enterprise and entrepreneurial initiatives:

Dr Ye Liu, School of Education Learning to succeed: understanding students’ learning habits and strategy in the light of China’s PISA performance.

Business Plan Competition: over 40 entrants.

Won by Florentyna Sidery, BA (Hons) Film and Drama 2015, with her idea for a niche filmmaking business focusing on funerals and memorials.

Professor Gavin Cologne-Brookes, Creative Writing, In Search of Creative Criticism: Forging Creative, Critical and Cultural Links with Latin and South America.

Build a Better Bath Spa Competition: an open call for innovations to improve life at the University. Jana Wisekowski’s idea for a quiet common room for students to use to relax and reflect individually or socially won through a competitive field to take the prize.

Jana has won not only a cash prize herself, plus £1,800 to help take the idea from concept to reality.

Jana also won the Global Civic Innovation Challenge which sought student ideas addressing real global civic and social issues.

Jana’s idea was an app providing advice and role model-led guidance to help young people avoid substance abuse. The prize for winning the challenge is a prestigious six-week opportunity to work with Balloon Kenya, an award-winning project that matches enterprising students and graduates with would-be entrepreneurs in Kenya to support new start-ups.

Chief Operating Officer Neil Latham and winner of the 2015 Business Plan competition, Florentyna Sidery.

“Taking part in the Bath Spa Business Plan competition enabled me to develop my entrepreneurial skills, whilst focusing on nutrition, an area of importance to me.

Thank you to Santander for the opportunity to demonstrate my business ideas. This has given me an extremely valuable experience.”

Leian Meldon, BSc (Hons) Food with Nutrition, 2015

“Thank you to Santander for the opportunity to present my business ideas to a panel of experts and for the prize money. It has given me more confidence in my ideas and the prize money will give me the chance to make a go of it…"

Louisa Berrington, BSc (Hons) Human Nutrition, 2015 10

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From Left to Right: Sophie Batchelor, Catherine Chapman, James Thomas, Jennifer Skellett, Christian Cox, Hannah Morley, Ben Knight and Matt Dicken

The Jennifer Skellett Awards In 2013 Jennifer Skellett generously founded two music awards to support Bath Spa Alumni to either progress into postgraduate study in music, or take up a specialist training opportunity.

“I feel quite invigorated when I meet the students, their enthusiasm and commitment is very uplifting and their gratitude is quite humbling. The donations enable them to go the extra mile in their studies and help towards a better future; of course I am quite jealous and wish I were 55 years younger.”

Jennifer Skellett The Jennifer Skellett Postgraduate Bursary Tom Davies, MMus Performance, 2014 Kirsty Folan, MMus Songwriting, 2014 Catherine Chapman, MMus Performance, 2014 Sophie Bachelor, MMus Performance, 2014 Hannah Morley, BA (Hons) Music, 2015 Christian Cox, BA (Hons) Music, 2015 Matt Dicken, BA (Hons) Music, 2015

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The Jennifer Skellett Junior Fellowship Tom Davies, MMus Performance, 2014 Ben Knight, BA (Hons) Music, 2015 James Thomas, BA (Hons) Music, 2015 “With the Jennifer Skellett Junior Fellowship, I was able to study at Vitoria's prestigious summer music school in Spain. I was taught by eminent musicians and was able to further my understanding of piano performance and practice, collaborate with other musicians, and fuelled my passion for music.”

Tom Davis Sophie Batchelor used her Award to fund her termly fee at Bristol Gamelan and extra classical flute lessons at Bath Spa. She is passing on her knowledge by leading undergraduates in Gamelan and providing one-to-one Suling (Javanese bamboo flute) lessons to a first year undergraduate. “I am the first Suling player at Bath Spa and I felt it was my responsibility to pass on my knowledge.

[The Award] has been extremely helpful and has allowed me to make the most of all the opportunities available at Bath Spa.” Receiving an award is often about more than the financial impact it can have. Catherine Chapman recollects how she felt when finding out about her bursary: “A mixture of happiness and relief. To embark upon a Master’s is a big financial decision, as well as an intellectual one.

