Inspiring Art Torch Lecture

Art students were privileged to hear OO James Hunt share his vast experience and passion for the arts in their recent Torch Lecture.

James is a former Director of Sky Arts, an ex-Controller at ITV and a Royal Television Society and Broadcast award-winning programme maker. He gave an inspirational talk, entitled ‘What is the point of art?’ sharing insights into his career to date, encouraging the students to consider how they might develop their own creative lives and careers.

After schooling at Oakham in the Seventies and with a degree in Fine Art, James started his career in journalism before becoming Editor and then Executive Producer of ITV ‘s This Morning show. He created the long-running Loose Women franchise for ITV and a number of other successful TV formats. James was Director of Sky Arts for six years, where he increased audience ratings ten-fold and commissioned ground-breaking, landmark shows including the long-running, award-winning, Portrait Artist of the Year. Recently, James won a Broadcast Award for his documentary featuring The Paraorchestra of Great Britain and has worked on VR projects for the Royal Academy with David Hockney and Sir Antony Gormley. James is now Executive Chairman of the award-winning Nevill Holt Festival, held at the home of former Uppinghamian David Ross, who owns the greatest private collection of post-war and contemporary British Art in the country.