Case studies: Sidney Nolan Trust Industry Engagement Case Study Pack

For more than fifteen years, Hereford College of Arts has worked in partnership with the Sidney Nolan Trust to give Fine Art students an authentic experience of professional artistic practice.

The partnership extends far beyond a traditional study visit. Students participate in artist camps, site-based workshops, exhibitions, archive and digitisation projects, and, for selected graduates, the prestigious Sidney Nolan Trust Residency Prize is awarded. Together these experiences provide students with valuable insight into what it means to sustain a career as a practising artist.

Set within Sidney Nolan's former home and studio, the residency offers graduates dedicated studio space, accommodation, and the freedom to develop their own practice in a unique professional artistic environment. Rather than simply rewarding achievement, the residency acts as a bridge between higher education and professional practice, enabling emerging artists to experience the realities of life beyond graduation.

Throughout the partnership, students strengthen their confidence, independence, and creative identity while working alongside artists, curators, and Trust staff. They also gain opportunities to contribute to exhibitions, archive projects, and the digitisation of the Trust's collections, developing valuable professional experience within a nationally and internationally recognised cultural organisation.

By combining long-term partnership, creative experimentation, and professional opportunity, HCA and the Sidney Nolan Trust continue to create unique and relevant experiences that prepare Fine Art students not only to graduate, but to begin life as practising artists.