I am truly grateful for her support. It made me want to work even harder.”

Bath Spa Classical Performance Award With the support of our generous donors, Lady Strasburger, and Morny and Ian Hay Davison, the University has established an award for students accepted on to our Master’s in Music Performance.

The award seeks to support talented and communicative performers of classical music, who have strong potential to be a future professional performer. The award also encourages them to attend professional performances of all varieties to develop their knowledge and understanding of stage craft.

“I have been able to see a number of performances, most notably the critically acclaimed Tooting Theatre Company production of ‘Sweeney Todd’ in London. This production was set in a pie and mash shop (a very fitting setting). I particularly loved the intimacy that playing this show in the setting created. The horror of the piece became amplified by the close proximity between the cast and audience.

“I am still reaping the opportunities that have come from the Award. I produced my own musical, which has enabled me to use the knowledge I’ve gained as a performer and impart it onto others.

I was involved in the production of the short opera Lampe’s The Dragon of Wantley. This gave me the new challenge of learning a fully-fledged work, incorporating operatic styles which I’ve never had the opportunity to explore.

What’s more, I got the chance to sing a solo alongside a series of professional singers as part of Iford Arts Festival. I have been able to explore a huge variety of new musical works by many different composers, which I would have never been able to without the support of the award. It hasn’t just been enriching to my understanding of the musical world, it has allowed me to put it to full practise, and I couldn’t be more thankful for the support.”

Sam Young, MMus Performance, 2014 -

I have had a fantastic and very busy year at the University and I am tremendously grateful for the unforgettable opportunities I have had. I performed in China, worked with a professional director, performed in two operas, directed my first show, established myself as a professional musician and seen some outstanding performances.”

Ben Collings, MMus Performance, 2014 -

Ben Collings performing in Georgian Pleasures at Newton Park as part of the Bath International Music Festival 2015

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The Porthleven Prize Recipients of the Porthleven Prize 2012/13 Jane Hall, BA (Hons) Fine Art, 2014 Kilda Meadows, BA (Hons) Ceramics and Textile Design, 2013 Sara Mark, MA Fine Art, 2014 Vassillis Chatzimakris, PhD Music, 2013 Joseph Perman Turnbull, BA (Hons) Fine Art, 2014 2013/14 Sae Murai, BA (Hons) Dance and Textile Design Studies, 2015 Lucinda Burgess, MA Fine Art, 2014 Fiona Haines, MA Fine Art, 2014 Jenny Newbury, MA Creative Writing, 2014 Emily Furnell, BA (Hons) Fine Art, 2015 2014/15 Philip Marshall, BA Fine Art, 2014 Poppy Clover, BA Contemporary Arts Practice, 2013 Roxanne Jackson, MA Fine Art, 2015 Andrea Wright, MA Fine Art, 2014 Simon Hunt, MA Creative Sound and Media, 2014 -

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Peter Bodenham, Roxanne Jackson, Poppy Clover, Rosie Hughes, Simon Hunt, Pip Marshall, Andrea Wright, Porthleven Prize winners 2015.

“The Bath Spa Porthleven Prize offers a unique opportunity for five students to spend 10 days in the Cornish fishing village of Porthleven, working collaboratively and constructively in response to the combined experience in the maritime atmosphere of a fishing village established in 1811. Students have the use of the Lifeboat Studio on the harbour edge and local accommodation in the village.

Completed works are exhibited in Cornwall, Bath and at the commercial O3 Gallery in Oxford, linking creativity with exposure gained through exhibiting of completed work. The collaborative experience of combining disparate talents and media is proving to be a formative experience which benefits the students and greatly satisfies my objectives as a sponsor.”

Trevor Osborne, Award Sponsor

Applying for and taking part in a fully-funded residency has galvanised the confidence and self-belief of many of the participants: Kilda: “The application process enabled me to really reflect on myself as an artist and think about how I want to develop my creative practice now and in the future. Being shortlisted and asked to make a proposal and presentation to a panel of judges was a really valuable experience that has given me confidence to apply for similar opportunities.”

