Winchester School of Art

Founded in 1870, the School of Art originally occupied the City’s twelfth-century Wolvesey Palace. The School sought a permanent home for ninety years, until, in 1962, it received approval for its new – and current – buildings. Winchester is perhaps the only School of Art designed to double as a hospital. In 1962, Hampshire County Council believed war to be a distinct possibility, and the main buildings were designed to be easily converted to emergency use, should the then threat of the Cold War become a reality. During World War II the nearby Southampton School of Art was evacuated to Winchester and the schools merged on a temporary basis. By 1964, the County Council had abandoned its “two for the price of one”, “art school” cum “hospital” approach. The Rotunda was built with only one purpose – the School’s library. The School outgrew its library. Now, however, it has been renovated and is known as ‘Graphics Tower’ playing host to the School’s sixty plus full-time graphics students. It is once more a studio within the Art School.

Alumni and staff include musician Brian Eno the founder of Roxy Music, Darren Almond a Turner Prize nominee in 2005 as well as Lee Grandjean, John Elwyn, Gilligan Ayres, Trevor Bell, Paul mount, Bill Woodrow and Linda Sutton.