UCA University for the Creative Arts

Our facilities and resources

At UCA, we're all about helping you turn your creative ideas into reality - not only through our expert teaching but also thanks to the extensive facilities and resources that you'll have full access to.

Here, you'll discover more about what each of our campuses has to offer - from our traditional craft workshops at Farnham, to our state-of-the-art Gerber suites at Rochester.

You'll also find information about our libraries and our other services that'll help you through your time at UCA.

Discover our facilities

UCA's campuses are packed with all the facilities you need to assist you with your work, from computer technology and spacious studios to traditional craft workshops and dye labs. All campuses also have well-stocked art shops and equipment hire. Click on the links to find out what's on offer in each of our UK locations.

Canterbury

• Large, accessible machine workshop equipped with a mixture of hand tools and machinery including CNC routing and milling machine
• Digital Fabrication Lab where you can use laser cutters and 3D printers
• Print Bureau with multiple options on finishing and papers, offering self-service and bespoke printing to professional standards
• Sculpture studios equipped with resins, kilns and facilities for moulding, casting, welding and plasma cutting
• Painting Studio, where you will learn to construct frames and stretchers, as well as using traditional painting techniques and materials
• Printmaking studios for screen-printing, litho, offset, lino cutting, and etching
• Three fully-equipped digital media suites with the latest Macs and PCs running up-to-date software
• Colour and black and white darkrooms for developing film, cyanotype and the use of industry-standard film processors
• Photographic studio, where you will be able to book photoshoots and document your portfolio of work
• Animation suite installed with specialist software, high-end drawing tablets and scanners.

Epsom

• A range of flexible teaching and learning environments with video conferencing and interactive AV resources to support creative arts business
• IT environments configured for arts, technology and business
• A 250-seater auditorium with conference standard facilities
• Extensive fashion studios with sewing facilities
• Digital print studio with large and small format printing, bookbinding, guillotine, perfect binding, vinyl cutting and dry mounting
• Screen-print studio for traditional printing
• Facilities for traditional oil-based print including intaglio, relief and hot metal letterpress equipment
• Sound studio with equipped sound booth
• Woodwork and plaster studios
• Five fully equipped photographic studios
• Laser cutter and 3D printing facilities

Farnham

• Multiple film soundstages with industry-standard lighting facilities
• Animation studios with Mac workstations, lightboxes, cintiques, line testers and hi-speed batch scanners
• Animation rostrum rooms set up to capture stop-frame animation on DragonFrame
• Dedicated Games Art IT studios with specialist hardware and software. VR and Game testing areas compliment the incubator space to help test and nurture game development.
• Colour and black and white darkrooms
• Photography studios with an infinity table
• FAB LAB, a Digital Fabrication service with laser cutters and 3D printing facilities, offering a host of computer-aided design and creation opportunities.
• Digital print Bureau providing a professional print and finishing service using an extensive range of materials, paper types, sizes, finishes and binding options
• Film & Media Centre featuring a live performance room, control room for sound mixing, dubbing theatre, rehearsal studios and film soundstage with industry-standard Arri film lighting rigs. Also located in the is building is a 250 seat Lecture and film screening theatre with 4K digital projection and online streaming capabilities.
• Fine Art painting and sculpture studios
• Equipment to support hand and mechanical processes for working ceramic, glass, wood, metal, plastics and jewellery, and a foundry for casting bronze and aluminium
• Newly established jewellery workshop, containing 36 jewellers’ cut out workstations, and equipped with video recording demonstration bench.
• Digital and traditional looms for woven textiles and associated dye facilities
• Dedicated performance and rehearsal spaces
• Traditional printmaking workshop including equipment for intaglio, relief, screen printing and letterpress
• Three-camera digital television studio, networked to our broadcast newsroom and using industry-leading autocue software.

Rochester

• The Gerber suite, a unique Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM) facility for fashion including the latest 3D Gerber Accumark software.
• Computer games spaces with professional multi-screen workstations.
• Workshops for ceramic, metal and woodwork, casting resin and plaster.
• Theatre course workshops with prop making equipment, professional sewing machines and a costume department.
• Computer-Aided Design (CAD) facilities for portfolio development, including a Digital Fabrication Lab with laser cutters and 3D printing facilities
• Photographic studios, where you will be able to book photoshoots and document your portfolio of work
• A dedicated makeup and hair design salon
• Colour and black and white darkrooms for developing film, cyanotype and the use of industry-standard film processors
• Six digital media suites equipped with the latest Mac and PCs running up-to-date, professional software packages
• Extensive design, pattern and sewing production studios
• State-of-the-art fashion textiles digital printing resource and traditional silk screen printing
• Dedicated area for large-format printing and hi-spec scanners.