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The Porthleven Prize Poppy: “When I found out I’d won the Porthleven Prize it was fantastic - it was the first time I put myself and my work out there to be judged and it was a huge step for me.

Since then I have applied for several other opportunities and have achieved every one.

Having a professional panel like what I do and then choose to fund me to do what I love is wonderful. It makes me feel like I have potential to continue my love of art as my career. Since meeting Trevor Osborne, I know how passionate he is about the arts and he is very supportive towards us, which is wonderful to have someone who doesn't actually know us put so much faith into us to represent him. I cannot thank him enough for creating this opportunity.”

The residency has had a lasting impact: Sara: “The Porthleven Prize residency is one of those experiences that I shall never forget.

The beauty of the place, the challenge of group working, the kindness of engineers, folk singing at The Ship Inn, the luxurious accommodation and those pints of Tribute!”

Sae: “Collaborative work was an unexpected event. It was my first time to do collaboration so I was not sure how I could work with other artists before the residency.

But it happened naturally by talking and sharing ideas and it is exciting.”

Jane: “The residency caused a radical change in my practice by asking me to think outside of my usual comfort zone, to put my usual thought processes to one side and to push personal and artistic boundaries. I now believe that only by feeling uncomfortable do I progress.”

Jenny: “Working with the O3 Gallery was an excellent experience. Helen and Kate gave me the opportunity to design the flyer for the Porthleven exhibition, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The O3 Gallery were so pleased with the flyer that they have commissioned me to design flyers for three further shows, and I look forward to the next brief Kate sends me! This experience has given me the confidence to launch my own graphic design business, which is already going well.”

Porthleven Prize winners 2014 drawing on the beach

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Work by Sae Murai

Collaborative work made by Porthleven Prize winners 2014

Lucinda: “I was really appreciative of the opportunity to focus on making work in such an inspiring and dramatic environment.... It has been a really productive time, it has been fantastic and I’m very grateful.” Lucinda Burgess has since been commissioned to create an onsite artwork in Porthleven to commemorate the storm of 2014 which destroyed the harbour defences and took off the Lifeboat Studio roof.

Simon: “The Porthleven Prize originates from an artistic practice that is outside of my own, but it was this promise of interdisciplinary collaboration that particularly appealed to me. Being a student, contextual learning isn’t, or shouldn’t, just be about sitting in a tutorial in the relative educational safety of the university campus. It’s about taking risks with a process, observing and learning from others whose ideas and practises may vary enormously from one’s own, and then applying them to your own work. Taking risks is entirely what being at university should be about.”

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The Cullum Family Award This award enables students and new graduates to better understand the music industry and the career pathways it offers by giving them the opportunity to explore and develop their enterprise and employability skills.

“Having agreed that the key objective of the Cullum Family Award would be employability, I have been delighted with applications for the award.

They demonstrated creativity and the determination of students to use their university education to pursue successful professional careers.

Meeting the students and talking through their aspirations has been hugely rewarding and inspiring, hopefully promoting sustainable future employment that supports the wider arts industry.”

John Cullum

Recipients of the award Silas Chandler Blackburn, BA Commercial Music, 2014 Elisabeth ‘Lil’ Patuck, BA Commercial Music, 2013 Crafting Melodies: Nicola Haynes, Hayley Collins and Caroline Swaby: BA (Hons) Commercial Music, 2014 Luke Galloway, BA (Hons) Creative Music Technology, 2014 The Human Jukebox: Bruce Galliver, BA (Hons) Commercial Music and Stefan Goodwin, BA (Hons) Commercial Music, 2014

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“The support felt from both the Cullum Family and Bath Spa University was outstanding, and we were able to achieve goals that initially felt far from reach. We were encouraged to work hard, and push the boundaries, ultimately widening our target audience through the creation of our own website and online shop. We were also able to hire a professional photographer to capture images of our new product line and local market stalls. Receiving the Award from the Cullum Family has not only helped the project financially, but has also allowed the project to evolve into a professional, profitable business, with links now strongly established to traders within Bath, and the surrounding area. Individually, we have grown into independent, intelligent young business women, with a desire to work hard, achieve goals and succeed. As a team, we have developed friendships which will long outgrow the project.”

