Bristol creative education provider boomsatsuma has raised its offering to a higher level with the launch of a raft of new courses developed in conjunction with the city’s creative industry leaders.
Its new (BA Hons) degrees in Documentary Photography & Print, Filmmaking Production & Post-Production, Games Art and Games Audio have been shaped by industry and student voices in Bristol for the next generation of the city’s creatives.
The launch builds on more than 10 successful years delivering college courses to students from across the West region, alongside community projects that have positive impacts.
The courses, accredited by Bath Spa University, have been created to equip students with the applied skills required to give them the best possible access to a career in the creative industries.
To create future-focused centres of excellence, boomsatsuma is once again disrupting key contemporary trends in education, where students are encouraged to fulfil their passion and take control of their education to develop authentic voices to make their mark in their chosen creative pathway.
Places on the courses are capped with limited capacity, with high-quality student and teacher contact time.
In keeping with boomsatsuma’s ethos of placing students in small non-campus professional settings, the degree students will be located at the heart of Bristol’s creative industry, gaining unique access and experience with prestigious industry partners.
The students will be tutored by respected educators and creative professionals passionate about sharing knowledge. boomsatsuma’s industry partners have identified their areas of need and the degree courses have been crafted to reflect those aspirations.
Bristol filmmaker and educator Freya Billington is the newly appointed course lead for the Filmmaking (pathways): Production & Post-Production degree. Key industry partners include the city’s highly successful Bottle Yard Studios, where shows such as Sherlock, Poldark, The Crystal Maze and Fortitude are filmed, Bristol-based BAFTA award-winning Films at 59, which is one of the UK’s largest pre and post-production facilities, and BBC Bristol, with its globally acclaimed natural history unit. 
The award-winning photographer Samuel Fordham, whose storytelling works across platforms including installations, books and films, has featured across many international exhibitions, and is course lead for the Documentary Photography & Print degree. This course is delivered in partnership with The Royal Photographic Society and students will be centred at the prestigious RPS House.
The Games Art degree pioneers boomsatsuma’s entry into higher education, with the first student intake taking place last month, with a full, Covid-19 safe interactive teaching schedule in place. Course leader Greg Jamieson is a multidisciplinary artist, working with games, XR, audio and film, bringing a wealth of experience to boomsatsuma’s Paintworks XR lab.
Boomsatsuma co-founder Mark Curtis said: “A former student once described studying with boomsatsuma, saying ‘If you want to train to be a pilot, at some point someone will have to lend you a plane and let you fly’.
“We believe, alongside our industry partners, we have created the best vehicle possible to let our students fly.
“Nationally, the creative industries are worth £111.7bn, which is 5.8% of the UK’s GDP. Bristol’s creative industry sector has expanded year on year, with around 6,000 companies currently employing almost 25,000 people, with superb support from Bristol City Council.
“The combination of creativity and technology, known as ‘createch’, is one of the most exciting growth areas of the country’s economy and Bristol’s future identity.
“All of our partners are screaming out for new talent to underpin expansion and we aim to provide a focused education pathway for young people in the region to give them the skills that best prepare graduates for a career in an expanding, dynamic industry.”
The new degrees will welcome students next September and applications open from now through to next January.
Visit www.boomsatsuma.com for more details on the course content and application and open days: https://www.boomsatsuma.education/opendays
Pictured, top: Games Art students on their first day at Bristol’s Paintworks, with tutor Greg Jamieson, right
