Roger Waters and Nick Mason of Pink Floyd, who studied at the University of Westminster’s Predecessor, the Regent Street Polytechnic, have been recognised as one of the UK’s greatest creative hits in Universities UK’s Creative Sparks campaign.
Mason and Waters of Pink Floyd have been nominated of one of more than 100 ‘Creative Sparks’ from UK universities alongside BAFTA-winning film writers, award-winning children’s authors, and comedians. The pair are being honoured to showcase the importance of the creative industries and to celebrate the immense contribution of UK universities to the sector.
Nick Mason and Roger Waters are the founding band members of the iconic rock group Pink Floyd, who studied Architecture at the Regent Street Polytechnic between 1962 and 1965 and formed the band whilst studying. Originally called Sigma 6, the band first performed in the common room and at student parties.
The nomination comes as new research conducted by Savanta ComRes for Universities UK shows that UK parents are strongly in favour of university creative courses, with more than two thirds (69%) saying that creative courses are vital for powering the UK’s creative industries and nearly two thirds (65%) saying that they benefit the UK economy.
However, there are fears that this contribution could now be under threat, with two thirds (67%) of UK parents acknowledging that creative industries have suffered greatly as a result of the pandemic.
In response, UUK have launched the Creative Sparks #MadeAtUni campaign to showcase the creativity found at UK universities like the University of Westminster and to encourage the government to promote and support the importance of creativity and creative courses.
Professor Janet Jones, Head of the College of Design, Creative and Digital Industries, said: “We are very proud that Nick Mason and Roger Waters of Pink Floyd have been recognised as part of this campaign. They are just one example of how our University has been supporting the talent pipeline for the creative industries. The Westminster School of Arts continues to provide the highest calibre graduates helping to produce the much-needed talent, innovation, and skills required for the UK’s creative industries today.”
Talking about the campaign, Alistair Jarvis CBE, Chief Executive at Universities UK, said: “Universities are places where creative ideas flourish, where innovation happens, and where businesses employing thousands of people are started. They’re where the nation’s creative sparks are ignited.”
Other Creative Sparks include comedian and actor Greg Davies, actress Ruth Wilson and Peaky Blinders writer and creator Steven Knight.
Find out more about the Creative Sparks campaign on the Universities UK Made at Uni website.