In fact, we've asked him to stay an additional two weeks to cover my role while I'm away, at the beginning of August.” Rob and the team at Nylon have been so impressed they are offering an annual internship to a Bath Spa Commercial Music student.

“Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

It's been an amazing and incredibly career growing summer. Without your help I wouldn't have managed it. I can't tell you how much I appreciate your support.”

Silas Chandler Blackburn

The hard work of Elisabeth ‘Lil’ Patuck paid off at MusicAlly when her unpaid internship was changed to a two day a week paid post.

Without the seed funding from the Cullum Family Award Lil wouldn’t have been able to travel to London for the internship. “It is incredibly amazing that a complete stranger would choose to help people like me find my way into [the music industry]…. I hope one day I can reach a position in the music industry from which I can support others like you have supported me. Thank you!!”

Nicola Haynes, Crafting Melodies, a Bath based vintage up-cycle crafts company

Awards can also open doors to new horizons as both of this year’s recipients have discovered:

2015 winners Elisabeth ‘Lil’ Patuck and Silas Chandler Blackburn with John Cullum

Silas Chandler Blackburn on location filming in New York, 2015

Silas travelled to New York to take up a summer placement at Nylon Studios, with the support of alumnus Rob Ballingall, BA (Hons) Commercial Music 2010. Silas has made such an impact that Rob recently wrote to us to say “I wanted to reach out to mention how well Silas is getting on in his internship with us. He's a really lovely guy, and has taken to the position perfectly...we couldn't have asked for anything more.

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Champes-Elysees by Ed Low

International Travel Fund

The Gane Trust Travel Award Emily Furnell on location at Institute Laue Langevin,

The Gane Trust is a charity based in Bristol which aims to support people engaged in any aspect of craft, design, and the arts.

The Trust was created in memory of Crofton Gane the pioneering furniture designer (1877 - 1967).

The Gane Trust provides an annual Travel Award of £1,000 for a Bath Spa student studying an art and design course, to encourage and support them to travel abroad to study an aspect of design or craftsmanship.

The International Travel Fund was established in 2014 by merging several historic funds given to aid international travel placements and study trips.

They include the Mollie Humphreys Memorial Award (1963) in memory of one of the founding members of Newton Park College, the Jill Radford Memorial Fund and the Wardle Fund.

This year six students received funding: Scott Patience, BA Fine Art, 2014 Rebecca Pitcher, BA Business & Management, 2014 Abigail Brind, BA Education Studies, 2014 Anna Williams, BSc Human Nutrition, 2014 Alpha Kargbo, BA Business and Management, 2013 Ed Low, BA (Hons) Photography, 2015

District 3 by Ed Low

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Ed was the first to receive his award and complete his trip. Ed travelled to the Za’atari Refugee Camp (Jordan), a few kilometres south of the Syrian border, to document daily life and produce a book of portraits for his final undergraduate assessment.

Ed found the experience exhilarating, but challenging: “Working within Za’atari was certainly a challenge, not only the searing heat of the desert, but also the stress of having to be constantly vigilant due to security.”

The trip has also shown Ed what life is like as a photojournalist and given him a clearer idea of what lies ahead if he was to pursue this career path, “When you work alongside professionals such as these, professionalism seems to naturally come to you. I found myself in the shoes of a photojournalist.”

The purpose of the International Travel Fund is to enable students to take up travel opportunities that directly impact on their studies and improve their employability. It is one of our most popular funds and we are pleased that it will be available again in 2016, but it needs the support of donors to be able to continue to provide more grants to students.

