King’s Cross Address: Granary Building, 1 Granary Square, London, N1C 4AA
Phone: 020 7514 7000
Website: www.arts.ac.uk/csm or @CSM_news
Though hyped to infinity, and often lazily editorialised as the one vital source of all things up-and-coming in London, Central St Martins nevertheless has an undeniable history of producing graduates that tend to rocket to international fame upon leaving. The frequently cited list of alumni reads like a Who’s Who of European art-and-design talent, and includes past superstars such as Alexander McQueen, Gilbert and George, and Anthony Gormley, as well as recent fashion darlings Christopher Kane, Gareth Pugh and Kim Jones, to name a few.
Central St Martins is part of the much larger University of the Arts London, made up of CSM, Chelsea College of Art, Camberwell College of Art, London College of Fashion, London College of Communication and Wimbledon College of Art. The school as it is today was formed in 1989 through the amalgamation of two prestigious 19th century institutions, the Central School of Arts and Crafts and St Martins School of Art. Since then it has annexed the Byam Shaw School of Art in Archway, and as a result offers a huge range of courses covering most areas of the visual and performing arts. St Martins has a particularly formidable reputation for fashion design—it is the only university to show student collections as part of London Fashion Week—but it is well respected in all departments for its hyper-progressive ethos (expect to hear words like ‘challenging,’ and ‘risk-taking’ liberally thrown around on open days). Whether you find the whole thing pretentious and overrated or are waiting in breathless anticipation for the next St Martins wunderkind, CSM is very difficult to ignore.
The swish renovated warehouse building in Kings Cross, opened in 2011, centralises programs and student life in a way that was once difficult. The massive campus anchors the redevelopment of Kings Cross, formerly known for its transport links and general seediness. The facility allows students of art, fashion, design, and drama to be in one location, to interact cross-discipline, and form more of a united front rather than being scattered across the capital. Anyone who has walked the corridors of the old Charing Cross Road building will tell you that however charming the decaying archaic halls of academia may be, a brand spanking new building with technology to match is more than welcome. Occupying the Grade II listed Granary Building, architects Stanton Williams have integrated such wonders as an internal street, the Platform Theatre performance space, and an open-air terrace.
The Byam Shaw School of Art in Archway is a relatively recent addition (2003) to Central St Martins. Devoted solely to fine art, it runs a BA and a more skills-based 2 year FdA as well as a variety of short and post-graduate courses. CSM also has facilities in Richbell Place, Holborn.
As is the case with most London institutions, the university community is massively subsumed by the bright lights of the city itself, but this is no bad thing. Though the college puts on frequent exhibitions, talks and events, there is no independent bar or central hub. The Student Union is not particular to Central St Martins but provides services for and represents all the art colleges in London (University of the Arts London) as a whole, and various services and societies (such as sports clubs) are run at this level. As far as the education part goes, it’s not always easy being in the midst of the constant search for the next-big-thing, but at the same time the idiosyncratic slant of the teaching makes for a unique experience, and the generally high talent level of the students fosters a fantastic creative and social atmosphere.
Fees are £9,000 a year for UK/EU applicants taking an undergraduate or Foundation level degree. Some courses require payment of an additional course fee for materials. International students can expect to pay approximately £16,000 depending upon the type of course taken.
Central St Martins also runs a large number of short courses for all aspirational (and rich) non-students wanting a piece of the action. Prices are high but the courses very popular, partly because of the college’s reputation and partly because there are many interesting options to choose from. The courses run in evenings, weekends, or can be taken intensively as a Summer, Easter or Christmas school.
Reception (Granary Building): 020 7514 7444
Drama Centre London: 020 7514 8760
Admissions—Degree Courses: 020 7514 7023
Admissions—Short Courses: 020 7514 7015
International Office: 020 7514 7027
Lethaby Gallery: 020 7514 9897
University of the Arts Students’ Union: 020 7514 6270
Press Office: 020 7514 8098