Welcome from the Principal and Head

At Hampstead Fine Arts College we always aim to find something exceptional in our students – by giving them the freedom to learn. Most students at Fine Arts come to us looking for a private college environment that will help them to grow academically and creatively. Many have found that other schools’ approaches to learning and school rules are too prescriptive and rigid, which can be counterproductive and stifling for many students.

Students tell us that from the moment they walk through the gates for an interview, they realise they have found the place where they are meant to be. Although Hampstead Fine Arts College  attracts many types of students, they all wish to study in an energising, open atmosphere, where they make firm friendships that last throughout their lives.

We encourage an atmosphere of mutual respect in which an individual’s talents and ambitions are supported and developed. We see the College as a unique bridge between school and higher education.

Candida Cave
Principal, Hampstead Fine Arts College

Candida Cave

Position:
Principal, Hampstead Fine Arts College

Candida Cave trained at the Ruskin School of Art, Oxford University and studied for her M.A. in History of Art at the University of Buckingham. After discovering a gift for inspiring people through teaching, she founded Hampstead Fine Arts College...

Read More

Emmy Schwieters

Position:
Head of Hampstead Fine Arts College

Emmy Schwieters joined Hampstead Fine Arts in 2002 and has since held a variety of roles, including History of Art Tutor, Head of Department, and Director of Sixth Form. She was appointed Head in 2019. A former student herself, Emmy is deeply passionate...

Read More
"Pupils are highly independent, self-motivated learners, who respond with enthusiasm to the excellent teaching and the stress on individuality."
ISI Inspection, 2020
"The founding ethos “which remains embedded in the school,” says the head, was to create a school the founders themselves would have liked to attend."
Good Schools guide, 2023
Summer Courses 2026

We would love to invite you to attend our upcoming Summer Courses. 

Creative 2-week courses for students aged 12–19
13th July – 7th August

We are offering courses on Portfolio Preparation, Preparation for Drama School and Art & Design for Aspiring Artists. The courses are available in person, at our Belsize Park campuses, or online, including gallery visits, portfolio development, and a final showcase.