"I am a Canadian software engineer in the pension industry, thinking about life after the office as I hit 50. I'm studying painting with the OCA." Read about Martin's learning journey in the post.

"Hi, I'm Sarah Jane, a mid 40's BA Hons Illustration student who works full time as a Chartered Surveyor in Suffolk." Read about Sarah Jane's learning journey in this post.

Happy 2026 everyone! If you would like to start the year with a sustainability-related resolution why not fill in the OCASA Sustainability: Project Audit Form.

For the last three years OCA's Joanne Mulvihill-Allen and Graphic Design PT Dr Emma Powell have organised a series of tutor-led sessions and activities as part of OCASA’s Summer of Sustainability. But in 2026 we are planning something a bit different...

Welcome to OCA's Study Tips in 5 series. In this instalment we bring you five tips to boost productivity and combat procrastination. Boosting your productivity and effectively combating procrastination involves understanding its root causes and implementing targeted strategies to overcome it.

UK Disability History Month (which this year runs from 20 November to 20 December) is an annual event to raise awareness about disabled people’s achievements.

Express your interest in being a Student Representative within OCA Governance. Student voice describes the way in which feedback and dialogue between students and staff at OCA can be captured, shared, and acted upon. We need you!

We’ve All Got the Blues is a travelling exhibition (2025-26) by ten OCA student artists spanning the UK, Sweden and Iceland. Find out about their collaboration here.

We want your help in putting together an Equity, Diversity and Inclusion calendar for 2026. 

OCA Painting student Roger Sidney is aged 66 years working full time as a Project Engineer in Santiago, Chile. "Level 3 has given me the confidence and opportunity to work independently finding my way with intelligent support from my tutors and peers."

I am Sarah and artist and full time reader development librarian. I would describe myself as a curious artist using my art to connect with the world and a way to tell personal stories . I am dyslexic so drawing is a way for me to communicate. My practice is concerned with recording my life sometimes through memories and often with place and nature.

Welcome to OCA's Study Tips in 5 series. In this instalment we bring you five tips to help for proofreading. Proofreading assignments can be challenging, but with the right strategies you can effectively find and correct errors.

OCA Creative Arts student Brindusa Burrows is exhibiting (H)Être - a body of worked conceived in dialogue with a 268-year old beech that was felled a year ago in her mountain village in alpine Switzerland.

OCA Students Teresa and Paul have been collaborating and would love to hear what you think!

Hi, I'm Justin, mid 30's and I work part time as a TA in school. I'm from England and have been living in Spain with my wife and daughter for the last 7 years.

We are a group of 102 students, residing all over Europe and spanning different disciplines. Although united by a common passion for the arts, we see our cultural and artistic diversity as one of our key strengths. There is a core group that facilitates the group’s activities.

Eleanora Alis and John are both students at the Open College of Arts. Despite never having met in person, they are now collaborating on their fourth project together.

What OCA brought was an intellectual and imaginative framework to help me develop my thinking and push the boundaries of my (at the time) early emerging practice. As a full-time worker the flexibility and approach to study of OCA was an ideal way to structure this learning and to come into contact with like-minded students and great tutors.

We have been collaborating on a project entitled Everydays since 28 Feb 2024, when we decided to take a photo every day (of anything at all!), and use it as a way of sustaining and growing our practice as well as flexing our artistic muscle daily.

"Although I worked as an engineer and then psychologist, I have always done something creative." Read about OCA Fine Art student Jenny's learning journey.