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“You do not always have to know what you’re doing; you just need to be curious”: Leeds School of Arts welcomes three inaugural Luminaries
From film premieres at Tribeca Festival with a personal selection by Whoopi Goldberg, to working on a FIFA World Cup campaign for Nike, and a nomination for the RIBA President’s Bronze Medal, three Leeds School of Arts alumni are being recognised for their outstanding contributions to the creative industries as the school launches its inaugural Luminaries initiative.
Luminaries Nicholas, Bo and Lesley
Leeds School of Arts at Leeds Beckett University has launched a new initiative, Luminaries, which recognises the outstanding contributions graduates are making across the creative and cultural industries.
The launch celebrated the first three Luminaries, celebrated Architect, Bo Muchemwa, designer to global brands, Nicholas Blowey and award-winning film director, Lesley Posso. The graduates were officially welcomed at a celebratory evening with special guests where they shared insights into their career successes in a Q&A, offered advice for future graduates entering the creative industries, and reflected on how Leeds School of Arts was the place it all began for them.
One key message was the importance of being ‘curious’ and ‘collaborative’ when working in and nurturing others across the creative sector.
Lesley Posso emphasised that “collaboration is key, in particular creating communities and being part of communities”. She encouraged students to “reach out to people who inspire you” and to find a mentor, adding “one message could change the course of your career”.
Bo Muchemwa echoed this, saying “collaboration is hugely rewarding and important for sustaining a career in the creative industries” and that he is currently collaborating with people he met during his time in Leeds School of Arts.
Nicholas Blowey highlighted the importance of creating a space where students can engage with industry, saying it is the “unlock”. He reflected on how fortunate he was to have had these opportunities during his own time at Leeds School of Arts.
Bo reflected, saying “It is a challenging time to be a creative student. It requires a lot of commitment and self-belief. My advice is to stay curious and encourage others. What makes a creative career interesting is having a unique voice and the drive to express it.”
The permanent installation within the Leeds School of Arts building features displays of their work, including some words of wisdom to current students.
Oliver Bray, Dean of the Leeds School of Arts, says: “Luminaries celebrates the extraordinary impact our graduates are having in the world and recognises the many ways that creative talent can flourish.
“Listening to Bo, Nicholas and Lesley, a common thread emerged: you do not always have to know exactly where you are going, or what you are doing, but you do need to remain curious, open to collaboration and willing to seize opportunities when they arise.
“Their achievements show the power of creative education not simply to develop skills, but to build confidence, foster community and enable people to make meaningful contributions to culture, society and the creative economy.
“We are incredibly proud that their journeys began here at Leeds School of Arts.”
Celebrating the people behind the creative success
The first three Luminaries showcase three of seven subject areas within the Leeds School of Arts, highlighting the breadth of creative careers the school produces:
Bo Muchemwa, BA Architecture, 2010
Bo is a UK-registered architect and co-founding director of McCloy + Muchemwa. The practice was selected for the Architects’ Journal 40 Under 40 in 2020, profiled in Wallpaper*’s Next Generation series, and featured in the Architecture Foundation’s New Architects 4 in 2021. Bo and fellow director Steve McCloy were named RIBA Journal Rising Stars in 2022. His work has been exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition. He received the RIBA Yorkshire Bronze Medal on graduating in 2010 and was also nominated for the RIBA President’s Bronze Medal. He teaches at the University of Westminster and The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL.
Nicholas Blowey, BA Graphic Design, 2022
Nicholas is a London-based interdisciplinary designer specialising in branding, motion design and 3D graphics, with experience working with global brands including Nike. At Accept & Proceed, he combines craft and resilience to create design that helps shape better futures.
Lesley Posso, BA Filmmaking, 2018
Lesley is a film editor working across fiction, documentary and animation, whose accolades include the Avid Award for Excellence in Editing and the RTS Craft Editing Award. Her work has screened at festivals worldwide, earning recognition from major awards including the BAFTAs, BIFAs, IRIS Prize, RTS and Grierson Awards, while her short film Ovary-Acting recently premiered at Tribeca Festival following a personal selection by Whoopi Goldberg.
Celebrating Leeds' creative community
The launch brought together members of the Leeds School of Arts community alongside the wider Leeds community, including the Lord Mayor of Leeds, Councillor Stephen Holoyd, showcasing strong connections between the school, its graduates and the wider creative and cultural sector.
