Reviving Linenopolis: Heritage Threads as a Catalyst for Contemporary Textile Art, Design, and Fashion Pedagogy Enhancing Student Engagement

This project commemorates 175 years of the Belfast School of Art and its connection to the city’s rich textile heritage. Centred on a family textile collection, a trove of linen, cotton, lace, embroidery, costume, and woven artefacts donated to Ulster University, the initiative engaged students across all levels of the BA (Hons) Textile Art, Design, and Fashion (TADF) course. Supported by academic and technical staff, students explored the intersection of historical and practical textile practices.



The project integrated experiential learning, interdisciplinary collaboration, and public exhibition. A series of material- and technique-focused workshops, complemented by historical lectures, encouraged students to engage deeply with heritage materials while fostering creativity and critical thinking. The one-week project, grounded in experiential learning theory, culminated in a public exhibition and fashion show promoting skill-sharing, peer collaboration, and professional development. Students produced a cohesive body of work that surpassed expectations, fostering a stronger sense of belonging and community within the course.



Preliminary findings suggest this intensive learning experience enhanced student engagement, cross-disciplinary understanding, and motivation, bridging academic inquiry and creative practice. The project demonstrated the transformative potential of combining historical research with hands-on exploration by sparking student engagement and fostering collaboration across disciplines. This presentation highlights how compressed and interdisciplinary initiatives can address challenges like modular fragmentation and declining engagement in fashion and textile education, offering a replicable model for promoting collaboration and innovation in response to evolving frameworks in art and design education.