Staff Spotlight: Jacob Weeks, Head of Campus – Bench Street Arts Campus

From exhibiting work at some of the UK’s most prestigious galleries to inspiring the next generation of creative talent, Jacob Weeks brings a wealth of artistic and educational experience to his role as Head of Campus, at our new Bench Street Arts Campus.

We sat down with Jacob to learn more about his creative journey, his proudest achievements, and his vision for the future of creativity in Dover.

Tell us about your own creative journey:

“I am a practicing artist myself, and I’ve had my work displayed in lots of galleries, locally, nationally and internationally. I have been teaching students for the last 12 years (as of September 2026), and it’s been a real pleasure to see their work grow.

“I suppose I’ve had a passion for art in general for a long, long time. I studied at College and then went on to university, because I enjoyed it so much, and then went further to study a Masters in Fine Art.

“Really, photography has always been my sort of thing. I have a wide range of skills within photography, including quite experimental techniques.

“I’ve had my work displayed in loads of different exhibitions over the years, but recently, I’ve had quite a few, quite notable ones, including the Royal Academy summer exhibition and then the ING Discerning Eye. The London Group Open also selected my work, so it’s been really good to have my work sort of valued and put on the walls around London and some of the most prestigious galleries.” 

How does it feel to inspire our students and see their achievements?

“It’s a really proud moment to see two of my students get selected for the Royal Academy Young Summer Art Exhibition this year. That’s what I try and give my students; it’s all the possible opportunities for them to succeed and to get their work selected. For them to have that work in London is just amazing, and to raise their aspirations and what is actually possible in art and design.” 

What’s been your proudest moment in your arts career?

“I think for me now, my proudest probably moment was taking my daughter to see my work in the Royal Academy exhibition and standing next to her and being able to sort of show her. I think that will be hard to beat now!

“My proudest achievement as an arts teacher has got to be this new role. Being Head of the Campus is an amazing opportunity for myself, but also it’s great that Dover is becoming a creative hub. It’s also wonderful to celebrate the arts and to really sort of give students a place to call their own really, as it is a brand- new building, for them.”

How do you feel as we prepare to welcome students to the new Campus?

“I’m really excited. It’s an amazing building with big open rooms for students to work in and study and really realise their full potential in the creative arts.

“I’m also as excited to invite the students in and for them to see the space and call it their own. It’s a new opportunity for them to study with brand new equipment, brand new facilities for them to really realise their full potential.”

What opportunities are being created by having the new Campus?

“The opportunities have really grown. We started off small with just two rooms in the main campus, and now to have a dedicated campus for art and creativity is going to be amazing.

“There are so many opportunities for the students as well. We’ve worked with a lot of industry partners, including Solleys’ Ice Cream, Kent Crisps and Blaze Signs, but we are always looking for more collaborations. This new campus should give us further opportunities to collaborate with local businesses and organisations, and that is there for the students to gain real world sort of experience within art and design.” 

What do you want students to take away from the Bench Street Arts Campus?

“I want students to come here with a passion for creativity and a drive to succeed.

“It’s a building to celebrate the arts and value the arts. Having an artist in residence is just one example of how the building can work with artists, but also to give them a platform and to also work with students. I think also think working with industry helps raise the profile of the Campus.

“I think the arts has got a lot of stigma still attached that it’s not employable. You may think you’re not going to get a job in the arts, but I’d say it’s a thriving economy with lots of jobs and opportunities. There’s a really thriving art scene here in Dover, but also especially in the local, surrounding towns.”

What does the Bench Street Arts Campus bring to Dover?

“I think the Campus puts Dover on the map of the art scene. There’s more and more local art groups and art galleries opening up all over, so it’s a really, really exciting time for Dover, but also for the students who will be studying here.

“It will give them further opportunities to work with these organisations and galleries and businesses who want to call Dover their home.

“Dover has a huge amount of potential. It has lots more historical sites than most towns and is a place to visit, not just to drive through. We’re surrounded by the White Cliffs of Dover. We’ve got the castle, we’ve got the river running through the Campus, underneath it to the sea, and there’s amazing wildlife. So, yeah, it’s an inspiring place to wander and to explore. It is different and exciting.”

Thank you to Jacob for sharing his story and his excitement about the future of the Bench Street Arts Campus.

Whether you’re interested in art, photography, film or digital media, the Bench Street Arts Campus offers the opportunity to develop your creativity in a purpose-built environment designed for aspiring creatives.

The development of the Bench Street Arts Campus has been funded by the UK Government.

Explore our courses, learn more about the Campus, or visit us at an upcoming Open Day to discover where your creative journey could lead.