Emily Furnell, BA (Hons) Fine Art 2015, won the 2014 award. This year she travelled to the Institut Laue Langevin, Grenoble, an international research centre exploring Neutron Science and Technology.

The notion of the institute is very similar to CERN, in that it explores particles and their interactions with each other in order to determine more fundamental questions in the physical sciences. As Emily’s artistic practice centres its thinking on physics and how the world is perceived, this was the perfect place for her. During her visit it was a maintenance phase, so she was able to look inside the machinery and interact with the scientists without interrupting experiments. She was even able to look inside the reactor core.

“I was absolutely elated to receive the Award. It felt as though my hopes became real because funding was given to me.

I wouldn't have been able to travel without the support of the Gane Trust and I am extremely grateful for their help. It not only allowed me to travel to a quite

Diffraction Patterns from Gelactin-3 Protein (indicated in certain cancers, such as breast cancer)

expensive region, provided a substantial amount of research which went into my final body of work, but also meant that I gained publicity from the event, which encouraged others to ask questions about the area I had visited. It was wonderful to have my hard work in applying for something so ambitious recognised.

I am extremely grateful for all the support the Gane Trust gave me.”

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High Performance Sports The High Performance Sports Scholarship aims to support students who study and compete on a national and international sports stage. The University actively encourages extra-curricular activities and is proud to support excellence in sport.

Recipients of the scholarship Elizabeth Simmonds, BA Creative Writing and Publishing, 2013 Jack Hatton-Johnson, BA Acting, 2014 Niklas Aarre, BA Acting, 2014 Rhiannon Parker, MA PMP Educational Practice, 2014 Jack Hatton-Johnson, a junior hurdler and undergraduate acting student, told us what his scholarship has helped him to achieve in his studies and on the track. “…receiving the funding has enabled me to access many opportunities in my sport such as facilities, treatment, equipment which in turn has aided my success this year. It gave me a great deal of pride and gratitude, knowing that people believe in you. Those who have issued the funds with the aim that young aspiring artists can excel in what they are passionate about is more than enough to drive me.”

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Lizzie Simmonds

Through the scholarship Jack is able to train every day at the University of Bath’s UKA Performance Centre for Hurdling. He is coached by Malcom Arnold, who coached Colin Jackson former world record holder and John Akii-Bua Olympic gold medallist for Uganda.

This year, Jack’s aim was to be selected to represent Great Britain in both the Junior International at Loughborough International Championships at senior height, and the European Junior Championships in Sweden over the junior height. Both of which he achieved by being the fastest junior in the country at senior level and in the top 20 in Europe indoors.

He added to this success outdoors at the BUCS championships in Bedford running 14.42 seconds over the senior height 110m hurdles (top 10 in the country and fourth in Europe for a junior at senior height).

Representing Great Britain at the Loughborough International Championships 2015 was “… to be my greatest track experience ever and the honour of wearing the colours of my country gave me so much pride!”

Niklas Aarre

“The funding has improved my lifestyle as a university student, as well as aiding towards my studies. Allowing me to purchase equipment and resources to improve my experience here at university.

I applied to Bath Spa because it provided me with the right credentials I needed in order to progress with my passions in life.

Juggling between becoming a professional actor and a professional athlete is a hard life to manage. However the BA Acting team have been very helpful and supportive.

I am aiming to excel in both my dramatic and athletic commitments when I finish university. My dream is to become a fully funded athlete… and pursue the professional theatre after my athletics career ends… My first year has been very successful and a great learning curve.

I am excited to begin my 2nd year.”

Jack Hatton-Johnson

Jack Hatton-Johnson

“The funding contributed to my trip to Australia, and also helped pay for the recent competition in Marseille, which cost £530 per head and was not financially subsided at all by British Swimming. Without the fund I would have struggled to gain the essential international competition and exposure that only overseas racing/training can offer.”

Lizzie Simmonds Niklas Aarre joined Jack as part of the GB British Universities & Colleges Sport team at the Loughborough International Athletics event. He came third in the senior men’s Discus, winning a bronze medal.

