One previous student of University College Isle of Man is being celebrated for her outstanding achievements.

Alumni Bethany Williams completed the art foundation diploma before she progressed to study Critical Fine Art Practice at University.

Bethany also completed a masters degree in menswear at the renowned London College of Fashion.

Since her education on and off island, Bethany has gone on to build a globally respected creative practice which has earned her major industry recognition.

She is a sustainable fashion designer, artist and humanitarian.

Past projects include exhibitions at the Design Museum in London, Selfridges window artwork on Oxford Street, Adidas seating sculptures and much more.

The former St Ninian’s student’s accolades include the Vogue Fashion Fund Prize and the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design, alongside being recognised by the LVMH Prize and the Woolmark Prize.

The 36 year old has also been featured in Vogue, where she collaborated with sustainability editor Emily Chan on a personal piece exploring creativity, recovery, and wellbeing.

Looking back on her time at UCM, Bethany credits the art foundation year as a pivotal turning point in her life, which she described as ‘transformative’.

Bethany said: ‘If I’m being honest, it was my favourite year of my life. It was so nice to find people who were interested in the same things - it was like finding your people.’

The course encourages exploration across a wide range of disciplines including fine art, fashion, textiles, 3D design, film, sound, and photography.

She added: ‘A lot of people come in with an idea of what they think they’ll do, but you actually leave doing something totally different.

‘It gives you the time to explore and develop your portfolio. I always say it’s so good to do the Art Foundation - it helps you make the right decision when you go to university.’

Her international success highlights the strength of that creative foundation, with her work continuing to push boundaries by combining design with social impact.

Following a period of illness, Bethany returned to the Isle of Man to recover, reconnecting with her creative practice.

This experience has informed her recent work, including collaborations with Bethlem Gallery at Bethlem Royal Hospital, where she developed research-driven projects exploring mental health and recovery.

This body of work will return to the island in 2027.

Bethany’s journey showcases how creative talent nurtured at UCM can lead to global recognition — from award-winning work to features in one of the world’s most influential fashion publications.

Applications for the Art Foundation course starting this September are now open.

- Are you a local artist, author, or musician? Do you have an exciting event coming up? We want to hear from you!

Island Life in the Manx Independent is the perfect place to showcase creativity and cultural events across the Isle of Man.

Email [email protected] with details and a photo for a chance to be featured. Whether it’s a new book, an album release, or an upcoming performance, let us help spread the word!