West Dean College 2025 wrapped!

As 2025 draws to a close, we’re celebrating an extraordinary year across West Dean College and our KLC School of Design in London. From award-winning design projects and major industry recognition to world-leading conservation work and vibrant campus life, our students, staff and alumni have continued to shine on national and international stages. 

London Campus:   

• Industry Recognition & Award Wins: 2025 was a standout year for our design community. Garden Design Diploma graduate Holly Knight and tutor Adolfo Harrison were honoured at the Society of Garden + Landscape Designers Awards.
• Several of our graduates were also named in the prestigious House & Garden Top 100 Interior Designers and Architects and Top 50 Garden Designers lists for 2025, a testament to West Dean’s reputation for developing leading design professionals. 
• BA  Interior Design student Ayisha Onuorah competed on season 6 of BBC show Interior Design Masters.
• Interior Design student Maríanna Björk Ásmundsdóttir impressed judges in the Jacaranda & KLC design competition, winning with her Nordic-inspired rug Vetur. Both Vetur and her shortlisted design Haust will now be produced as part of Jacaranda’s new Nordur Collection. 
• This year, the KLC School of Design launched its new Industry Advisory Group, bringing together influential voices from interior and garden design to help shape the future of design education at West Dean. 
•  Our community made a strong impact at the UK’s most celebrated garden shows: 
  • At the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival, KLC students, graduates and tutors presented exceptional Show Gardens, Creative Cubes and Pocket Planting Spotlights. 
  • Garden Design Diploma students Helen Swan and Lucy Chapman unveiled The Medicinal Garden at BBC Gardeners’ World Live 2025, created for the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity. 
  • At the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, West Dean was represented by students, alumni and tutors, with a central stand designed by Garden Design alumna and Course Manager Alana Sims, supported by bespoke furniture made by West Dean students.
• We were also delighted that the KLC School of Design was recognised as an SBID Centre of Excellence, one of only four institutions to receive this prestigious designation. 

Sussex Campus: 

• The West Dean Tapestry Studio, one of the world’s last remaining professional tapestry studios, took on major new commissions from celebrated contemporary artists Eva Rothschild, Chila Burman, and Linder Sterling, reinforcing its position as a leader in heritage craft and contemporary textile art. 
• BAAC student Lizzie Patterson appeared on Sky Arts’ Portrait Artist of the Year, taking her collage-and-oil portraiture to millions of viewers and championing West Dean’s fine-art community. 
• From Bonfire Night and the Christmas Market to Graduation celebrations and another successful year of the International Classical Guitar Festival, the Sussex campus was alive with creativity and community spirit. 
• Bookbinding student Marci Welch has designed and created “For A Lady”, the official guest book for Jane Austen’s 250th birthday at Jane Austen’s House. 
• Tutors and alumni from our School of Conservation were invited to participate in a new UAE initiative, helping train the next generation of conservators dedicated to preserving Arab heritage. 
• This year we celebrated tutor, Alison Sandeman, marking an incredible 50 years of contribution to West Dean College. 
• Students across Arts, Conservation and Design secured exciting placements this year, from local heritage organisations to opportunities as far away as New Zealand, gaining vital real-world experience. 
• 2025 saw a vibrant calendar of exhibitions and collaborations, including and more: 
  • Fine art tutor Tabatha Andrews presenting her solo exhibition The Slightest Gesture 
  • Craft Practices students featured during London Craft Week 
  • Tutors Sarah Hughes and Daniel debuting new work at Arc Winchester 
  • Furniture alumnus Emily exhibiting with the Furniture Makers’ Company 
  • Our annual end of year Sussex Summer Show and London exhibit for fine art and Art and Contemporary Craft students. 

- We celebrated the graduation of our 2025 students across the Schools of Design, Arts and Conservation, welcoming a new cohort into the global West Dean Alumni community.

- Looking ahead, we welcomed new leaders: Professor Laura Peters as Vice-Principal, and Ian Pleace as Director of Finance, a move that strengthens our academic and operational foundations as we grow into the future.

- We awarded our 2025 Honorary Fellowships to distinguished professionals including Oliver Heath and Dean Sully, recognising major contributions to conservation / art education.

As we wrap up 2025, we are incredibly proud of the achievements, creativity and dedication across our community. West Dean College continues to thrive as a hub for arts, design, craft and conservation education, and we look forward to welcoming new students, projects and partnerships in 2026.