Performance – WEST | Alumni Blog

UWS Graduate Supports Independent Cinema in Scotland with Film Premiere

20May

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Alumni Stories, Featured

UWS Graduate Supports Independent Cinema in Scotland with Film Premiere

A University of the West of Scotland (UWS) graduate is set to screen his new Scottish indie drama, The Thistle in the Kiss, at the Aberdeen Art Gallery 30th May as part of the effort to revitalise independent cinema in the Northeast of Scotland. Craig Andrew Robertson, who graduated from the MA Filmmaking programme at UWS in 2019, co-wrote and produced the coming-of-age drama with fellow classmates. “What makes this project particularly special to me is that it was a real showcase of UWS talent,” commented Craig. “Several members of our crew, including my co-writer C.J. Lazaretti, my producer Reece Steel and my script supervisor Daniel Archibald, are also graduates from the same class, making this a true collaboration born out of the university’s creative community.” The Thist...

29Apr

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Featured, Profiles

Alumni Interview: Amanda Hursy

In this alumni interview we speak to comedian and writer Amanda Hursy, whose sharp observations have helped her build a growing reputation on the comedy circuit. Amanda graduated from the BA (Hons) Psychology and Sociology degree at UWS. Photo: Amanda Hursy, BA (Hons) Psychology and Sociology (2009) Can you tell us a bit about what you’re doing now? I am working up material for my new stand up hour called ‘Death of a Saleswoman’ that will be on at the Gilded Balloon Patter House this Edinburgh Fringe. It's a new show about masking in the corporate sales world for over 20 years and accidentally becoming a comedian. I am also building up my own business which is launching this year and have already been booked for huge civic events such as the Commonwealth games - so it's an exci...

Exchange Programme That Helped Launch 1,000 Music Careers Turns 30

24Mar

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News

Exchange Programme That Helped Launch 1,000 Music Careers Turns 30

A University of the West of Scotland-led international music exchange programme that has helped launch the careers of more than 1,000 young people is celebrating its 30th anniversary this month. EuroGig, which began in the 1996–97 academic year as an exchange between Scotland and Germany, has expanded into a five-partner European network involving organisations in France, Italy and Belgium. Since 2001, the programme has given student performers, tour managers and technical support teams the chance to work on live music events at home and abroad, helping them build international experience while gaining practical insight into the industry. Former EuroGig event managers have gone on to work for major organisations and events including TRNSMT, Glastonbury, DF Concerts and others ...

2Dec

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News

UWS Giving Day 2025

On the 27th and 28th November 2025, we held our annual UWS Giving Day, and we are delighted to share the results. Over the two days, 47 generous donors came together to raise £3,073 and thanks to the kindness of a match funding donor, every gift made during giving day was doubled which brings our grand total to £6,146! This incredible support will go towards two vital funds that make a real difference in the lives of UWS students. The Hardship Fund provides emergency financial assistance to students facing unexpected challenges such as housing insecurity, delays in funding or lack of essentials. It ensures that students can stay in education and focus on their future, even during times of crisis. The Development Fund empowers students to lead innovative projects, access indu...

UWS Alumna in Young Women’s Movement’s 30 Under 30 List

12Nov

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Alumni Stories

UWS Alumna in Young Women’s Movement’s 30 Under 30 List

A University of the West of Scotland (UWS) graduate has been named on the Young Women’s Movement’s 30 Under 30 – a list of young women and girls in Scotland who are leading change and excelling in their fields. Lucy Beth, who graduated from UWS in 2020 with a BA (Hons) degree in Performance is an award-winning performer, theatre-maker, and drama lecturer from Inverurie, Aberdeenshire. A native Doric speaker (the traditional dialect of the Scots Language spoken in the North East of Scotland), Lucy seeks to make and perform work in Doric as a means of continuing to render the dialect present. Her show Ma Name Is Isabelle won an Edinburgh Fringe Theatre Award and received 5-star reviews from Broadway Baby & Binge Fringe Magazine, alongside four-star reviews in T...

How Studying for a PhD Can benefit Your Future and Career

4Feb

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Alumni Stories

How Studying for a PhD Can benefit Your Future and Career

Considering PhD study? UWS graduate, Kennagh Spowart, shares her experience on how studying for a PhD can benefit your future and career. Author: Kennagh Spowart BA (Hons) Performance 2018 and current PhD Performance student at University of the West of Scotland (UWS). There are many reasons an individual may wish to undergo PhD study: their passion for research, their desire to become an expert within their field or simply the drive for a challenge, to name a few. But of course, a PhD journey is certainly no easy feat and those considering taking on this level of study should think about how it will benefit their future and careers. So, grab yourself a cup of tea, prop your feet up and let’s discuss where your PhD can take you! https://www.youtube.com/shorts/N8yqsPu...

Solo Debut for Graduate at the Glasgow International Comedy Festival

22Feb

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Alumni Stories, News

Solo Debut for Graduate at the Glasgow International Comedy Festival

A University of the West of Scotland performance graduate will be making her solo debut at the Glasgow International Comedy Festival in March 2024. Scottish actor, video creator and stand-up comedian Sophie Rose McCabe graduated in 2011 from UWS Ayr Campus with a BA (Hons) in Performance. Mother Bored (WIP) is a new work-in-progress featuring characters, stand-up, stories and sketches inspired by Sophie’s wild past and chaotic present as a single mum. Sophie’s viral social media skits as ‘Edinburgh Morningside Mum’ (with ‘West End Mum’, Zara Gladman) were praised in The Herald, Scotsman, Edinburgh Live. With credits including BBC (Short Stuff, The Social), Channel 4, The Comedy Unit and professional theatre, Sophie recently caught attention on the Scottish stand-up circuit and on Sco...