Arts University Plymouth spotlights emerging creative talent in ‘Ones to Watch’ selection

Arts University Plymouth has unveiled its 2026 Ones to Watch selection, highlighting graduating students whose final projects demonstrate the breadth of creative talent emerging from this year's Graduate Shows. The chosen graduates span disciplines including fashion, textiles, photography, illustration, interiors, games, film, fine art and costume production.

The annual showcase celebrates students who are already gaining industry recognition through awards, placements, exhibitions, commissions and professional collaborations. According to the university, the selected projects reflect a graduating cohort ready to contribute across the creative industries, from cultural organisations and independent practice to commercial businesses.

Among those recognised is fashion media and marketing graduate Abigail Logan, whose project Denim Is the Canvas explores experiential retail through a custom denim activation concept for tailoring brand Clements and Church. During her studies, Logan completed a year-long placement with The Walt Disney Company in London and later returned as a freelance junior creative.

Fashion media and marketing graduate Isabel McGregor Cuevas was also selected for her project examining the cultural significance of the Spanish hand fan, or abanico, through photography, styling and creative direction. Her work draws on Spanish visual culture and contemporary performance, while her industry experience includes backstage photography at Copenhagen Fashion Week and live brief successes with fashion brands and publications.

Elsewhere, textile design graduate Rachel Byrne's research-led project Textile Botanica: The One Pot Colour System investigates botanical dye systems and sustainable colour production, earning recognition from the Society of Dyers and Colourists.

Professor Stephen Felmingham, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Academic), said the selection reflects the ambition and diversity of creative practice across the university, highlighting graduates who have combined experimentation with professional engagement throughout their studies.

The Ones to Watch announcement forms part of Arts University Plymouth's Graduate Shows 2026, a programme of public exhibitions and events showcasing work from students across art, design, media, fashion, photography, film, animation and illustration during the institution's 170th anniversary year.