“My thanks go to Bath Spa for providing me with the Scholarship.

It has helped hugely with the financial difficulty of participating in athletics at a high level. It has helped me get to training/competitions, kit/specific sport clothing and equipment...

I couldn’t carry on my athletics at university if it was not for this Scholarship. Thank you again.”

Niklas Aarre

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The Creative Thinking Award Sponsored by Ark Data Centres The Hothouse Incubator supported by Ark Data Centres and the Corsham Institute Creative Thinking is the ability to come up with new and unconventional ideas.

In a world of digital technology, this skill is all-important. But all too often social conventions or educational pressures prevent us from thinking creatively.

“What we are looking for is the tenacious application of intellect which produces a concisely articulated proposition for an original and useful solution or product that assists people.”

Huw Owen CEO, Ark Data Centres Bath Spa, in partnership with Ark Data Centres, challenged students to develop new concepts and ideas that demonstrated a 21st century creative thinking mind-set.

The results were astonishing, so much so, that Ark Data Centres and the Corsham Institute offered further funding to give five students the opportunity to collaborate over six months to bring together their different ideas to form one project that might lead to a concept design of a marketable product.

Creative Thinking Award Winner Alex Fermor

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Hothouse participants Alex Fermor, BA (Hons) Religions, Philosophy and Ethics, 2015 Katarzyna Wagner, BA Fine Art, 2014 Christopher Lewis, PhD English Studies, 2009 Isabella Culver, BA Creative Arts and Drama Studies, 2014 Devanka Pathak, PhD Computing Sciences, 2014 The team discussed how they felt when they heard about the Hothouse which would give them each £250 a month for six months: Alex: “I realised that I no longer had to worry about making my rent payments, a worry which had been constant the previous year…

I felt educationally liberated in that I could buy books that I needed for my dissertation. The financial support was a symbol of the faith held in us by teachers and mentors alike. This support gave me an added boost of confidence in my own ideas; to express them and know that there is some creative weight behind them.”

Isabella: “It made me proud to be a student and enhanced my whole university experience. The Hothouse projects was my favourite part about my first year of university… It has meant that I have been able to focus on my studies because I have not had to worry about my finances. I was able to quit my bar tending job and focus on learning.”

Katarzyna: “It made me believe in my abilities that are not connected directly to my course, although they play a vital role in creating me as a person… Being able to work in a stimulating environment, feeling that I can make a difference and being paid for it - this is the summary of the perfect "job". Another thing that I feel grateful for is the fact that I was treated equally with every other participant, regardless of my mental illness (that normally is an obstacle when looking for a regular job).”

whole other world of job opportunities that I never thought would be available to me.

I am a creative arts students who now designs computer programs. The funding and project as a whole has pushed me out of my comfort zone in the best way possible and through it I feel I have grown up a lot. I have been given the gift of experience and friendship and those require no price tag.”

The Hothouse opened up ideas and opportunities for the team, and what might come next:

Chris: “It has helped me approach my research in a more structured way, with closer personal attention to the quality of my working time.

When someone is investing money in your ideas then you have to make sure that your work develops well, in a reliable way and at a continuous pace, to make it worthwhile for the investors. …It has been a remarkable experience which has invigorated me with more self-belief and which has certainly pushed me to develop certain skills that have perhaps lain dormant for a long time. I am now more inclined than ever before to believe that anything is possible if you are willing to work hard for it.”

Isabella: “The project we were working on was about so much more than the funding. The Hothouse project brought together a group of Creative Minds from different academic backgrounds that otherwise may never have met. The Hothouse project inspired me and helped me to create new working relationships and new friends. Ark Data Centres and the Corsham Institute have opened my mind to a

Dev: “I would like to convey my gratitude to Ark Data Centres and the Corsham Institute for supporting innovation and providing opportunities to the students. I would also urge them to invest further in both time and money as mentorship from the likes of these experts would help students build solutions to change the world to a better place through technological and creative innovation.”

