05.10.06
Cornwall College students benefit from new arts building

Cornwall College Camborne has a new addition this year as construction work is completed on the Proctor Arts building. The building is the first on campus to be named after a famous female, Cornish artist Dod Proctor.

The new building is the culmination of 6 months renovation work of an old construction trades training facility on the campus and will provide state-of-the art workshops, classrooms, studio space and a dedicated permanent gallery for students studying arts degrees at Cornwall College Camborne.

The project, part of the Combined Universities in Cornwall initiative's Phase 2 of development, has seen an investment of over £1.5 million and will provide a dedicated art facility for the growing number of degree students studying with Cornwall College. Nigel Hewitt, Deputy Coordinator for Combined Universities in Cornwall, said: "I am pleased to see this superbly refurbished facility joining the many others across Cornwall where university-level education is now offered. With the investment secured by CUC from Objective One and the UK Government, our partner universities and colleges are helping people to develop and use high level skills in the region, which is excellent news both for them as individuals and for the economy of Cornwall as a whole." As a University of Plymouth Partner College, Cornwall College offers over 100 university qualifications, with a growing number of courses available in the arts sector.

Jack Price, Head of Arts & Media at the College said: "We are very proud to be opening this new building; Cornwall College is committed to higher education which can be seen in the expansion of facilities such as these. The Proctor Building will provide an extremely high quality learning environment for Art and Design. This investment will give students a great new space in which to work and study. The enhanced facilities will allow them to give full reign to their talent and creativity, ensuring that Cornwall College continues to be in the forefront of art education."

Opening the doors for the first intake of students will be representatives from Rok who completed the renovation project, as the first wave of degree students take advantage of the new facility that houses ceramics workshops, photographic studios, open plan workspaces for fine art students as well as a 100 square metre gallery that will host a range of exhibitions throughout the year. Roger Hicks, Team Leader at Rok added: "As the Nation's Local Builder we are delighted to be involved with the continuing development of Cornwall College across the county, providing a high quality learning environment for students from Cornwall and beyond."

John Latham, CEO and Principal of Cornwall College added: "These are very exciting times for the College with the expansion of our higher education facilities across all of our campuses thanks to the support of the Combined Universities in Cornwall initiative. We are committed to providing the very best learning experience for university students and look forward to further local developments in university education in the future."

For further information please contact Sarah Plant, Cornwall College on 01209 616100 or email: sarah.plant@cornwall.ac.uk.

The Objective One Programme for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly has invested in the Combined Universities in Cornwall (CUC) project, both Phase 1 and Phase 2 through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European Social Fund (ESF). Cornwall College is a partner in the CUC.

Editor's notes:

Dod Procter, was born Doris Shaw and was only fifteen when her mother brought her and her brother to study at the art school of Stanhope and Elizabeth Forbes in Newlyn. It was there that she met her future husband, Ernest Procter, whom she married in 1912. Dod specialised in painting mainly single female figures, nude or in soft drapes. One of these paintings was bought by the Daily Mail for the Tate Gallery, making Dod Procter a household name.

Cornwall College has 8 sites across Cornwall including Duchy College and Falmouth Marine School and offers the widest range of high quality academic and vocational training in Cornwall.

Clare Morgan
Media Relations Manager
Objective One Partnership Office
Castle House
Pydar Street
Truro TR1 2UD
Mobile: 07973 813647
Telephone: 01872 223439

cmorgan@cornwall.gov.uk

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