Edinburgh College of Art is transformed into the city’s biggest gallery space as it celebrates the work of more than 550 graduating students.
Opening today, the ECA Graduate Show 2025 offers final year students the opportunity to showcase their work to the public, exploring a range of thought-provoking ideas and cutting-edge techniques.
The spectrum of creative disciplines on offer across ECA is on display in what promises to be an inspiring and varied showcase.
The show includes painting and drawing, sculpture and installation, architectural planning and modelling, animation and digital visualisation, musical composition and performance, film, photography, textiles, jewellery and interior design.
A screening of Animation and Film & TV students’ work and a gig from graduates in Music will also feature throughout the run of the Show, which runs from Friday 30 May until Friday 6 June.
In Graphic Design, Katie Marsden has used LEGO to create a tool to help people with Down’s Syndrome navigate consent. Working with academics who improve sex education for people with learning difficulties, the colourful bricks are used to encourage positive, independent decision-making.
Traditional tattoos and 19th century photography provide some of the inspiration for Painting student Amy Mclean’s final showcase. Five delicate oil paintings with subtle brushstrokes reflect on shrinking attention spans and how we construct meaning in a world of constant visual input.
Among the work on show, Sculpture student Maria McStay has created large, spindly, other-worldly ceramics, inspired by artist Louise Bourgeois’ spiders and the coastal landscapes she grew up in.
Our Graduate Show celebrates the incredible creative talent and ingenuity of our graduating students. Visitors can expect to encounter work that is not only visually striking but also intellectually stimulating and innovative. We have a strong history of helping to shape some of the most notable creative talents in the UK and internationally, and this year is no exception.
The lesser-seen, unclean side of life is exposed in Intermedia student Marni Saunders’ uncanny wall-mounted work, featuring dirty dishes in basins and washing machine drums overflowing with sheets.
In Jewellery and Silversmithing, Rosina Percorelli has created sculptural pieces inspired by brutalist buildings and decaying pylons.
Master of Architecture student Ellie Wilkes’ design focuses on data centres, re-imagining the thermal and mechanical systems used in response to rapidly growing AI technologies.
Music student Laura Hamilton’s work was also inspired by AI, exploring the ethical implications of its use in music therapy. Inspired by leading Edinburgh academic Professor Shannon Vallor, Laura wants to ensure technology enhances, rather than compromises, the human-centred therapy.
The ECA Graduate Show 2025 runs from Friday 30 May - Friday 6 June, 10.00am - 5.00pm, with late opening until 8.00pm on Thursday 5 June.
It is open to all and free to attend. Booking via Eventbrite is encouraged, though not essential.