Chris: “[It was] exciting to feel that you yourself are worth investing in.”

Dev: “It was very exciting and fulfilling to see my idea being approved by experienced academic and business leaders. I also felt it would be a great challenge and opportunity at the same time to achieve something innovative. That was a very happy feeling.”

Participants in the Hothouse Incubator with Professor Andrew Hugill and Tom Lewis, Operator and Founder of the Coworking Bath

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Final word...

2013 to 2015 INCOME BY SOURCE

AREAS SUPPORTED

Other 2.2%

As an alumna of Bath Spa, BA (Hons) Creative Writing and Art, I was thrilled in 2013 to return to my alma mater to help found the new philanthropy and alumni programme. I am extremely proud of all that has been achieved, but also incredibly grateful to everyone who has made a donation and given their time to start what will grow into a vital area of support for students and the University.

I’m most heartened to see the community that has been created.

We receive beautiful postcards sent by students on international trips and placements to share with the donors who have made the opportunity possible. The joy of an email arriving with exclamations of delight when a job offer has been made after an internship made possible by funding. The excitement of donors and students gathering at the annual amphitheatre performance to share tales of what has been achieved and the aspirations of newly funded students. The sharing of advice between alumni and students over the telethon and at reunions. All of this makes up a richly connected community that goes beyond the exchange of money. This is the most rewarding thing to see flourish and grow. It has been an exceptional two years and we can’t wait to see what will come next.

Thank you.

Marnie Whiting Head of Development & Campaigns

Alumni 2.4%

Businesses 34.7%

Individuals 9.1%

Academic projects 61.5%

Scholarships 35.9%

Lord and Lady Puttnam with Professor Christina Slade and Marnie Whiting at the opening of the Commons building, June 2014

Lottery and public funding 17%

Trusts and Foundations 34.6%

Grants and Sponsorships 2015/16 Jennifer Skellett with Christian Cox, a recipient of her Postgraduate Bursary

Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation to Stephen Vaughan for Seismic Histories and Rupture Probabilities: A Photographic Response to the Japanese Earthquakes.

The Richard Benjamin Trust to Jermaine Ravalier for research into The impact of zero hours contracts on health and workfamily interface.

The Coles-Medlock Charitable Trust for a programme of music students working with community groups, and a grant towards a QuadCopter for Film, Media and TV students.

Pinewood Studios are sponsoring a ten part film course with Lord Puttnam.

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Unrestricted gifts 2.6%

Total raised since 2013 £414,343

New funds started in 2015 MA Writing Award, sponsored by Jack and Audrey Ladevèze The Royal Commonwealth Society Bath District Scholarship Ede & Ravenscroft Scholarship The Bill Martin History Prize The Newton St. Loe Fund

You can find out more about how to donate and get involved by visiting www.bathspa.ac.uk/about-us/support-us or calling the team on 01225 875808.

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Thank you to all our supporters listed here and those who give anonymously.

Charmian Adams Mr Julian Amey Dr Jodi Anderson Dr Roberta Anderson Mr Rob Armstrong-Haworth Miss Kate Ashmore Professor Paul Atkinson Miss Kate Barker-Kite Ms Suzanne Bate Mrs Alison Baud Mrs Carola Beckett Professor Joe Bennett Mr Richard Bidgood Mr Paul Bird Mr Nirmal Borkhataria Naomi Box David J Boyles Mrs Rosalind Brooks Ms Trish Brown Mrs Gill Brown Mr Adrian Bullock Councillor Neil Butters Mrs Erica Buxton Mr Jim Chapman Mr Roger Clarke Miss Charlotte Claydon Mrs Jane Conibere Miss Grace Coombs Mr Andy Crossing Mrs Elizabeth Cullen John and Yvonne Cullum Professor Denise Cush Mrs Allison Dagger Professor Paul Davies Morny and Ian Hay Davison Jacqueline Day Mrs Rosemary Dent Mrs Carol Diggins Miss Danielle Dixon Mrs Marion Donaldson Professor Christine Eden Chris and Charlotte Ellicott Mrs Jocelyn Everett Ms Veronica Fewkes

