Makers of Morley 2025: Celebrating Creativity
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Throughout May, Morley College London came alive with creativity for Makers of Morley 2025 — a month-long celebration of craftsmanship, innovation and excellence at Morley.
Across our three centres, the campaign showcased the talent of our students and tutors through exhibitions, workshops, and hands-on experiences. From glassmaking, printmaking and textiles to sculpture, the Makers of Morley highlighted the college’s role as a hub for creative exploration and lifelong learning.
Exhibition highlights
MADE 2025: Something of Importance
Held at the Morley Gallery, our flagship making exhibition invited students to respond to themes inspired by the UN Sustainable Development Goals, or to explore their own interpretations of something they found important in the work they produce in class. The result was a diverse display of work across bookbinding, printmaking, sculpture, and textiles – offering diverse perspectives, materials, and methods.
Colours and Light 2025
The Top Tower Room at the Waterloo Centre hosted Colours and Light, an exhibition dedicated to the art of stained glass. Featuring work from both beginners and experienced makers, the show captured the enduring attraction of stained glass. It was truly a beautiful sight!
College-wide shows
Beyond the gallery walls, visitors enjoyed exhibitions throughout our campuses – from the Barry Till, Cardew, and Foyer galleries at Waterloo, to showcases in Chelsea and North Kensington. These displays celebrated a wide range of disciplines – including ceramics, jewellery, painting, fashion, and digital media.
Hands-on learning during London Craft Week
As part of London Craft Week, Morley offered a programme of workshops led by our tutors. Participants got to try out a range of crafts – from copper-smithing and Japanese calligraphy to theatrical makeup, printmaking and screen printing.
Workshops were open to all levels, inviting curious newcomers and seasoned creatives alike to try something new. These sessions not only provided practical skills, but also gave a flavour of the unique atmosphere that defines the Morley experience.
James Mac makeup class
A standout moment of our London Craft Week was an exclusive makeup masterclass with industry expert James Mac, who shared the latest techniques and some tricks of the trade. This special session was inspired by the work of Morley millinery student Julia Helen, whose hat design ‘Eat Me’ won third place at the 2024 Feltmakers Design Awards. The masterclass celebrated the intersection of fashion, makeup, and storytelling.
SOLD OUT Penny Lecture: Influencers Reshaping Ceramics with James Evans
Another highlight of the month was a sold-out Penny Lecture by ceramic artist and Morley tutor James Evans, who uses metal leaf and powders to create unique surfaces for his ceramics works. Known for creating references that are deliberately incomplete and open to interpretation, James invited viewers to reflect on the past and present through his creations.
His lecture offered a fascinating insight into these evolving processes, captivating the audience with a deep dive into the ideas and influencers who have shaped his practice and creative journey.
Building a Creative Community
Throughout the campaign, students and makers were encouraged to share the process of creative making on social media using the hashtag #makersofmorley. These posts helped foster a vibrant online community—and inspired many more to get involved.
Makers of Morley 2025 has been a celebration of what makes Morley College London so special – a commitment to accessible, high-quality creative education. Thank you to everyone involved and check out the Artists of Morley which is now live.
