Arts & Culture, University of Exeter

12/10/2026

What can a handwritten note reveal about J.M.W. Turner’s artistic intentions?

An engraving in the University of Exeter’s Fine Art Collection offers a rare glimpse into Turner’s working process including his own instructions to the engraver.

Discover the story behind this fascinating work in our October monthly collections blog. Read it here: https://www.artsandcultureexeter.co.uk/news/under-turners-direction-an-engraving-in-progress

06/10/2026

Arts and Culture is inviting expressions of interest from University of Exeter academic and professional services staff interested in hosting a Creative Fellow in 2027.

💡The Creative Fellowship brings artists and creative practitioners into the University to develop collaborative ideas and explore new approaches to research, teaching and engagement.

💡It should have have wider impact than a single discipline, promoting interdisciplinary working.

💡It should also work outside the discipline or subject specialism of the host (for example, we wouldn’t look to match a poet within a poetry research project).

💡We ask that it is not be part of an existing collaboration. This is an invitation to new ways of working.

💡It is a 4–5 week Fellowship, starting January 2027 and staff must be based in Exeter either at St Luke's or Streatham campuses.

If you'd like to know more you can join us for a short online info session on either:

📅 Wednesday 7 October, 2–3pm
📅 Monday 12 October, 3–4pm
💻 Please contact Naome Glanville for a Teams link: [email protected]

Applications close on 18 October.

Read the full callout: https://www.artsandcultureexeter.co.uk/news/call-out-for-hosts-for-creative-fellows-2026-2027

01/10/2026

Are you an experienced arts manager or cultural producer ready for your next creative challenge? We’re looking for one brilliant person to join our team in Cornwall and cover a period of maternity leave across two exciting part-time roles:

🎭 Arts and Culture Programme Manager (Cornwall) - 0.3 FTE
🌱 Net+ Centre Cultural Producer - 0.2 FTE

Together, that’s 0.5 FTE (2.5 days per week), based at the University’s Penryn Campus, with the flexibility of hybrid working.

You’ll have the opportunity to develop creative programmes, build cultural networks, work across disciplines and help bring exciting arts and culture projects to life including work connected to climate, health and our communities.

📍 Penryn, Cornwall
💼 Grade F, £43,482 pro rata
📅 Fixed-term contract until July 2027
⏰ 2.5 days per week

Applications close Sunday 18 October.

Read the full description and apply here: https://careers.exeter.ac.uk/vacancies/1339/arts--culture-programme-manager-and-net-centre-cultural-producer.html?HiddenApply=b0d25cb5-c42c-4a19-a319-e443f58c8bb3&Source=hiddenreferral

15/09/2026

We’re enjoying meeting so many of you at the Welcome Fair at Streatham campus today! We’re in the Forum until 4. Come and grab yourself some freebies and hello!

21/07/2026

Take a look at this opportunity from our friends at the Bill Douglas Cinema Museum ↓

10/07/2026

Sometimes the most intriguing stories are hidden in the smallest details. A handwritten dedication to "Mademoiselle Bertha" led us to discover who this 1894 drawing was created for: Bertha Salter, one of Devon's celebrated "Devonshire Nightingales".

Discover the fascinating story linking Brussels, Devon and artist Marcel Jefferys in our monthly collections blog: https://www.artsandcultureexeter.co.uk/news/the-canal-brussels-a-european-artwork-with-a-devon-connection

Image: 'The Canal, Brussels' by Marcel Jefferys, from the University of Exeter's Fine Art Collection.

The Arts and Culture team work across the colleges and campuses of the University of Exeter, and with creative partners around the South West region and beyond. Our mission is to Activate Creativity.

08/07/2026

In what has been a challenging time for many of our colleagues, it feels especially important to recognise moments that bring people together to share ideas, celebrate creativity, and reaffirm the value of the humanities. It is in that spirit that we reflect on our recent Activating Creativity symposium.

The richness of the conversations and the generosity with which ideas were shared made it an inspiring two days. We are extremely grateful for everyone's contributions, insights and enthusiasm across the event, and the discussions have given us much to reflect on. They will help shape the next stages of this growing conversation. A big thank you to everyone who travelled across the country to be with us.

We’ll be sharing a short write up, more photographs and a film about the event in the coming weeks but for now, here are a few snaps from an inspiring two-days.

Images: Steven Haywood.

18/06/2026

Day one of Activating Creativity focused on dialogue, reflection and connection.

Through conversations about the histories of creative practice across our universities, we explored the roots and realities that shape our work today. We were then joined by artist to map the complexities of creative roles in higher education using the Co-Production Oracle card deck.

It was brilliant afternoon of listening, learning and exchanging ideas that continue to shape discussions over our final day today.

A huge thanks to Small Acts for facilitating some playful networking through FACEBACK and musician Jim Causley for rounding off day one so beautifully yesterday evening!

17/06/2026

We're so looking forward to welcoming 50 delegates from across the UK today for our two-day Activating Creativity in UK Universities symposium!

Together, we will explore and share how creativity and artist-led practice can act as the connective tissue within our institutions supporting strategic areas such as Research, Place-Making and Curriculum Reform.

Watch this space for updates!

13/06/2026

Rehearsals for this afternoon’s artist performance with Robyn Bamford at the MA Curation exhibition When the Earth Holds Us Quietly!⭐️

Starting with an acoustic guitar set by Francesca Brown at 14:00, the artist performance beginning at 14:30 demonstrates how Robyn creates her soundscapes using her ceramic ‘Water Flutes’.

Robyn says that “there is no way that a person can create something like an experience in nature, because it’s perfect as it is - what I’m trying to create is an essence, or trying to find a way to communicate it.”🌾

Old Underground Passages entrance, Roman Gate, Exeter