The School of Liberal and Creative Arts at St Mary’s University, Twickenham, welcomed over 1,300 attendees to its second annual Festival of Creativity.
This year’s successful festival featured 30 events over two weeks, which showcased the creative talents of students and staff across music, drama, film, debate, literature, academic talks, and more.
The events were hosted across multiple venues, including the University’s own The 1850 – a regular space for performances. This year also saw the first partnership with Kingston College, while continuing to collaborate with OSO Arts Centre and West Thames College.
Festival Curator and Academic, Mark Griffin said, “I am thrilled to see another great turnout at St Mary’s Festival of Creativity. The work produced by students and academics highlights the talent we have in the University’s community. It’s great that we continue to build relationships with partner venues - and how our own campus facilities support showcasing the talent we have here to the wider public. I look forward to seeing the Festival grow year after year.”
Among the most popular events were the student-led drama productions, with She Is To Remain Quiet drawing over 320 attendees, and Kafka-esque which attracted more than 350. Other highlights included Escaping Vesuvius, screenings in The Loft, the Open Mic Night, and The Big Debate.
The final attendance figure of 1,303 does not include audiences from the three research days by the University’s Faculty of Education, Theology and the Arts - meaning total engagement was even higher.
Launched in 2024 by St Mary’s School of Liberal and Creative Arts, the Festival offers a platform for students and staff to showcase both creative and academic work, and has quickly become a favoured tradition.
The University continues to expand its creative and liberal arts provision through degree programmes in Acting, Film, Liberal Arts, and Creative and Professional Writing, and remains focused on preparing students for careers across the creative industries.