Celebrating the Next Generation of Creatives
DOT DOT DOT... Graduate Festival 2026
Welcome to the School of Arts & Creative Industries DOT DOT DOT Graduate Festival 2026, our annual celebration of emerging talent. This festival brings together industry professionals, students, families, schools, and our wider community to experience the work, ambition, and imagination of our graduating cohort.
Across film, theatre, music, games, animation, digital media, visual arts and design, over 20 subject areas come together to showcase bold ideas, innovative practice, and the creative thinking that shapes our future industries.
What’s on: DOT DOT DOT…Graduate Festival Calendar
A warm welcome awaits you at each of the events below.
18 April
Coventry Phoenix Film Festival
Location : Square One
Kicking off the 2026 Festival this independent event showcases curated films, documentaries, and animations from regional and international filmmakers. Featuring industry talks, Q&As, and an awards ceremony, it offers our students exposure and experience within a wider professional filmmaking community.
20 April - 7 May
Encore Performance Festival
A vibrant mix of theatre and music performances, produced, performed, and managed entirely by our students.
27 April - 8 May
Open 10am - 3:00pm each day
Public workshops take place on 6 and 8 May and are free to attend, with booking required. Exhibitions and selected experiences are open to visitors throughout the festival.
Creative Tech Fest
Location : The Bugatti Trust Hyperstudio, Delia Derbyshire Building, Coventry University, Cox St, Coventry CV1 5PH
Creative Tech Fest is a two week celebration of creativity, technology, animation, games, immersive media, and digital storytelling. The festival features student exhibitions, an artists’ alley, industry guests, hands on workshops, mixed reality and VR experiences, and showcases of curated industry work.
Read more19-20 May
Groups and Offer Holder Days
Two dedicated days for schools, colleges and offer-holders to explore over 20 creative subject areas, meet students, and experience the breadth of disciplines within the festival. (19 May - Schools Day; 20 May - Offer-Holders Day)
Email us for more information
Special Events
Industry Private View
14 May
This eagerly anticipated evening brings together employers, creative organisations, and industry partners for networking and a first look at our graduates’ work in the award-winning Delia Derbyshire Building.
This year, we are also proud to host the RIBA West Midlands Building of the Year 2026 awards during the evening.
Time: 5pm – 9pm
Location: Delia Derbyshire building, Coventry, CV1 1PH
Public Exhibition
15 - 21 May
Our Graduate Festival is open to the public, presenting an exciting range of 2D, 3D, and digital work. Students have been developing projects that push boundaries and respond to real-world themes. This is where you’ll see the next generation of makers, designers, and practitioners.
Public Access: No booking required during opening hours.
Time: 10am – 3pm Mon-Fri (Closed at weekends)
Location: Delia Derbyshire building, Coventry, CV1 1PH
Friends and Family Evening
21 May
We invite friends and family to a relaxed celebration of our students' hard work. Explore the exhibition, discover the stories behind the projects, and share in the pride of their creative achievements.
No booking required, drop in at your own pace and enjoy the atmosphere.
Time: 6pm – 8pm
Location: Delia Derbyshire building, Coventry, CV1 1PHFashion Show
21 May
This year, alongside our graduating cohort, we’re proud to mark 20 years of Fashion at Coventry University. Throughout the festival, we’ll be reflecting on two decades of creativity and innovation, celebrating the course’s achievements while looking ahead to the future of fashion.
An exhibition in the Delia Derbyshire Gallery will showcase this journey, running alongside the DOT DOT DOT exhibition.
The festival will conclude on 21 May with a grand finale catwalk show, featuring the work of this year’s Fashion and Fashion Brand Communication graduates. Starting at 19:45 in the Delia Derbyshire atrium, the runway will unfold across campus, a fitting finale to close DOT DOT DOT…2026
Keep an eye on @covuni_saci for more details.
Where Our Graduates Go Next
Our graduates go on to build exciting careers across the creative industries, from running their own studios and developing independent practice to working on public projects and collaborations.
We asked some of our alumni to reflect on their journeys since leaving Coventry, sharing what they’ve learned, the opportunities they’ve taken up, and the advice they’d give to those starting out.
Read their stories
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Sam Williams: 5 Things I’ve Learned Since...
Sam Williams has spent more than ten years shaping the public realm as an artist, curator, producer, and public art specialist.
4 min read
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Bengusu Yesiloglu: On Your Way with Your Own Light
Master of Architecture graduate Bengusu has spent the years since studying navigating the twists and turns of creative work. Now, drawing on her own...
4 min read
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Advice from Notes to Strangers creator Andy Leek
Andy Leek, creator of “notes to strangers” 6000 notes and counting pasted on streets of over 40 cities across the world, offers some advice for things he has...
4 min read
Explore the legacy of the DOT DOT DOT ... Graduate Festival
2025 Graduate Showcase
RIBA West Midlands Awards 2026
We are proud to host the RIBA West Midlands Awards 2026 in the Derbyshire Building, RIBA West Midlands Building of the Year 2025, as part of this year’s Industry Night. The event celebrates outstanding architecture across the region, recognising projects that champion design quality, innovation and sustainability while making a positive impact on communities. The Delia Derbyshire Building is a dynamic creative hub for the College of Arts and Society. Inspired by Coventry-born electronic music pioneer Delia Derbyshire, the building reflects a spirit of collaboration and innovation at the heart of our campus.
Find out more about the Delia Derbyshire building