The Class of 2026 was celebrated by Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) at this year’s Graduation ceremonies, held at the Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre.
This year, AUB invited 1,380 graduates to take to the stage across four ceremonies on Thursday 23 and Friday 24 July, celebrating achievements across specialist degrees in art, design, media and performance.
The academic results were particularly strong, with 72.8% of undergraduates achieving higher degrees (a First or 2:1) highlighting the institution's continued academic excellence and creative rigour.
The formal academic procession for the ceremonies was led by AUB alumna Milly Withers, who served as the University's ceremonial Macebearer. Bearing the University Mace – a symbolic emblem of AUB’s authority, history, and creative community – Milly led the procession of senior officers, faculty members, and distinction recipients onto the main stage.
A graduate of AUB’s Foundation Diploma and BA (Hons) Graphic Design course, Milly's now a professional calligrapher, author, and founder of Blink Lettering.
Following the formal stage proceedings, graduates, academic staff, families, and friends made the short walk down through the gardens to the golden sands of Bournemouth Beach to continue the celebrations against the backdrop of the Jurassic coastline.
Lisa Mann, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer of AUB, says, “Completing a degree in the creative arts demands courage, critical thinking, resilience, and vision. Our 2026 graduates have spent their time at AUB questioning, innovating, and reimagining the world around them.
“The creative industries remain a vital engine for the UK economy, contributing around £124 billion annually. Beyond the economic impact, our graduates are entering a sector that enriches everyday life, driving innovation across technology, health, community, and culture. We could not be prouder of everything they have achieved.”
In addition to degree confers, the ceremonies showcased exceptional student talent with the presentation of AUB’s prestigious Endowment Prizes and Deans’ School Awards.
Among this year’s standout honourees was BA (Hons) Photography graduate Tom Liggett, recipient of a Deans’ School Prize, whose groundbreaking project launching physical film negatives into the stratosphere captured national media headlines.
A broad range of accolade recipients across film production, costume, architecture, digital innovation, and textiles were also celebrated on stage for their outstanding craft, research, and collaborative achievements.
During the ceremonies, the University conferred Honorary Fellowships upon four distinguished leaders across engineering, media, theatre, and the creative industries:
- Es Devlin, CBE – World-renowned British contemporary artist and stage designer, acclaimed for her monumental public sculptures, kinetic stage designs for the National Theatre and Royal Opera House, and global spectacles from the Super Bowl to Olympic Ceremonies.
- Nick Rowland – BAFTA and BIFA-nominated writer and director whose acclaimed screen work includes feature films Calm with Horses and She Rides Shotgun, as well as television directing on BBC’s Ripper Street and Netflix’s The Gentlemen.
- Astrid Stavro – Globally recognised creative director, President of the International Society of Typographic Designers (ISTD), former Pentagram partner, and award-winning leader in brand strategy and visual communication.
- Zainab Jiwa – Forbes 30 Under 30 presenter, interviewer, and digital creative known for her culturally engaged media work across film, fashion, and pop culture, collaborating with figures such as Denzel Washington, Riz Ahmed, and AUB alumnus Edgar Wright.
“These esteemed figures exemplify the power of creativity to transform industries, challenge perspectives, and unite audiences," says Lisa. "Their extraordinary work across brand design, fine art, global performance, digital culture, and cinema serves as a tremendous inspiration to our graduating cohort as they step into their own professional careers.”
