"We have a really strong visual arts programme at Wellington which starts in Early Years and continues through to the IB Diploma Programme with specialist art teachers at every stage of the journey from Year 1 onwards," shares Michael Larsen-Disney, Director of Arts at Wellington. "Through the hard work of our Art department and our external partnerships, including with Oogie Art, we ensure that those pupils who are intending to pursue visual arts at university have every opportunity to create a portfolio that is the most impactful it can be."

At the event, Jeff Yin, Director of Oogie Art China, deep dived four portfolio case studies which supported students to receive offers from prestigious art colleges such as the Rhode Island School of Design, School of Visual Arts in New York, Parsons School of Design, and the University Arts London amongst others. 

Jeff explained that for art school applications, the portfolio of work can comprise up to 90% of the offer decision.

He also shared with parents and pupils Oogie's proprietary POET framework for portfolio preparation:

• Process: thinking, problem solving

• Originality: creative, personal

• Exploration: variety of media

• Technique: art making skill

Wellington Shanghai is well-established as a leader of the arts in China, led by Director of Arts Michael Larsen-Disney and Head of the Art Department Kelly Edwards, and supported by a team of specialist teachers and art technicians who enrich the programme with both practical industry experience and decades of teaching at the highest level.

At the event, Kelly Edwards explained our comprehensive pathway:

• Our Arts curriculum nurtures inspiration, creativity, self expression and technical skill from Year 1 through the IB. 

• Our enrichment programme, encompassing Co-curricular activities, competitions, exhibition opportunities, and summer programmes, fosters each pupil's artistic vision

• Our Fellows and Scholars programme amplifies impact through unique mentoring opportunities from industry specialists (such as Oogie Art)

   

Wellington parents and pupils were also fortunate to hear from Ian Murphy, a highly successful UK-based artist, who was visiting the campus last week to work with our Secondary School arts pupils. He shared how impressed he was with the level of creativity and curiosity our pupils brought to the studio. He looks forward to the seeing the pieces created as part of the collaboration on display around school in the near future.

"It was a great chance for our community to hear from someone who has made a highly successful career from the arts," Kelly Edwards shared. "Opportunities like these challenge pupils to grow artistically in totally new ways which is most critical as they embark on their GCSE and IB portfolio work."

Year 11 Arts Fellow Summer L. shared her artistic journey at Wellington, detailing the key support that the programme has provided her since she joined the school in 2016.

Finally Josh Beard, Director of Higher Education & Careers at Wellington, shared four case studies of Wellington pupils who successfully combined academic and artistic achievement to secure offers from top Arts Colleges in the US and the UK.

He continued, "Powered by the new creator economy, the arts are booming around the world. Far from being an impoverished pursuit of idealism, the arts represent a growing slice of global business. Getting your artwork out to the world has never been easier and the tools to produce great work have never been more widely available. But it is the passion, discipline and vision which truly powers a career in the arts and that's exactly what we nurture at Wellington."

Interested to take your art practice to the next level? Our Admissions Team will be happy to facilitate a consultation with our Senior Art Faculty. 

To learn more, please contact admissions: