Ten talented graduates from Newcastle College University Centre (NCUC) have teamed up with Fenwick Newcastle to develop a range of limited-edition Christmas cards to spread Geordie joy this festive season.
Designed to showcase local talent through a mix of hand drawn illustration and art styles blended with digital techniques and textures, the collection was created by graduates from Art and Design and Digital Art degree courses at NCUC, including Illustration, Graphic Communication and Fine Art.
Available exclusively in-store at Fenwick Newcastle, the collection was developed in partnership with North Shields creative agency, Jungle Studio, as a collaboration to provide art and design graduates with valuable pathways from education to first commissions with retailers and beyond.
The greetings cards join other North East brands such as Behind the Lines who are firm favourites in the Fenwick Christmas Shop. The range of over 60 unique and environmentally friendly greetings cards has been created as a celebration of regional heritage, all with nods to Newcastle and the North of England.
Now in its second year, the partnership is already delivering great results for Newcastle College University Centre and retailers alike. In addition to working with talented graduates, Jungle Studio also supports emerging talent at NCUC, helping them to become industry-ready through bespoke lectures, live projects and a mentoring programme leading to commercial exposure.
Geoffrey Sanderson, Founder and Talent Spotter at Jungle Studio, said: “As a Newcastle College graduate myself, I knew all too well the pressures and expectation to move out of the region to start my career.
"It’s been so rewarding to work with and mentor such talented individuals from Newcastle College University Centre, and to provide a pathway into commercially successful art and design careers right here in the region.
“To be able to partner with Fenwick on this latest project has been incredible. Fenwick is such an iconic part of Newcastle’s history and identity, so I’m really proud to help home-grown talent be part of that local legacy.”
Libby Lagun, Head of Curriculum for Art and Design at Newcastle College, said: “Employer collaboration sits at the core of what we do at NCUC, and this project with Fenwick and Jungle Studio is a brilliant example of how those partnerships create meaningful opportunities for our graduates.
"By working directly with industry professionals, our BA and MA alumni gain the real-world experience, confidence and commercial awareness they need to become truly work-ready creatives.”
Leo Fenwick, Strategic Partnerships Director at Fenwick, said: "We’re thrilled to work with Jungle Studio and Newcastle College University Centre this Christmas at our Newcastle flagship store. With our North East heritage, it’s important to us to share our platform and champion talent in the region.
"We know that our customers love local brands and products so we're delighted to feature this range of greetings cards in our Christmas shop and we’re confident they will be incredibly popular this festive season”
Jordan Scholes, Artist and NCUC Graduate, said: “Seeing my designs in Fenwick is one of those real pinch-me moments, and I’m so thankful to Jungle Studio for helping me bring my vision to life.” Another NCUC graduate, Charlene Cowan described the collaboration, saying it’s “an exciting opportunity to get my foot in the door of a competitive industry.”
Designs by artists from NCUC will be displayed alongside creative works by graduates across the UK as part of the national mentoring programme.
Available to purchase until Wednesday 24th December, the greeting cards start from £3.50 and can be found in Fenwick Newcastle, within Santa’s Workshop on the lower ground floor.