Neurodiversity, climate change and body positivity are among the key contemporary themes being explored at this year’s TUS Athlone Campus Graduate Showcase, now open to the public until Monday, May 13.
The showcase presents works by graduating students across the disciplines of animation and illustration, graphic and digital design, and music and sound engineering and marks the culmination of four years of study.
Featuring the projects of over 90 students, this is TUS Athlone’s most extensive graduate showcase yet, reflecting a rich tapestry of personal narratives and societal themes through various creative mediums, including musical compositions and audio-visual artworks.
The 2024 Graduate Showcase launched yesterday (Wednesday, May 8) with a keynote address by Fabian Erlinghäuser, an Academy Award-nominated animator and director at Cartoon Saloon, renowned for its acclaimed animated feature films.
Cartoon Saloon has long partnered with TUS Athlone, offering valuable work placements to students and hiring graduates for roles within their esteemed studio.
This year’s overarching theme, “Flux,” was conceptualised by third-year graphic and digital design student Alannah McManamon, winner of the brand design competition for both Athlone and Limerick showcases.
‘Flux’ is intended to symbolise the unpredictable and transformative nature of the creative journey, with dynamic logos, posters, and photography capturing each student’s unique growth and experiences.
Commenting at the launch event, Dean of LSAD and Director of Cultural Engagement at TUS Mike Fitzpatrick said, “The diversity and calibre of work on display this year is truly remarkable, reflecting a range of approaches and media that showcase our students’ exceptional creativity and innovation. Based on the quality of their work, the possibilities are truly endless, and I will watch the trajectory of their careers with great interest in the years ahead.”
Head of the Department of Media and Design Michael O’Dowd added, “Over the last four years, our media and design students have developed in both capability and confidence, showing themselves to be highly creative and adaptable. The graduate showcase is the culmination of that journey and an essential part of preparing our graduates for success in creative industries, both locally and internationally.”
Graduates of TUS Athlone’s creative media and design couses enjoy excellent employment prospects in Ireland and overseas, and are employed in graphic design for both print and screen, advertising agencies, publishing houses, printing, the arts, the film and television industries and in teaching roles in second, PLC and third level courses.
TUS is a QS 5 Star university, having achieved the highest possible number of stars to become one of the top-rated universities in the world; It is Ireland’s first ever university to receive 5 Stars in the Arts and Culture category.
The TUS Athlone Graduate Showcase, located in the campus’s Engineering and Informatics Building, is open to the public until Monday, May 13, from 10 am to 4 pm daily.
For further details, check out @tusmidlandsdesign and @animation_tus_athlone on Instagram.