Artist and Educator
Valentine graduated from RWCMD in 2021 with an MA in Design for Performance.
Across our 75th birthday year we're celebrating some of our alumni whose creative journey began here at RWCMD, as well as introducing you to a new generation of talent. Hear how our training has helped them, and how they are making a difference in their field and in their communities.
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‘The training I received at the Royal Welsh College gave me the self-discipline needed to enter the profession. The College encouraged us to find our own voices and supported me when I wanted to do a project in partnership with Oasis, a Cardiff-based charity supporting people seeking asylum. The project was a bit different and not strictly about design, but the support to explore ideas was invaluable.
I also learned many skills on this course. At the time, I wasn’t sure if I should specialise in one area, but now I’m glad I became a bit of a jack of all trades, as that versatility is really useful in the work I do now. These days, I focus on community work, facilitating workshops, and working in education. Sometimes I still design, but that’s rarer. My work is about setting the space the right way and making sure participants feel comfortable and welcomed - that’s also a form of design.
The course taught me that you don’t need to stick to being a certain type of designer. You can find your own path and creative journey. If you feel you’re not growing creatively, move on, try something else, build connections and relationships, and everything will fall into place.’Valentine Gigandet
