School of Communication Arts 2.0

John Gillard (middle) outside School of Communication Arts

So many people owe such a debt to the late John Gillard. Simply, he was the greatest educator and nurturer of creative talent.

School of Communication Arts was his idea, born out of his frustration of the way in which creativity was taught in universities. To say that it was a very special school would be an understatement. It was the most special school, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

The school closed in 1995 when Parkinsons’ Disease cruelly caught-up with John. He had five years of retirement with his wife Rosalind, before passing away.

My former classmate at the school, Ask Dabitch, interviewed John in 1999. You can read that interview here.

John’s spirit and ethos survive through the many students that he inspired during his time at the school, and at Falmouth and LCP. It is no coincidence that his students are amongst the most generous souls in advertising; values learned by spending time in John’s company. Evidence of this generosity can be seen through the large number of former students who have agreed to support the reincarnation of School of Communication Arts, either by committing time as a teacher/mentor or financially (or both).

We feel that it important that there should be a permanent page on the internet where “John’s cats” can post a message sharing their memories of John and of their time at the school. So here it is.

Thank you John for introducing me to such wonderful people, for opening my mind to the infinite possibilities that come from creative thinking, for helping me to develop the confidence to walk tall, for reminding me of my responsibilities, for opening doors, for showering me with love, for the wonderful career that I have enjoyed since graduating from your school.

Marc Lewis
Dean, School of Communication Arts 2.0
(Student, 1993-1994)