“The creative industries are an essential part of what makes Leeds such a vibrant and dynamic city. It is wonderful to see Leeds School of Arts recognising graduates whose talent, hard work and creativity are having an impact both nationally and internationally.
“Their achievements show what can be accomplished through curiosity, collaboration and determination, and I hope their stories inspire the next generation of creative talent here in Leeds.”
Following the launch, the initiative will continue with additional alumni profiles.
The launch celebrated the first three Luminaries, celebrated Architect, Bo Muchemwa, designer to global brands, Nicholas Blowey and award-winning film director, Lesley Posso. The graduates were officially welcomed at a celebratory evening with special guests where they shared insights into their career successes in a Q&A, offered advice for future graduates entering the creative industries, and reflected on how Leeds School of Arts was the place it all began for them.
One key message was the importance of being ‘curious’ and ‘collaborative’ when working in and nurturing others across the creative sector.
Lesley Posso emphasised that “collaboration is key, in particular creating communities and being part of communities”. She encouraged students to “reach out to people who inspire you” and to find a mentor, adding “one message could change the course of your career”.
Bo Muchemwa echoed this, saying “collaboration is hugely rewarding and important for sustaining a career in the creative industries” and that he is currently collaborating with people he met during his time in Leeds School of Arts.
Nicholas Blowey highlighted the importance of creating a space where students can engage with industry, saying it is the “unlock”. He reflected on how fortunate he was to have had these opportunities during his own time at Leeds School of Arts.
Bo reflected, saying “It is a challenging time to be a creative student. It requires a lot of commitment and self-belief. My advice is to stay curious and encourage others. What makes a creative career interesting is having a unique voice and the drive to express it.”
The permanent installation within the Leeds School of Arts building features displays of their work, including some words of wisdom to current students.
Oliver Bray, Dean of the Leeds School of Arts, says: “Luminaries celebrates the extraordinary impact our graduates are having in the world and recognises the many ways that creative talent can flourish.
“Listening to Bo, Nicholas and Lesley, a common thread emerged: you do not always have to know exactly where you are going, or what you are doing, but you do need to remain curious, open to collaboration and willing to seize opportunities when they arise.
“Their achievements show the power of creative education not simply to develop skills, but to build confidence, foster community and enable people to make meaningful contributions to culture, society and the creative economy.
“We are incredibly proud that their journeys began here at Leeds School of Arts.”
Celebrating the people behind the creative success
The first three Luminaries showcase three of seven subject areas within the Leeds School of Arts, highlighting the breadth of creative careers the school produces:
Bo Muchemwa, BA Architecture, 2010
Bo is a UK-registered architect and co-founding director of McCloy + Muchemwa. The practice was selected for the Architects’ Journal 40 Under 40 in 2020, profiled in Wallpaper*’s Next Generation series, and featured in the Architecture Foundation’s New Architects 4 in 2021. Bo and fellow director Steve McCloy were named RIBA Journal Rising Stars in 2022. His work has been exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition. He received the RIBA Yorkshire Bronze Medal on graduating in 2010 and was also nominated for the RIBA President’s Bronze Medal. He teaches at the University of Westminster and The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL.
Nicholas Blowey, BA Graphic Design, 2022
Nicholas is a London-based interdisciplinary designer specialising in branding, motion design and 3D graphics, with experience working with global brands including Nike. At Accept & Proceed, he combines craft and resilience to create design that helps shape better futures.
Lesley Posso, BA Filmmaking, 2018
Lesley is a film editor working across fiction, documentary and animation, whose accolades include the Avid Award for Excellence in Editing and the RTS Craft Editing Award. Her work has screened at festivals worldwide, earning recognition from major awards including the BAFTAs, BIFAs, IRIS Prize, RTS and Grierson Awards, while her short film Ovary-Acting recently premiered at Tribeca Festival following a personal selection by Whoopi Goldberg.
Celebrating Leeds' creative community
The launch brought together members of the Leeds School of Arts community alongside the wider Leeds community, including the Lord Mayor of Leeds, Councillor Stephen Holoyd, showcasing strong connections between the school, its graduates and the wider creative and cultural sector.
“The creative industries are an essential part of what makes Leeds such a vibrant and dynamic city. It is wonderful to see Leeds School of Arts recognising graduates whose talent, hard work and creativity are having an impact both nationally and internationally.
“Their achievements show what can be accomplished through curiosity, collaboration and determination, and I hope their stories inspire the next generation of creative talent here in Leeds.”
Following the launch, the initiative will continue with additional alumni profiles.