Teresa Fisk Mr Tristan Foot Don and Tor Foster Miss Sara Foster Mr Arthur French Miss Anna Gale Sara Gallagher Mr Nilashis Ghosh Mrs Jennifer Goater Mrs Tessa Griffiths Miss Stefanie Hadley Mrs Sylvia Hailstone Mr Bruce Haines Miss Elizabeth Halpin Miss Eva Hamilton Ms Victoria Harrap Mrs Eleanor Hartup Mrs Hilary Hastings Miss Anne Hawkins Mrs Daphne Hayward Mr William Heath Mrs Janet Heath Mr Richard Hembrow Jane Henderson Mrs Nicola Henderson Mr Steve Hoare Mr Kenneth Hood Mrs Andrea Howard Mrs Helen Hudson Miss Sarah Huggins Susan and Ian Hull Mr Zane Ismail Mr Peter Jackson Mr Colin Jacob Mrs Mary Jones Mrs Rachel Joseph Ms Polly Kearsey Mrs Jennifer Keeping Mr and Mrs Michael King Mrs Alison Knight Mrs Alexandra Kolaczkowski Mrs Joyce Kolaczkowski Jack and Audrey Ladevèze Mrs Julie Lakey Mr Mark Langley Neil Latham CBE Mr Dominic Lee Ms Cathy Leng Mr David Lewis Theresa Lloyd Mr Simon Lockren Dr Carol Long Professor Paul Luna Ms Jill Manwaring

Ald. Dr. W L (Bill) Martin FRSA Councillor Shaun McGall Dr Mark McGuinness Dr Rebecca McGuire-Snieckus Mrs Karen McLachlan Miss Heather McMillan Mrs Alison McNamara Marian McNeir MBE Mr Anthony Mealings Professor Rob Mears Dr Tim Middleton Mr Ian Monachino-Ayres Professor Rod Morgan Mrs Susan Morris Dr Diana Newport-Peace Professor George and Penny Odam Mr Trevor Osborne Mrs Elizabeth Owen Miss Beryl Parker Mr Philip Parker John Parkins Mr Ed Payne Mr Adam Powell Tony Pratt Mrs Ros Pritchard Mrs Carolyn Puddicombe Mr Rachid Rkaina Alistair Robbins Mr Mark Hunter Robson Miss Ruth Russell Professor Neil Sammells Miss Lizzie Selmes Amanda Sheridan Dr David Shirley Julia and Mathew Simmons Jennifer Skellett Professor Christina Slade Miss Victoria Smart Ms Shirley Smith Mrs Judith Stafford Mrs Arlene Stone Barbara Wadley-Stone Lady Strasburger BSU Dance Staff and Students Mrs Linda Taylor Mrs Lyn Taylor Mrs Josephine Tinworth Ms Mary Toman Robin Townhill Mr Tony Tuke Mrs Carol Turley Mrs Anitra Vickery

Mrs Laura Walker Professor Stephen Ward Dr Helen Waterhouse Mr Roy West Mr and Mrs Jeremy White Marnie Whiting Mr Jon Willcocks Esther Williams Mr Terry Williams Ms Carole Worley Organisations Apt Awards Ark Data Centres Arts Council England Bath & North East Somerset Council Bath Half Runners Burges Salmon LLP Crabtree and Evelyn (Bath) Contributions by visitors to the Forced Walks Exhibition Corsham Institute Cube Design Ede & Ravenscroft First Group Forces in Mind Trust Frome Town Council Gleeds Handelsbanken Bath Help for Heroes Nicholas Pearson Associates Pinewood Studios PRS for Music Limited Santander Universities Skanska UK PLC Stephen Clark 1957 Charitable Trust Stone King Foundation The Coles-Medlock Foundation The Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation The Leche Trust The Royal Commonwealth Society (Bath and District) The Trevor Osborne Charitable Trust Veale Wasbrough Vizards