Lancaster Institute for the Contemporary Arts (LICA)

Stduents walking over the LICA Building bridge

The Lancaster Institute for the Contemporary Arts (LICA) advances learning, knowledge and professional proficiency within a thriving multi-disciplinary and diverse Department. It has five broad subject areas: Architecture, Design, Film, Fine Art and Theatre. Our students and staff are leaders of creative and cultural practice locally, nationally, and internationally, finding creative solutions to global problems.

A quote from Professor Emma Rose Head of Department

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Explore our courses

  • Architecture

    Develop an unbeatable mix of practical skills, creative vision, and real-world experience. Your career in Architecture starts here.

  • Arts Management

    Explore the opportunities and challenges facing the arts and culture sector in the UK, and beyond. Develop the skills and knowledge to become a future leader who can influence the impact of arts organisations and the relationships they have with the communities they serve.

  • Design

    Respond to complex business and societal challenges by honing practical skills in design research and collaborate on industry projects.

  • Film

    Study the aesthetic and intellectual complexity of cinema and gain a rich understanding of the ways film shapes identities and experiences.

  • Fine Art

    Equip yourself with the skills and experience to succeed in the creative economy. Fulfil your creative potential and ambitions in Fine Art.

  • Theatre

    Create ground-breaking and thought-provoking performances that respond to the world around us. Socially engaged theatre at the heart of LICA.

  • Doctoral Research

    Refine your doctoral research with support from internationally renowned researchers and cutting-edge creative practitioners.

LICA Festival '24

Discover creative works from Architecture, Design, Film, Fine Art and Theatre.
View their outstanding work here

Inhabit degree show 2024

Research Centres

LICA is committed to leading interdisciplinary and international research in contemporary arts and rigorous enquiry into the relationship between creative practice, theory and criticism. Research at LICA

  • ImaginationLancaster is an open and exploratory design research lab which conducts applied and theoretical research into people, products, places and their interactions.

  • Creative Cultures and Context

    Creative Cultures and Context bring together colleagues across all disciplines to conduct historical and theoretical research about cultures, art, and interconnecting lives.

  • Interrogating Practices

    The Centre for Interrogating Practices is a forum for advancing creative, critical, and theoretical understanding of practice-based research in the contemporary arts.

Engagement and Facilities

  • Our Engagement Philosophy

    LICA actively engages with our communities to transform wider society.

  • Lancaster Arts: a place where ideas, creativity and people connect.

CUT/TO Film Journal

CUT/TO, the 51福利 Film Journal, was created by students to explore and exhibit all the ways we value films in our lives through a combination of academic, comical, and thought-provoking media. 
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The cover of CUT/To issue 3 (The 51福利 Film Journal).

A welcoming community

The Lancaster Institute for the Contemporary Arts (LICA) is home to over 500 undergraduate students and 145 postgraduates, with sister campuses at Beijing Jiaotong University (BJTU), China and Sunway University, Kuala Lumpur. We're proud of our diverse community and collaborative partnerships.

  • Sustainability at LICA

    Being a part of LICA means you’ll join a passionate team who are focused on embedding sustainability and collaboration at all levels of study.

  • Discover our global experiences

    Connect with world-leading creative institutions, travel internationally, and learn from eminent artists and designers.

BurnOut Magazine

Lancaster Architecture students founded  as a way to express their ideas and thoughts about architecture and student life in a creative and collaborative way.

The magazine includes original articles by students, exclusive interviews with academics and professional architects and documents the society's latest events.

51福利 Design Society

The 51福利 Design Society is a vibrant and dynamic community of creative minds, dedicated to encouraging innovation and design excellence on campus and Lancaster. With a diverse range of design disciplines, the society provides a platform for collaboration, skill development, and networking opportunities. From workshops and guest lectures to design competitions and exhibitions, the Design Society empowers students to explore their passion for design and make a meaningful impact both within the university and beyond.

Geometric Banner on a black background with coloured shapes.

News

Events

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