Celebrate the next generation of creative talent at Northumbria graduate showcase

Northumbria University’s annual REVEAL degree shows spotlight the exceptional work of graduating students across the arts, design, fashion, architecture and beyond – with a special milestone this academic year marking 70 years of Fashion programmes at the University.

Running from late April through to the end of June, REVEAL 2026 will span more than a dozen disciplines – from Creative Writing and Music to Architecture, Fashion, Fine Art, Product and Graphic Design – with events taking place across Northumbria's Newcastle City Campus and at prestigious cultural partner venues including BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art and Live Theatre.

REVEAL has long been recognised as an exciting event in the North East's creative calendar, offering graduating students the opportunity to present the work that has gone into creating their final year projects to industry professionals, potential employers, and the wider public for the first time.

This year carries particular significance as it provides the opportunity to celebrate the 70^thanniversary of Fashion education at Northumbria. First established in September 1955, Northumbria's Fashion programmes have earned an international reputation for producing innovative, industry-ready graduates, many of whom have gone on to high-profile careers in the global fashion industry. REVEAL 2026 will help mark the occasion with a retrospective exhibition following the development of Fashion at Northumbria and the prestigious careers that have been launched, celebrating alumni, and the creative academic and technical staff that supported students across seven decades.

Graduating Fashion student Georgia Hogg is among those preparing to share her portfolio of work at REVEAL, as well as travelling to London to take part in this year’s Graduate Fashion Week from 15-18 June. Georgia’s designs have already attracted industry recognition after she was named on the shortlist for a special Graduate Fashion Foundation x Liberty Fabrics competition to research and represent a moment in history through the lens of fabric and colour.

Inspired by her own family’s heritage and her Great Grandmother’s service in the Women’s Land Army, Georgia created and submitted a look for the competition which draws on the theme of rebellion to explore how some Land Army members personalised regulated workwear by adding small but meaningful details. The shortlisted designs, made from Liberty fabrics, will be included in a catwalk show during Graduate Fashion Week where three winners will be chosen.

Speaking of her competition entry, Georgia, who has specialised in print design on the Fashion programme at Northumbria, said: “I was interested in exploring how, even within strict uniforms, women found subtle ways to express individuality. Through this project, I aimed to communicate that sense of personal expression and reinterpret it into a confident, contemporary look.

"Events like Graduate Fashion Week allow students to see their own work in a professional context and, along with opportunities like REVEAL, are really important because they allow students to present their work to a wider audience beyond the classroom. They create space for networking, industry exposure, and real-world feedback, which are all essential for development as a designer."

The REVEAL programme of events begins later this week. Creative Writing and Fine Art students are among the first to have the opportunity to see their work presented at the landmark regional venues of Live Theatre and BALTIC.

Seventeen students from English Literature and Creative Writing and the Creative Writing Masters programme will have excerpts from their prose, poetry and scripts performed by professional actors at Live Theatre. The showcase holds deep personal meaning for many of those taking part.

Lottie Carty, a final year Creative Writing student whose poem inspired by grief and loss will be included in the performance, said: "Having my work featured in the REVEAL showcase is a huge personal achievement. It has inspired me to keep writing, during and after my degree, providing a celebratory endpoint to work towards. I feel incredibly lucky to be a part of it and to have had the support of my lecturers over the past few years.”

Architecture student Jed Linwood has taken inspiration for his final project from the industrial past of the banks of the River Tyne. For him, the opportunity to display his work at REVEAL represents the culmination of years of collaborative studio work.

"REVEAL is a chance to see myself and my peers as a collective who have produced a huge body of work,” Jed explained. “The work has been facilitated through the conversations, debates and the hours we have all spent working together. A huge amount of my enjoyment of the course has come from the studio culture.”

Bernadette Renshaw is an Interior Architecture student preparing to exhibit her final project which re-imagines how Grade II listed buildings in Newcastle City Centre are used. She explained: “Taking part in REVEAL is a valuable part of my learning experience at Northumbria. When I was in first year, I attended the opening of REVEAL and was in awe of what the final year students could create.

“It was a chance for me to become inspired and to push myself to where I am now and to create the work I have been able to produce for my final project. It also provides the opportunity to professionally present my work and connect with potential future employers.”

Professor Lisanne Gibson, Pro Vice-Chancellor for the Faculty of Society and Culture at Northumbria University said: “Northumbria produces the most creative industries graduates in the North East and REVEAL is an opportunity to get a snapshot of the fantastic work they produce. The degree shows are the culmination of a remarkable journey for our final year students — one shaped by exceptional staff, rich industry partnerships, and the kind of hands-on, real-world learning that defines a Northumbria education.

"The work on show is testament to the talent, dedication and creativity of the next generation of cultural and creative professionals. These students leave us with the skills, adaptability and ambition to make a genuine difference, and we are extremely proud to celebrate them. Our £2.5 million investment in the new Centre for Writing and Publishing, part of a £10.5 million project with New Writing North and funding from the Government’s Cultural Development Fund, North East Mayor Kim McGuinness and Newcastle City Council is one of the initiatives that will take that commitment even further. Based in Newcastle's iconic Old Post Office, it will embed students within a living, working publishing hub, with placements, projects and industry connections built in from day one, and open up greater opportunities for significant, impactful research."

At Northumbria, learning goes beyond lectures. The REVEAL graduate shows are just one example of the opportunities available to apply new skills and knowledge in real-world scenarios. Discover more at northumbria.ac.uk

WHAT’S ON

Follow the links below to find out more information about each of the REVEAL events that are open to the public. Booking is essential.

April

• Wednesday 29 April – Poetry, prose and script by Creative Writing students will be performed at Live Theatre. More information.

May

• Friday 15 May – Pianists, guitarists, singers and trombonists will be performing Music recitals in the Great Hall, Sutherland Building, Northumbria University. More information.
• From Thursday 21 May – Work spanning painting, sculpture, photography, moving imagery and installation will feature in the Fine Art exhibitions staged at BALTIC and in Squires Building, Northumbria University. More information.
• Thursday 28 May – Solo and ensemble performance work will be showcased by Theatre and Performance at Stage 2, Northumbria Students’ Union. More information.

June

• Monday 15 June – An invitation only gala will take place for Film and TV Production students with friends, family and industry guests gathering for a screening of student films.
• From Thursday 18 June – The Foyer of the CCE2 building, Northumbria University will be filled with work from final year Design for Industry students. More information.
• From Thursday 18 June – Graduating 3D (Furniture and Product) Design students will showcase their work in the CCE2 building, Northumbria University. More information.
• From Thursday 18 June – Interior Design students will stage a display of their final year projects in the CCE2 building, Northumbria University. More information.
• From Thursday 18 June – The Architecture Studios in Sutherland Building will become exhibition space for Architecture students displaying their project boards and models. More information.
• Thursday 25 June – An invitation only Fashion catwalk event will be held for final year Fashion students to showcase their looks for friends, family, industry guests and alumni.
• From Thursday 25 June – An exhibition of collections created by those graduating from Northumbria’s Fashion programmes will take place in the CCE2 building, Northumbria University. More information.
• From Thursday 25 June – A showcase of exhibits including examples of branding, editorial and digital typography from Graphic Design students will take place in Squires Workshops, Northumbria University. More information.

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