UWTSD students gain practical insight into sustainable screen design
Students from the University of Wales Trinity Saint David’s (UWTSD) BA Set Design & Production course welcomed sustainability specialist Tilly Ashton to Yr Egin on the Carmarthen Campus for an industry-focused talk on embedding sustainable practices within film, television and theatre design.
Tilly Ashton, Sustainability Manager at Severn Screen, delivered a session exploring how designers can integrate environmentally responsible approaches into creative workflows. The talk reinforced principles taught through the BAFTA Albert sustainability course, enabling students to connect theory with real-world application.
As part of the visit, Ashton donated surplus production materials – including lighting gels and prop “smash glass” – which will be reused in upcoming student productions. The initiative supports circular economy principles by extending the life of materials that might otherwise be discarded.
Tilly Ashton said:
“One aspect of my role at Severn Screen that I value most is being able to share spare resources from film and TV productions with schools, colleges and community groups across South Wales. By diverting resources from their traditional route to the bin or skip, we can keep them in use for longer and build a mindset of reuse.
“It was a pleasure to run a workshop with such an intelligent, creative and inquisitive group of students at the inspiring learning environment of Yr Egin. I left feeling optimistic, reminded that positive change happens through taking action.”
The session highlighted collaborative work taking place across Wales to support sustainable production practices, including partnerships with Media Cymru through its Greening the Screen fund, as well as industry partners contributing to circular sharing systems for screen and stage sectors.
UWTSD Set Design & Production Lecturer David Atkinson said:
“Sustainability is at the heart of the design methods we teach at UWTSD. The ability to design consciously through practical problem-solving is integral to contemporary creative practice. Understanding when and how materials can be reused or recycled is embedded into our students’ critical thinking process.
Hosting Tilly’s talk reinforces this mindset, strengthens engagement with industry and enables the repurposing of materials that would otherwise go to waste. This supports the Theatre Green Book and Albert sustainable practices taught within our Carmarthen programmes.”
Further Information
Lowri Thomas
Principal Communications and PR Officer
Corporate Communications and PR
Email: lowri.thomas@uwtsd.ac.uk
Phone: 07449 998476