East Sussex College Opens New Creative Skills Studio in Lewes in Partnership with Charleston

A nationally significant development in creative education has been launched in partnership with Charleston, as Lewes’ new cultural space becomes home to a new Creative Skills Studio for East Sussex College students.

The partnership between Charleston in Lewes and East Sussex College nurtures the next generation of creative careers – from film directors to curators, event producers, fashion designers, content creators and graphic designers.

Since Charleston in Lewes opened to the public last autumn, over 110,000 visitors have used the building, and more than 2,000 young people and families have participated in creative workshops in the Learning Studio. Every year, over 700 students take part in creative courses in Lewes, and East Sussex College is committed to ensuring that each graduate leaves the college ready for a career in the creative industries - a sector that contributes £125 billion to the national economy and is internationally recognised as one of Britain's most celebrated industries.

The new Creative Skills Studio equips students for employment by providing direct experience with digital and creative industry professionals, including retail, exhibition, and marketing teams at Charleston in Lewes, as well as their network of creative professionals from London and the South East.

Rebecca Conroy, Principal of East Sussex College Group, states, “It is so exciting that through this partnership, our students will gain meaningful employment experience, working with industry professionals to develop professional skills while working on real-world projects in Charleston's dynamic working environment.”

Cllr Zoe Nicholson, Leader of Lewes District Council, adds, “It is extraordinary to believe that less than two years into this new cultural centre in Lewes, we are not just seeing thousands of visitors coming to the town and spending money on our High Street, but we are also able to give our young people this opportunity through the creation of a Creative Skills Studio.”

As part of their experience, students will respond to an industry brief set by Charleston in Lewes, gaining valuable hands-on experience while developing key employability and soft skills. Projects will span a range of creative disciplines, including podcast production, exhibition design, and composing original music for social media content.