Portsmouth School of Art

The School began its life in 1869 as the Portsmouth and Gosport School of Science and the Arts. By 1894 the School’s science and technology courses were brought under the control of the local authority as the Borough of Portsmouth Municipal Technical Institute and in 1908 The Institute was renamed the Municipal College, Portsmouth and at the time the focus was on chemistry and engineering although art was on the curriculum. From 1945 to 1960 the college diversified its syllabus adding arts and humanities subjects after World War II, in response to a decline in the need for engineering skills. This did not hamper its expansion or reputation, as between 1960 and 1980 it opened the Frewen library and gained Polytechnic status. In July 1992 the inauguration of the University of Portsmouth was celebrated at a ceremony at Portsmouth Guildhall. At the time of writing the University has an enormously diverse range of courses that include Portsmouth School of Architecture and a School of Art and Design.

Alumni and staff include John Elwyn, Meredith Hawes, Grayson Perry, Edward and Margaret Pullee, Norman Wilkinson and Harold Yates.