Celebrating our graduating illustrators with this Degree Show, it strikes us how quickly it seems these final‑year students have reached this moment. Journeys that began tentatively with aspirations that may have seemed distant, have developed into ambitious, deeply personal, and industry facing pathways.
Throughout our illustration programme, students are encouraged to look outward as much as inward: to engage critically with the world around them, to question visual conventions, and to build meaningful, informed creative practices. Over time, each has developed an individual voice shaped by curiosity, hard work, and a growing confidence in their own instincts as visual communicators.
Illustration at the University of Cumbria is defined by its openness. There is no single style, no prescribed outcome; instead, we celebrate difference, experimentation, and the strength that comes from a diverse studio culture. This year’s graduating cohort reflects that ethos, presenting work that showcases a rich and varied community shaped by distinct creative identities.
As these students step beyond university, we are confident that they leave with strong creative foundations, a commitment to drawing and making, and the resilience needed to navigate the evolving worlds of illustration and visual culture. We are immensely proud of what they have achieved here and look forward to following where their practices take them next.
Dwayne Bell | Course Leader
Katy Cook
Calum Dalziel
Scarlett Dawkins
Lennox Hammond
Emma Hurford
Elizabeth Joyce
Erla Olafsdottir
Julia Palak
Charlotte Wilding
