01/10/2026
🎓 "As an alumna, I know how important and life-changing it is to be here" Orla Kiely OBE 🎓
Two incredible leaders in art and design, and graduates of the Royal College of Art, joined us at convocation yesterday at Royal Festival Hall on London's South Bank to be awarded Honorary Doctorates: acclaimed artist Hurvin Anderson RA and iconic print designer Orla Kiely OBE!
The prestigious distinctions were conferred by Sir Peter Bazalgette, Pro-Chancellor and Chair of Council at the RCA. Honorary Doctorates represent the highest recognition the College can bestow upon an individual, celebrating exceptional accomplishments, profound cultural impact, and sustained excellence in creative fields. Both 2026 recipients are distinguished RCA alumni whose work has significantly shaped global visual culture.
Hurvin Anderson RA, who graduated in MA Painting at the RCA in 1998, is renowned for his evocative, layered paintings that explore identity, memory, and the Caribbean diaspora. Recently the subject of a major survey exhibition at Tate Britain, Anderson's work is held in major international public collections including the Tate, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, and the Arts Council Collection.
Orla Kiely OBE, who graduated in MA Textiles at the RCA in 1992, is internationally celebrated for her instantly recognisable mid-century inspired graphic patterns. Kiely built a global design brand spanning fashion, accessories, homeware, and textiles, making her one of the most commercially and creatively successful textile designers of her generation. Since 2015 she has also supported the Orla Kiely Scholarship at the RCA providing full fee funding every year for one MA Textiles student at the Royal College of Art.
Congratulations to all our amazing graduands this year and to our incredible honorands too 👏 👏
Tune into the rest of our convocation ceremonies in our livestreams today ⬇️
https://lnkd.in/edwsms-v
