You asked, we did!

Many of you have taken the time to share your thoughts over the past year and we've been listening, both from the arts shop surveys and ArtsSU surveys. We always want to improve your experience in our shops.

In last year's arts shop survey, 90% of you agreed that having an arts shop on site improved the student experience, which is why your feedback is invaluable and why your voice should shape the future of our offer.

Here's a look at what you asked for, and what we've done in response: 

You asked for: Better value for money

In the arts shop survey 2024/25, the arts shop stores were rated 5.96 out of 10 for value for money. 

So we did: A price comparison audit, price matching and price freezing

Our retail team carried out their annual price comparison with key high street competitors, including Cass Art, Cowling & Wilkcox, London Graphic Centre, Atlantis, Jacksons, John Lewis and MacCulloch & Wallis.

We found that we were cheaper on 45% of items by an average of 19%. We wanted to make it better by:

1. Price matching – From Autumn 2025, we are price-matching key items that were higher in price to high-street prices.
2. Price freeze – We have officially frozen prices on over 30 core products (from sketchbooks and stationery to paints and memory sticks), covering the basics for all courses to help you access what you need for less.

Did you know you can also order items that are from one of the arts shop existing suppliers? Come and speak to one of our team for more detail. 

You asked for: More ways to save

So we did: Discount periods throughout the year and our own bulk offer

While our unique location and footfall mean we can't mimic global chains, we've found new ways to help you save:

1. Bulk order offer – We offer a 5-15% discount when you spend over £100 on the same item.  
2. Voucher-specific offer – Pay £90 for £100 worth of materials (10% discount) when you use our arts shop vouchers. 
3. Targeted discount periods – Since the beginning of 2024/25, we have introduced more discounts at key times in your journey, such as:

• 10% 'Welcome' discount for new starters
• Seasonal 20% discount during December on special items
• 15% end-of-year discount for show prep and hand ins
• 10% discount on UAL merchandise for graduates

Plus, we've already welcomed some feedback from students and staff on items that should be included for next years discounts!

You asked for: Sustainable stock

You rated the 'importance of sustainability in purchasing decisions' a 7.4 out of 10 in the arts shop survey 2024/25. From this, we knew you wanted to make the right choice, also knowing that the 'green tax' can be a real hurdle.  

So we did: A sustainable labelling campaign to put it to the test

Following your feedback, we stocked more sustainable alternatives to some of our current products for a limited time. The products included bio-based acrylic paint, Calico organic cotton, Bruce Douglas biotape and paper mailing tape. All of which were more eco-friendly without sacrificing quality. 

Here's how it unfolded: 

• Introductory offer – We matched the price of these products to their current alternatives, removing the financial barrier in the first phase to see how you'd engage with greener options, before putting them back to their original price.
• Clear labelling – We labelled all of our sustainable materials, making them easy to identify among other products. 

Some of these items are still available in-store, and all of this data is helping us decide which sustainable lines are most popular to help with future stock decisions. 

Want to see these changes in person? Pop into your nearest arts shop this week to see for yourself.

As you can see, your feedback truly helps to shape the future of our shops. Look out for our next survey coming soon to help transform what UAL arts shop stores could look like for you and future students.

See what we have in stock on our Instagram @ual_artsshops.